Making Problems to Solve

If you've been around the online maker community, you may have run into Paul Meyette, one of the best supporters of the community around. I was lucky to meet Paul at northeast maker events several years ago and he's definitely supported my work as well. We chatted about how he got started making things, discovering the online maker community, and building your own little community, finding folks to support. Paul created the Northeast Makers Facebook and Instagram accounts to highlight the wide range of creative people he encountered along the way. Check out Paul and Northeast Makers on Instagram.

Briony Morrow-Cribbs currently lives & works in the hills of rural Vermont as a printmaker, illustrator, graphic designer and maker of little things. We discussed her creative family, and work, specifically copper plate etching. This includes nature-inspired prints, book covers and illustrations.Check out her work on Instagram and her web site.

Rasmus Loen is a blacksmith, as described on the podcast he co-hosts, from Norway! We talk about learning and teaching blacksmithing, Zelda, and of course the making and selling of forged objects. You won't be surpised to hear we mention community a bit in there somewhere. Check out Rasmus as one-third of the Setting Up Shoppe podcast with Dan and Heidi. Also check out Rasmus on Instagram and his web site.

This week I talked to Liz from Blitz City DIY. She makes a lot of music and electronics related projects. We discuss how she went from a music major to experimenting with Arduino to creating DIY YouTube videos and guides for Adafruit. We discover why patterned plywood might be related to quilting and a bit about modular synths. Check out Liz on Instagram, Youtube and the Adafruit web site.

Gary Oshust went from a career in IT to taking a sculpture class and beyond. We talk about his interest in minature art, as well as his time managing a maker space, interest in aviation and keeping the "A" in STEAM. Check out Gary on Instagram. Photo credit to Mark Adams.

Michele Banks makes biology and science inspired art exploring the patterns we find in nature from viruses and bacteria to animal and plant cells and even neuroscience. We talked about how you don't need to be a kid who was good at drawing to become a working artist, inspiration from science communication, and her email newsletter about the work and philosophy of making art a career. Find Michele on Instagram and Substack.

Mark Adams and Nick Toga are back and we discuss upcoming events, catch up on recent events, and widely range across maker topics. Highlights include Making it 500, AWFS Fair in Vegas, Texas Woodworking Festival, the Fitchburg Forge-in and of course, Catskill Mountain Maker Camp! Along the way we discuss monetizing knowledge, creative community, and buying stuff from makers. A plethora of mentions: Catskill Mountain Maker CampTexas Woodworking FestivalLeah AripotchJeff DuBoerSeattle Metals GuildFitchburg Forge-inLindsay ZuelichMatthew AbadiCanned Heat Glass StudiosLynn Everett Read

A solo episode, Fitchburg Forge-in announcement. a preview of just some of the awesome stuff to see at the Catskill Mountain Maker Camp, and my take on the "What is Social Media?" question posed by the Woodworking is Bullshit podcast!

Shane Bowman is my guest this week. We chat about discovering printing and graphic design, and accidentally finding a career in industrial design make point-of-purchase product displays. He wanted to make a case for a favorite pen and to his surprise that started his love of leather craft. Next he saw some custom leather hardware, and found a way to make his own, and to provide that for the wider maker community. Follow Shane on Instagram

Chelsea Witt has recently been appointed the Executive Director of The Chairmaker's Toolbox whose mission is "Increasing access and equity in the field of chairmaking. Founded by & for under-represented woodworkers & chair nerds". We chat about Chelsea's journey from and interest in art, and taking pre-med classes on way to becoming a surgeon, to the pivot to woodworking, and in building the woodworking community through education. Check out Chelsea on Instagram and their web site. The Chairmaker's Toolbox