Cut the Craft

Courtney Martin is a Spruce Pine, NC-based studio potter specializing in wood fired goods. She talks about her influences of geometry and the pottery of Mata Ortiz, which based a pottery style on the archeology of Casas Grandes in Chihuahua, Mexico. She also touches on pirates and parenting while working as a full-time craftsperson. With Courtney, we get a glimpse of the sea change in wood fired ceramics being pioneered by women.

See more of her work at www.courtneymartinpottery.com and on Instagram @courtneymartinpotter.

Courtney’s craft crushes include Holly Walker, Anni Albers, Daniel Garver, and Eleanor Anderson

Some resources mentioned in the episode are Penland School of Crafts, STARworks, Spruce Pine Potters Market, and Cousins in Clay.

Our 3rd Annual April Giveaway is quickly approaching! This year, we are excited to have TWO beautiful carving knives made by none other than Reid Schwartz, our guest from Episode 41.

Erin Fletcher is a bookbinder from Boston Massachusetts. She focuses on unique bindings that incorporate fiber arts in books that have text. She splits her time between working for clients and creating unique works of art for exhibitions. She expands on traditional and experimental materials, and their efficacy. A graduate of North Bennet Street school, she is grateful to the community she gained while learning her trade. She loves that she can express herself with design bindings and hopes to see them more represented in the worlds of both art and craft.

To see more of Erin’s work ,visit her website www.herringbonebindery.com or check out her instagram @herringbonebindery.

Erin’s Craft Crushes include Rose Adler, Sybil Pye, Coleen Curry, Sue Doggett, Hannah Brown, Annette Friedrich, and Sheila Hicks.

Some bookbinding-related resources from the episode are North Bennet Street School and Philobiblon.

Our 3rd Annual April Giveaway is quickly approaching! This year, we are excited to have TWO beautiful carving knives made by none other than Reid Schwartz, our guest from Episode 41.

During this episode we plunge into the well-tempered world of Will Manning of Heartwood Forge. Listeners learn about Will’s complex relationship with turn-buckle shoes and reclaimed steel. His kitchen knives are a mixture of various steels and even though reclaimed steel might not be totally cost effective, he likes the idea of the hunt and the folks he meets along the way. Will points us to his interest in gardening, and connection to his community of Jonesborough, TN.

To see more of Will’s work, be sure to check out his website www.heartwoodforge.com. or his Instagram page @heartwoodforge.

Will’s Craft Crushes include ShiHan Prull, Akira Satake, and Pawena Thimaporn.

Our 3rd Annual April Giveaway is quickly approaching! This year, we are excited to have TWO beautiful carving knives made by none other than Reid Schwartz, our guest from Episode 41.

Welcome to the first episode of Cut the Craft! The hosts, Amy Umbel and Brien Beidler, give the listeners a view into the motivation behind the podcast and an understanding of why it matters to hear the stories of craftspeople. Amy speaks about her journey into woodcarving, the importance of visibility, and how her work is changing. Brien gives listeners a glimpse into the world of bookbinding, his love of historic bindings, how his environment shaped his interest in craft, and most importantly why The Lord of the Rings is the best book ever written.
To see examples of their work, check out their websites: www.amyumbel.com and www.beidlermade.com. You can also see what they're up to on Instagram @amy_umbel and @bhbeidler

Our 3rd Annual April Giveaway is quickly approaching! This year, we are excited to have TWO beautiful carving knives made by none other than Reid Schwartz, our guest from Episode 41.

Recorded April 24, 2020. David Grimes, calligrapher and penman from Portland Oregon, explains his love of the care and intention that goes into expressing the written word through his craft. He guides us through the twists and turns of terms like; script, font, uppercase, lowercase, cursive, engrosser's script, and roundhand. He also clues us in to a secret society which only certain calligraphers are inducted into: The Order of the Black Chrysanthemum.

To see more of David’s work, visit his website www.masgrimes.com, or check him out on instagram @masgrimes. He is also on twitter and reddit.

David’s craft crushes include bookbinder Lousie Bescond, glass artist David Smith, and your Cut the Craft co-host Brien Beidler.

Our 3rd Annual April Giveaway is quickly approaching! This year, we are excited to have TWO beautiful carving knives made by none other than Reid Schwartz, our guest from Episode 41.