Episode 055: Ben Blount

Recorded June 6, 2023. William Deresiewicz is a non-fiction writer whose work includes The End of Solitude, Excellent Sheep, and A Jane Austin Education. In this episode he speaks with us about his book The Death of the Artist: How Creators are Struggling to Survive in the age of Billionaires and Big Tech. Over the course of our conversation Bill gives us a synopsis of the book and highlights different factors that have resulted in the current marketplace for creatives. He includes the new formation of “parasocial relationships” with fans and customers that are a part of selling creative work and acknowledges the death of institutional gatekeepers, which is a double edged sword. This interview is one you will not want to miss. To find more of Bills’s work visit: https://billderesiewicz.com/Help keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded May 8, 2023. Kyle Tallio, from Nuxalk and Hailzaqu Nations, makes Northwest Coast Art primarily out of Prince Rupert in Canada. Kyle focuses primarily on wood carvings that are used traditionally: masks, spoons, bowls, and boxes. He comes from a family of artists and started out his creative pursuits in two dimensional work. As his carving has progressed he has gleaned inspiration from the traditional principles of Northwest Coast Art but is settling into his own style. Kyle highlights the importance of actively creating community relationships as well as a generous mindset. He also touches on the tough conversations around museum collections and Indigenous art, the truth behind those acquisitions and the nuanced perspectives involved. To find more of Kyle’s work visit: Coastal Peoples Fine Arts Gallery, Inuit Gallery of Vancouver, Lattimer Gallery, Instagram: @kyletallio.Help keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded April 18, 2023. Addison de Lisle is a metalsmith who primarily focuses on non-ferrous metals but with a very eclectic range of forms. Within his breadth of interests, Addison makes an effort to set himself a few parameters; his work is metal, should at least hint at utility, and shouldn’t shy away from conceptual ideas. In other words, he’s free to explore! During the course of our conversation he shares the view that craftspeople are alchemists who are a bridge between nature and culture, that new processes such as 3D printing have a place in craft and how his experiences at craft schools have influenced his career.  To find more of Addison’s work visit his website: www.addisondelisle.com , Instagram: @de_lisle_iron .Help keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded March 20, 2023. Kathryn Sullivan is a woodworker who focuses on restoration and conservation. Over the course of our conversation Kathryn highlights the importance of communication with their clients. Learning more about what a piece will be used for and the client's motivation for Kathryn's services informs how they will approach the restoration process. We also dig into the series of choices Kathryn made that brought them to restoration and how their academic background helps inform their work. They have a unique perspective around our material culture and its role in cultural heritage that you will not want to miss. To find more of Kathryn’s work visit their website: www.kathrynsullivanrestoration.com , Instagram: @ksullivanrestoration , TikTok @queercusstellata , LA Conservators: www.laconservators.comHelp keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded March 13, 2023. Robell Awake is a furniture maker based in Atlanta Georgia. He has a background in the trades, but has dedicated his current efforts in ladderback chair making and green woodworking. Along with making the furniture itself, Robell has researched the true origins of the Poynor chair; a mule-eared, curve-backed ladderback chair designed by one of the most prolific Black furniture makers in the 19th Century; Richard Poyner. Robell’s research has led him toward combating the erasures of black craftspeople in the United States with his own work and also educating others in the field to set the historic record straight.  To find more of Robell’s work visit his website: www.robellawake.com, Instagram: @robellawakeHelp keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH!Support the Show.

Recorded February 6, 2023. Gabriela Marván is a cartonera living and working in Wisconsin. Cartonería is a paper sculpture technique that has roots in the beginning of colonialism in Mexico. The Catholic Church used sculptures to communicate its doctrine with indigenous people but now the technique is used during celebrations and folk art of all kinds. Gabriela specializes in Day of the Dead decorations and loves the artistic flexibility that comes along with designing Catrina’s (the iconic elegantly dressed skeleton figure). It’s become a way to remember the busy mercados in Mexico and build up her local community celebrations at the same time. She finds a lot of fulfillment in the festival, food, and music but most importantly through educating people through her vibrant sculpture.  To find more of Gabriela’s work visit her website: www.folkartcollective.com, Instagram: @poshemx, @folkartcollective Photo credit for the banner: Hanna Agar PhotographyHelp keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded January 2, 2023. French bookbinder Louise Bescond is couched within the multifaceted world of bookbinding. She describes her niche as bookbinding “haute couture,” but despite her exacting eye, she acknowledges the moving bar of perfection in her professional life. Admittedly not a bookbinding historian, Louise gives us a sense of the historical context for these bindings, as well as an overview of the variety of specialized craftspeople within the field that emphasizes the collaborative nature of her own work and all the people who help make her books special. To find more of Louise’s work visit her website: http://www.louisebescond.eu/ and Instagram: @louise.bescond. Help keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded December 12, 2022. Letterpress printer and designer Ben Blount believes in the power of the printed word. He uses design as a way to communicate, motivate, tell stories, and record histories. He uses the printed word as a vehicle for conversations ranging from race and identity to stories we tell ourselves. Ben loves to highlight nuance and use the intricacies of larger cultural contexts to create catalysts for questions and new conversations.   To find more of Ben’s work visit his website: http://benblount.com/ and Instagram: @blountbenHelp keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.

Recorded November 7, 2022. Jögge Sundqvist is a slöjdaire from Umeå Sweden. As a multi-talented woodworker he’s made everything ranging from butter knives to theater entrances. During this episode, Jögge helps us clear up the definition of slöjd and its cultural roots. Technically speaking the word means being “clever in your hands”, but Jögge also gives the term a wider context and shares how it applies to his own understanding of craft. He elaborates on the connection between the rhythm in woodworking and music, and in the past created a touring musical show with Beth Moen (a fellow woodworker) and others exploring that abstract link. Jögge also makes a point to share how joy guides his work and inspires him to work directly with the material; it’s a collaboration between his personal expression, tools, folk art tradition, and the wood itself. To find more of Jögge’s work visit his website: www.surolle.se, Instagram: @surolle and check out his books at Lost Art Press.Help keep the podcast alive! Visit our Patreon, pick up some Merch, or make a one time donation! Listeners make it all possible. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Support the Show.