Making Problems to Solve

Leah Aripotch is a metal scultptor focusing on organic monstrous forms inspired by nature. We discuss the connections between observing nature, curiosity, and the creative process. We follow her journey from being a kid out in nature, to painting, jewelry making and metal sculpture. Check out Leah’s work on Instagram and her web site

The podcast is back with Derek Weston, a sculptor and fabricator from Philadelphia. We go over his journey from curious creative kid to college where he tried industrial design, but ultimately discovered sculpture. Learning to make things with tools lead him on the path to working as a fabricator and taking a break to explore and learn and meet other creative folks around the US, finally leading to starting his own shop where he does his best to work with clients that provide an interesting problem to solve! Along the way we discuss the value of art school, and cultivating your creative community. Learn more about Derek on Instagram and his web site.

John Graziano, Graz, is a good friend still, if you haven’t heard this one in a while, here is a repeat presentation of my chat way back from Episode 3 back in 2022. This time I talked with John Graziano, aka GrazMakes on your usual platforms, about curiosity and a constant desire to modify things to understand how they work and to take things apart to bend them to your will. Along the way we discussed the important discovery that, yes, you can make creativity a career and the joy of sharing what you’ve learned a way to show even more folks what making is all about. Check him out at @grazmakes on Instagram and YouTube. Find Graz at https://www.instagram.com/grazmakes/

Maya Buffett Davis is a sculptor currently pursuing an MFA in Ceramics at Colorado University Boulder. For the next couple of days you can view her show “Books are Machines” at the Bemis Public Library in Littleton, CO until February 14, 2026. Books Are Machines was made possible thanks to the support of the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. We chat about the ideas behind the show including the relationship between the viewer and an interactive sculpture and inspiring attention. Learn more about Maya’s work on Instagram and her web site mayabuffettdavis.xyz

This week I talk to Sarah from Soul Bound Leather about how she discovered leatherwork, got connected with the knife making community, giving stories to her work, and where her work is taking her next. Check out Sarah’s work on Instagram and soulboundleather.com

Andy Piper is a computer artist and currently Head of Communications at Mastodon. We chat about, what exactly computer art is, pen plotters, creativity, following your curiosity, paying attention and of course, building online and in-person communities. Check out Andy's work at AndyPiper.me

Eric Brokvist is a great supporter of the maker community, and we talk about his unique creative journey! This includes a dad who explored many creative skills and techniques, and Eric has just continued on that path. Along the way we visit music and theater. drawing and the outdoors, including a couple of boats! I mention the Working Hands Podcast, Make What you Fear challenge and it looks like Eric is in!Check out Eric on Instagram. Photo credit: Mark Adams Pictures

This week I chatted with Keith Peters, often known as bit-101 on the web. Keith has been creating and sharing computer art on his web site since the Flash days of the 2000s. He's still out there making art and recently made some prints available on his store. We talked about his ongoing exploration of programming art, some computer hardware, exploring crafts such as blacksmithing and even making music!

In this episode I have a year-end catch up chat with my friend Trevor Higgins, know as @dustysqueak on Instagram. We chat about belt buckles furniture, sewing, leather and 3D printing. Along the way we imagine building an envelope stuffing machine. I am sure with all those skills we could figure it out. Don't miss the bit about a 7-1/2 foot tall Start Wars robot (android? can you call them robots if they are from Star Wars?)Remember kids, Music is Math!

My guest is Dean from @dean_makes on Instagram. We chat about his history in making, including working in a secondary school wood shop, working is music stores and learning the skills of a guitar tech, to guitar building and digital fabrication. Of course, along the way we discuss Dean's discovery of the maker community.We also learn that it might just be the year for Andy Pugh to get a pen plotter. Check out Dean on Instagram and https://www.youtube.com/@DeanMakeshttps://www.youtube.com/@DeanMakes.