The UK Moot Podcast

Visual artist Marigold Short reflects on returning to art (and university!) later in life and embracing what she calls the “insecure security” of following Jesus. She’s crafted some deeply intimate work, inspired by pregnancies cut short and family conflicts, as well as a bold immersive installation for English Heritage exploring the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in England. (Katy and Marigold opine that the way we look at Reformation history has contributed to a diminished visual imagination for worship spaces.) Along the way, Marigold explains why teaching people to draw is really teaching them to see and makes the case that Donald Trump could benefit from spending time in art museums.Wise words from Marigold: “Whatever we do is affected by what we believe…”Hear from more Christian creatives... subscribe to the UK Moot Podcast.“Fine art won’t give you answers… it will hope to cause questions.”About Marigold“I vividly remember when I first came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, it was like moving into a parallel universe and yet still being in this world. My perception had changed and I realised our world, as I had thought it, is not what it seems. Other experiences have given me similar feelings, and it is this strange sensation of being in two places at once that motivates me to express myself. Inspired by the works of artists like Janet Cardiff, George Bures Miller, and Fujiko Nakaya. I make work about the edge of consciousness.”* Fine Art MA (merit), BA (Hons 1st) from the University of Northampton.* UoN MA Professional Development Residency Award with the NN Contemporary Art Gallery, Northampton.* English Heritage: ‘Testament - Enlightenment and Downfall’ for Rushton Triangular Lodge.Website | Facebook This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Photographer and artist Lorna Rande shares the winding journey that led from a love of fonts to teaching herself Photoshop, InDesign, and Acrobat so she could bring her book to life. In an incredibly personal conversation, Lorna reflects on growing up in a home marked by neglect and abuse, her dramatic journey from thinking she didn’t need God at 14 to passionately following Jesus, and the ways art became part of her healing. She shares how creativity has helped her see and capture God’s glory, and why, after everything, she can say: “I love Jesus because he has been life and life abundant to me.”“If my imagery, if my capturing the details of what I see, allows people to pause and hear God calling them by name, then that’s my greatest delight.”About LornaPhotographer | Artist | Calligrapher | Graphic Designer | Mother | Nanna | Friend Lorna enjoys discovering beautiful details on ordinary paths, before dawn, drinking a rooibos chai latte with a good book, collecting children’s stories, playing the congas in a worship band, celebrating the reflection of the High Creator in others, capturing beauty in relationships, playing hide and seek with the One whose glory is to conceal a matter.Website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Freelance artist, print-maker, and illustrator Martin Smyth joins the podcast to discuss the joys and tensions of building an art career while following Christ. He and Katy discuss seemingly everything: from the challenges of staying focused as a self-described “scatterbrain” to the value of being a “borderstalker” between creative worlds; from communion, politics, and church to the origins of his “xomartyxo” moniker. Martyn offers an abundance of encouragement for Christians exploring their creative gifts.“Do the art—do the gift that God’s given you—and it will enrich your life.”About Martyn“My name is Martyn. I am an American dad who tries hard to put God first. I’m also an artist and a nerd. I love my family, friends and a lot of art! I live and work in Leeds in the UK. I work as a professional printmaker and illustrator.”Instagram | Facebook | Website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

In the first UK Moot Podcast panel discussion, our guests—Jaclyn Hoselton, a writer and mom of three; David Robert Lewis, a vicar and dad of four; and Caleb Woodbridge, a writer, editor, and dad of three—wander through the joyful, messy landscape where family life and creativity collide. They discuss introducing children to fandoms and beloved stories—including Harry Potter, Narnia, Pokémon, Redwall, and Swallows and Amazons—curating taste, and balancing artistic investment in the home vs. creative pursuits aimed at outside audiences. Practical wisdom abounds here: including “feeding the gnomes” in order to sustain creative life and why every parent should watch Bluey.About Our PanelistsDavid Robert Lewis is a Vicar in Nottinghamshire, looking after six village churches. He is married to Hannah and they have four children. He is a songwriter, poet and storyteller. He is particularly excited at the moment about poetry storytelling and is taking Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and putting it into ballad form.Instagram | FacebookJaclyn Rios Hoselton is a writer and American expat living in Germany. She has an MA in English literature from Universität Heidelberg. She is a mom of three and serves alongside her husband as members of a local church in Munich.Instagram | SubstackCaleb Woodbridge is a writer and editor based in Pontypridd, Wales, where he leads an Estuary group for meaningful conversations. He hosts the Imaginative Discipleship podcast and writes about imagination and meaning-making on his Substack newsletter, Bigger on the Inside.Facebook | Instagram: @calebwoodbridge, @imaginative.discipleship This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Katy talks to Anna Hamill – watercolor artist, hand-letterer, and business owner – about how her creative journey has been shaped at the crossroads of artistry, entrepreneurship, and faith. She reflects on the importance of finding mentorship within the church and offers encouragement for trying new creative practices. Anna also talks about how she teaches her children by letting them help with her gift card and stationary business And Hope Designs.“You can love things and not do them,” Katy says, inviting listeners to enjoy creativity.Anna is a Christian based in Belfast where she lives with her husband and their four children. She runs her own creative business which has worked out perfectly as she has always loved to make and explore creatively with curiosity. She is inspired by her time in the word, music, nature, books and nostalgia. She loves to encourage others in their walk with Jesus, send happy mail and try out new hobbies (often bringing a child or two in with her). You can find her on Facebook and Instagram. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Music producer and composer Andy Lowe joins Katy for a wide-ranging discussion about experimental music, creating dance tracks, and bringing the spirit of pub music into the church. There’s a fun moment where Katy introduces him to Spotify subgenres like “cottagecore” and “goblincore.” Together, they reflect on the necessity of music (and art) which affirms life and discuss finding the motivation to keep creating, especially in the demanding business of music production.A valuable insight from Andy: “Who we are as people comes before the things we make as artists.”Andy Lowe is a composer and music producer who loves to explore the worlds of sound and ideas. He can often be found wandering in a park with a hand-held recorder capturing unique noises, or taking notes from a philosophy book. The treasures that he finds in both worlds are woven into the music that he creates.You can find him at his website, or on Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Kicking off this season, poet and musician Josh Baylis joins Katy to explore why poetry is a joyful way to play with not only what we say, but how we say it. He reflects on creativity as an expression of the image of God, the wisdom embedded in words that are older than us, and the challenge of continuing to create through both traumatic seasons and quieter, fallow ones. We consider whether growing in our creative acts can draw us closer to Christ and help us see the familiar anew.“Poetry is born of living an embodied, embedded life in the real world.”About JoshuaJoshua T. Baylis is a published poet as well as a guitarist, husband and dad, and works in research support. In spare moments he can sometimes be found with a notebook in hand, hunting after the perfect word.His poetry can be found at songsfromthesoil.wordpress.com or follow him on Instagram @baylisjoshRecommendations from Josh:* Guitarists: Preston Reed, Andy McKee, Jon Gomm and Erik Mongrain* Music: Ryan O’Neil/Sleeping at Last* Authors: George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Andrew Peterson* Poets: Emily Dickinson, Gerald Manley Hopkins, John Keats and Malcolm Guite This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Colzo talks to Katy about why she loves creating in different art mediums, whether art is Christian because a Christian made it, past mental health struggles, and how teaching herself to draw kept her alive. She also gives exclusive details on future illustrative projects.Due to the direction this conversation took, Katy didn’t ask Colzo for her recommendations.Follow Colzo on Instagram: @officialcolzoartCheck out Colzo’s website and shop: colzo.artTheme music by Ross Colbourne. Podcast logo by Colzo and Peter Thomas. Any audio clips included in this podcast are copyrighted by the artist. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Writer and editor Caleb Woodbridge shares his enthusiasm about Doctor Who, King Arthur, and how Harry Potter is "the best Christian not-quite allegory since Narnia." He chats to Katy about getting Christian leaders to see the arts as more than evangelistic tools and his transition from working in Christian publishing to a secular media organization.Recommendations from Caleb: Neil Gaiman, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and T.H. White.Caleb Woodbridge writes Bigger on the Inside, on faith, imagination, and the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of stories, at www.biggerontheinside.co.uk.Follow Caleb on Twitter: @CalebWoodbridgeFollow Caleb on Instagram: @caleb.woodbridgeFollow Caleb on Bluesky: @calebwoodbridge.comFollow Caleb on Substack: Caleb Woodbridge Theme music by Ross Colbourne. Podcast logo by Colzo and Peter Thomas. Any audio clips included in this podcast are copyrighted by the artist. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com

Poet and spoken word artist Libby Sparrow shares how she finds time to practice her art. She also chats to Katy about her practice providing a way to express and explore a range of emotions and bring about healing. They even discuss praying through Legos! The episode contains two of Libby's performances -- "Go With Me" and "Bad People, Good God."(Trigger Warning: 41:56 - 46:31 contain insinuations of assault.)Recommendations from Libby: Dai Woolridge and Andy KindFollow Libby on Instagram: @poemsofthepasserFollow Libby on Substack: https://libbysparrow.substack.com/Theme music by Ross Colbourne. Podcast logo by Colzo and Peter Thomas. Any audio clips included in this podcast are copyrighted by the artist. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theukmootpodcast.substack.com