#40: Making Meaning - Research as a care practice

This short episode is a brief introduction to my research project about 18th century embroidery artist Mary Linwood. The episode includes a very short history about her, and then details of the community projects I'm running over the next few months, that you can take part in too. You can find out about them below, as well as a bit more about Mary Linwood here. Stitching Emotions: Collaborative project for the Mary Linwood exhibition Connected Threads: A community textiles project Find full details about the episode, including a transcript: https://ruthsinger.com/2024/11/22/mary-linwood-and-me-making-meaning-podcast-episode-45

This podcast is again from my Cultures of Care Group and in a change to the usual, it includes the group discussion as well as my talk, which is my reflections on productivity as an artist and what that means to me now as a research-based artist more than a maker of things. I talk about making and doing what you want to do is a self-care practice and that my creativity is more than my productivity in a traditional sense.  We talk at the end about the importance of textile making as a community activity, which actually leads perfectly into the next Cultures of Care Group sessions in October and November which focus on textiles and care. Find out more: https://ruthsinger.com/2024/10/08/productivity-and-creative-practice-making-meaning-podcast-episode-44/

My Cultures of Care project wasn’t intentionally all about nature and landscape connection, yet that is what a lot of it has turned out to be. This podcast episode is my exploration of how nature, outdoors and landscape in its widest sense have influenced my work. I talk about projects on landscape history and community projects making in nature and with nature. This was part of my Cultures of Care Group session for August. The next sessions are in September, October and November and are open for bookings now, and I would love it if you could join me then. The sessions are free. Find out more and read the transcript at https://ruthsinger.com/2024/09/01/nature-and-care-making-meaning-podcast-episode-43/ You can also find out more about my Maker Membership here https://ruthsinger.com/membership/

In my nearly 20 years of creative work, I've developed a real passion for creating artwork with the input of others, either in group making or through contributions of stories. This podcast explores what I mean by co-creation and what benefits it brings to me and those who contribute.  Find out more and read the transcript at https://ruthsinger.com/2024/06/11/co-creation-making-meaning-podcast-episode-42/ The gallery of co-created projects is here https://ruthsinger.com/co-creation-projects/ These talks are part of my Cultures of Care Group sessions which are free online discussion groups, once a month. The next ones are in July and August, dates and links to book are here: https://ruthsinger.com/cultures-of-care/cultures-of-care-group/ Find out more about reflective writing course here https://ruthsinger.com/2024/05/26/reflective-writing-for-creative-practice/ and my Maker Membership here https://ruthsinger.com/membership/  

I find being reflective in my creative work incredibly useful and have done for many years. In this essay / podcast I share how I came to reflective writing or journalling and some of the other ways I am reflective about my work with others. This was part of my Cultures of Care Group in May 2024. Find out more: https://ruthsinger.com/2024/05/16/reflective-practice-making-meaning-podcast-episode-41/  

This new podcast episode, the first in a series of four, is a recording of my first Cultures of Care Group talks. For these sessions I write an essay to share on an aspect of care in creative practice. In this first session, April 2024, I chose to talk about research as a creative care practice. Find out more: https://ruthsinger.com/2024/04/23/research-as-a-care-practice/ 

Artist Support Recipes is a group of artists interested in artist support and development. In this podcast we reflect on our learning during a year of research and discussion about what artists need to thrive. The group members are Ruth Singer, Sharon Adams, Gillian McFarland, Collette Rayner and Liz Nilsson. Find out more https://ruthsinger.com/2024/02/17/making-meaning-podcast-episode-39-artist-support-recipes/ and at artistsupportrecipes.wordpress.com

This week I'm talking to artist Claire Morris-Wright, an artist in neighbouring Northamptonshire, who I've known for a few years and always enjoy talking too. We talk about looking closely and thinking deeply, about slow processing of ideas and about sharing and connecting as a fundamental part of both our practices. Read more:  Membership and Mentoring are all here: https://ruthsinger.podia.com/ Support the podcast with a donation or subscription ruthsinger.com/podcast-fundraiser Keep in touch by joining my email list ruthsinger.com/email Get a copy of Making Meaning Journal ruthsinger.com/journal Find more episodes at ruthsinger.com/podcast

My Cultures of Care project wasn't intentionally all about nature and landscape connection, yet that is what a lot of it has turned out to be. This podcast episode is my exploration of how nature, outdoors and landscape in its widest sense have influenced my work. I talk about projects on landscape history and community projects making in nature and with nature. This was part of my Cultures of Care Group session for August. The next sessions are open for bookings now in September, October and November are open for bookings now, and I would love it if you could join me then. You can also find out more about my Maker Membership here https://ruthsinger.com/membership/  

In this end of 2023 episode, I'm talking to Amy Twigger Holroyd, who is Associate Professor of Fashion and Sustainability at Nottingham School of Art & Design, and in her previous life was a knitwear designer and innovator. We go back quite a long way to my early days as a designer maker and the retail markets world that we both used to work in. What connected us in those early days was a belief in the need for textiles practices to be sustainable and for making to be recognised as a vital life skill. We could both talk about these for ever, but we tried to keep it short and focus on Amy’s project Fashion Fictions and where our fascinations and ways of working and sharing cross over.   Read more: https://ruthsinger.com/2023/12/13/making-meaning-podcast-episode-37-with-amy-twigger-holroyd/ Find Your Focus course, Membership and Mentoring are all here: https://ruthsinger.podia.com/ Support the podcast with a donation or subscription ruthsinger.com/podcast-fundraiser Keep in touch by joining my email list ruthsinger.com/email Get a copy of Making Meaning Journal ruthsinger.com/journal Find more episodes at ruthsinger.com/podcast