Juliette Bigley is an artist and sculptor who creates extraordinary, abstract, but somehow familiar, pieces out of metal. I first saw her work at New Designers, the graduate design show held annually in London, after she left The Cass in 2013 and, since then, her career has gone from strength to strength. She has a piece in the permanent collection of the V ... Show More
Sep 9
John Tuomey on the importance of materials in architecture, designing London's V&A East, and his new book, Middle Quarter.
Dublin-based architect John Tuomey first appeared on Material Matters in 2024 to talk about his brilliant memoir, First Quarter. Now he’s written the follow-up, unsurprisingly entitled, Middle Quarter. John is the co-founder of O’Donnell + Tuomey. He was the inaugural professor o ... Show More
1h 7m
Aug 13
Bonus episode: Hyosung TNC's Simon Whitmarsh-Knight on creating elastane from sugar cane.
Welcome to another summer bonus episode of Material Matters with Grant Gibson, this time in association with Hyosung TNC.In this special episode, Grant talks to the South Korean company’s marketing and sustainability director, Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, about an intriguing new mater ... Show More
46m 10s
Oct 2024
A Million Different Things - Jess Goldsmith
<p>In this episode, I sit down with award-winning illustrator and lettering artist Jess Goldsmith to talk about building a career that celebrates experimentation, authenticity, and community. Jess shares her journey from working with major brands to founding <em>Women of Type</em ... Show More
52m 52s
Sep 2020
Episode 83: Capturing the Universe with Metal and Gemstones with Valerie Jo Coulson, Multi-Award-Winning Fine Jewelry Artist
What you'll learn in this episode: What resources Valerie used to teach herself jewelry making. What sacred geometry is, and how it influences Valerie's work. The process behind creating "The Gauntlet," a bracelet featuring stunning Queensland black boulder opals. How jewelry is ... Show More
32m 10s
Oct 2020
#291 Sharon Walters: Art as Therapy
Welcome back to Ctrl Alt Delete, my guest today is Sharon Walters: a London-based artist, speaker & freelance educator who creates hand-assembled collages celebrating Black women. The series, entitled 'Seeing Ourselves' explores under-representation in many arenas in particular, ... Show More
27m 12s
Feb 2024
189. The Story of a Multi-Award Winning Jeweller and Advanced Diploma Student - Sally Costen - The Clerkenwell Jeweller
In this week's episode, Jess chats with Sally Costen, The Clerkenwell Jeweller, and discusses her journey into jewellery making. Sally, who started as a graphic designer, shares her passion for jewellery and how she rediscovered her love for it through courses at Jewellers Academ ... Show More
37m 1s
May 2025
Charlotte Jansen - On Discovery
In this episode, Gem Fletcher talks to Charlotte Jansen, writer and Photo London curator. They discuss mechanics behind photography fairs, how she approaches the curatorial process and how this aspect of the industry can support the work of emerging artists.
Charlotte Jansen is ... Show More
36m 11s
Jul 2024
Best of Design Matters: Oliver Jeffers
Working in painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage, performance, and sculpture, Oliver Jeffers joins to talk about his career making art and telling stories. His new book, Begin Again, explores humankind’s impact on itself and our planet, asking the big question: Where do we ... Show More
1h 5m
Feb 2024
Wild, intricate sculptures — made out of my hair | Laetitia Ky
Artist Laetitia Ky has a unique medium: using the hair on her head (and some wire), she creates incredible sculptures of objects, animals, people and more, promoting messages of bodily autonomy and self-acceptance. She shares how she came to create these surprisingly intricate fo ... Show More
8m 16s