Making Meaning
Episodes
#61: Accomplishments and Imagined Mementoes
22 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This week's episode is about the new body of work I made for Mary Linwood; Art, Stitch & Lift exhibition. Alongside researching, curating and writing...
#60: Reflections on Mary Linwood
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Making Meaning is back with a new series. It's almost five years since I started making this podcast and this is series 6. In this episode I'm solo, t...
#59: Making Meaning with Rachel Whitworth
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I'm talking to Rachel Whitworth, the curator of Fashion and Textiles at The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle. Find out about the Mary ...
#58: Making Meaning with Emily Jo Gibbs
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I'm so pleased to share this conversation with Emily Jo Gibbs, a fantastic textile maker who I have admired for many years. It won't surprise you that...
#57: Making Meaning with Jayne Emerson
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode I'm talking to the brilliant creative textile designer Jayne Emerson, known to many of you as the creator of the No Rules Textile Soci...
#56: Making Meaning with Heidi Strobel
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Heidi Strobel is my guest in episode 56 about Mary Linwood. Heidi joined me from The University of North Texas, USA where she is is Professor of A...
#54: Making Meaning with Dr Isabella Rosner
31 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is more of the summer of stitch series, this time with the brilliant Dr Isabella Rosner, Royal School of Needlework curator, podcaster an...
#54: Making Meaning with Claire-Louise Hardie / The Thrifty Stitcher
16 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is more in the summer of stitch series, this time with a very different kind of maker. Claire-Louise Hardie is a costumier and sewing ...
#53: Making Meaning with Jennifer Collier
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Continuing with the summer of stitch theme, in this podcast episode I am talking to the brilliant maker Jennifer Collier, who makes amazing objects in...
#52: Making Meaning with Wendy Ward
19 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy Ward - researcher, maker and campaigner around clothes, sustainability and emotional connection to the things we wear. Wendy is a PhD researche...
#51: Making Meaning - Project books and sharing research
12 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is a reflection on how I chose to create Cultures of Care Gathering and the sessions, talks and workshops it involves. I also explore the...
#50: Making Meaning - Cultures of Care Gathering
05 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's episode FIFTY! and the podcast's 4th birthday this week. This is just a mini solo one, sharing some of the story of the Cultures of Care project ...
#49: Making Meaning with Deb McGuire - Part 2
28 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Deb McGuire is back! We recording a long conversation and I've split it into two episodes, of which this is the second. I suggest you start with Epis...
#48: Making Meaning with Deb McGuire
22 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this series I'm exploring textile making and the many complex meanings around textile making practice. This episode is the first of a two-parter wi...
#47: Making Meaning with Jayne Childs
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a while, but Making Meaning is back! This series will be full of conversations about textile making and meaning. This episode is with Jayne ...
#46: Making Meaning - Textiles and Care
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Series Five of Making Meaning is here. A lot of this series will be focussing on textiles, although there will be some other stories, conversations an...
#45: Making Meaning - Mary Linwood and Me
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This short episode is a brief introduction to my research project about 18th century embroidery artist Mary Linwood. The episode includes a very short...
#44: Making Meaning - Productivity and care
13 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 re...
#43: Making Meaning - Nature and Care
20 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 po...
#42: Making Meaning - Co-creation
10 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
#41: Making Meaning - Reflective Practice
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 w...
#40: Making Meaning - Research as a care practice
27 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
#39: Making Meaning - Artist Support Recipes
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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...
#38 - Making Meaning with Claire Morris-Wright
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 tal...
#43: Making Meaning - Nature & Care
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
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 p...
#37 - Making Meaning with Amy Twigger Holroyd
31 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
#36 - Making Meaning with Bridget Harvey
17 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bridget is a maker and researcher who uses ideas around repair to reanimate discarded objects and to tell new stories about our relationship to everyd...
#35 - Making Meaning with Lisa Soloman
03 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This time I'm talking with artist Lisa Solomon. Lisa lives in Oakland, California, where I was very lucky to visit her a couple of times pre-pandemic,...
#34 - Live Q&A with Ruth Singer
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode you'll hear an edited version of a live Q&A recorded last month on Zoom. The audience were invited to ask questions about my practice ...
#33 - Making Meaning with Barbara Burman
05 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm joined today by historian and writer Barbara Burman who has just published a wonderful new book called The Point of The Needle, Why Sewing Matter...
#32: Making Meaning - Zoe Murphy
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 32 of Making Meaning is with designer and all-round creative powerhouse Zoe Murphy. Zoe works with colourful screen prints to transform old f...
#31: Making Meaning - Cultures of Care
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This is an extra bonus episode. Rather than the usual conversation, today's episode is a recording of my recent Cultures of Care online talk, explaini...
#30: Making Meaning with Jennie McCall
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
I'm talking today to ceramic artist Jennie McCall. I've known Jennie for quite a few years and have had the pleasure of seeing her work grow and devel...
#29: Making Meaning with Kate Unwin, The Moon & The Furrow
23 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time, Making Meaning has been recorded outdoors! I met up with Kate Unwin of The Moon and the Furrow at her woodland in Wales. Kate is a...
#28: Making Meaning with Lucie Bea Dutton
09 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Ruth talks to textile artist and researcher, Lucie Bea Dutton. For the last few years, Lucie has been exploring Hilary Mantel's Cro...
Making Meaning is coming back!
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hello friends, Making Meaning podcast is back! Or it's almost back, if I can fundraise enough to keep it going. In this episode I'll explain where I'...
#26: Making Meaning with Gillian Lee Smith
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this final conversation of the series, I am talking to Gillian Lee Smith, a Scottish painter based in Northumberland. Gillian and I first met as me...
#25: Making Meaning with Mandeep Dhadialla
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mandeep is a printmaker and workshop leader who works under the brand The Laughing Cactus Print Studio. She's also local to me and we've been working ...
#24: Making Meaning Live Gathering Highlights 3 with Maker Membership and Charlotte Bilby
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Making Meaning Live was a fantastic online event in July 2022 created by Ruth Singer. The event brought together creative people to talk about the me...
#23: Making Meaning Live Gathering Highlights 2 with Amy Twigger Holroyd, Claire Wellesley-Smith, Lokesh Ghai and Charlie Birtles
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Making Meaning Live was a fantastic online event in July 2022 created by Ruth Singer. The event brought together creative people to talk about the me...
#22: Making Meaning Live Gathering Highlights 1 with Michaela McMillan, Wendy Ward and Kathryn Parsons
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Making Meaning Live was a fantastic online event which Ruth Singer created and hosted in July 2022. The event brought together creative people to talk...
#21: Making Meaning with Michaela McMillan
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Michaela McMillan's wonderful work often defies categorisation. It is craft or is it assemblage? Is it sculpture or is it textiles? It is meant to be ...
#20: Making Meaning with Ruth Singer on Research
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Research and stories are fundamental to my work. Everything I make has some kind of message or meaning which I want to express through making artwork....
#19: Making Meaning with Alice Fox
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Alice's practice is deeply embedded in land and place. She makes with found and natural materials using textile processes and others drawn from basket...
#18: Making Meaning with Textiles in Lockdown
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Textiles in Lockdown was a wonderful project I worked on in 2020. Gawthorpe Textiles Collection commissioned me to research textile making practice du...
#17: Making Meaning with Maker Membership Community
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I truly believe that connection and community are vital to creativity. It's hard to be making work on your own without conversations, feedback and ins...
#16: Making Meaning with Claire Wellesley-Smith
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wellbeing through stitch and communal creative practice runs through Claire's practice, writing and projects. She's just completed a PhD exploring th...
#15: Making Meaning with Louise Jones-Williams
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
I've been enormously lucky over the last 10 years or so to work with Louise at Llantarnam Grange on both group and solo exhibitions. In this conversat...
#14: Making Meaning with Sharon Adams
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sharon's work really fascinates me. Her objects tell intriguing stories of the landscape she is rooted in and allow for contemplation and imagination ...
#13: Making Meaning with Helen Hallows
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's great to be back with a new series of Making Meaning. In this episode I'm talking to artist Helen Hallows about living a creative life with a dee...
#12: Making Meaning Crowdfunder and mini episode
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This is just a quickie, a tiny unscripted mini pod to remind you that the Crowdfunder closes this weekend Sunday 12th December and that your contribut...
#11: Making Meaning Reflections
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This end of series episode of Making Meaning is just me. I wanted to reflect on the series, to share my thoughts and feelings about the amazing conver...
#10: Making Meaning with Emma King
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this final conversation of the series, Ruth is talking to museum consultant Emma King. Ruth & Emma were at University studying for a Masters Degree...
#9: Making Meaning with Paula Briggs
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week Ruth is talking to Paula Briggs, a ceramic artist focussing on narrative in craft. This conversation grew from a previous interview for Paul...
#8: Making Meaning with Ekta Kaul
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Ruth talks to textile artist Ekta Kaul about her soulful stitch work, about belonging and place making about about the richness of ...
#7: Making Meaning with Melody Vaughan
06 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Melody Vaughan, coach and mentor to makers started her working life in the museum sector, just like Ruth did. In this conversation, they discuss how m...
#6: Making Meaning with Cas Holmes
22 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This conversation between textile artists Ruth Singer & Cas Holmes is full of fascinating insights into the thoughtful making processes they share. Ca...
#5: Making Meaning with Kathryn Parsons
08 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kathryn is an artist maker specialising in miniature works celebrating nature. Kathryn's approach is research-based and multi-faceted - from a Herbari...
#4: Making Meaning with Richard McVetis
25 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Ruth talks to artist Richard McVetis about his meticulous embroidery work and the complexities and joys of being an artist. Richard ma...
#3: Making Meaning with Caren Garfen
11 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Artists Ruth Singer and Caren Garfen in conversation about the meanings behind their work. Both Ruth and Caren work in textiles and have a strong asso...
#2: Collaboration and Connection
28 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Ruth talks to fine artist Gillian McFarland. Ruth & Gillian have collaborated for a number of years on art-science and other conceptual projects. In t...
#1: Welcome to Making Meaning
26 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Artist Ruth Singer introduces her new podcast Making Meaning. She explains how she loves talking to other artists and creative people about what they ...