Let’s Talk About… Unheard Stories

Nicky
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Conversations, features, and documentaries exploring the voices and histories overlooked. From disability and neurodivergence to forgotten stories, advocacy, and everyday life. Hosted by Nicky, blending interviews, reflections, and immersive storytelling.

  1. Fiona Clason: Mary Martin at the University of Stirling art collection

    JAN 30

    Fiona Clason: Mary Martin at the University of Stirling art collection

    Send us a text In this episode, Fiona Clason, from the University of Stirling Art Collection, talks us through the stories behind the collection, its purpose, its people, and its mission, before diving into the history and significance of Mary Martin’s Wall Construction. Fiona shares: How the University’s art collection began and what makes it uniqueWhy art on campus matters for students, staff, and visitorsHow Mary Martin’s Wall Construction came to StirlingWhat makes the piece stand out within the wider collectionHow abstract art communicates through structure, rhythm, and spaceThe ongoing work of preservation, interpretation, and community engagementThis episode opens up the world behind the artwork, the decisions, the care, and the conversations that keep collections alive. You can find out more about the University's art collection here https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/art-collection/ Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    14 min
  2. Francesca Flowers on her father: Adrian Flowers’ Photographs of Mary & Kenneth Martin (read by Zoe)

    JAN 23

    Francesca Flowers on her father: Adrian Flowers’ Photographs of Mary & Kenneth Martin (read by Zoe)

    Send us a text In this episode, In this episode, writer Francesca Flowers reflects on her father, photographer Adrian Flowers, and the time he spent in the studios of Mary and Kenneth Martin during the 1950s. Her words are read by Zoe, bringing warmth and clarity to this beautifully written historical insight. We follow Adrian’s visits to the Martins’ London studio, his fascination with constructionist and abstract art, and the photographs that captured Mary Martin’s quiet intensity and self-effacing presence. This episode explores: Adrian Flowers’ relationship with the post-war art sceneHis photographs of Mary & Kenneth Martin in their studio (1955 onwards)How the Martins built upon St Ives modernismMary’s mathematically structured, minimal, rigorous practiceThe creation of Environment for This Is Tomorrow (1956)The gifted work Expanding Form and the 1984 Tate retrospectiveMary Martin’s lasting impact on British modernismA thoughtful intersection of photography, art history, and personal memory,  giving rare context to a crucial moment in post-war British abstraction. You can find out more about Adrian Flowers here https://adrianflowersarchive.com/ Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    4 min
  3. Audrey Grant: Reading Mary Martin’s Wall Construction

    JAN 16

    Audrey Grant: Reading Mary Martin’s Wall Construction

    Send us a text Artist Audrey Grant joins me for a reflective, quietly powerful conversation about Mary Martin’s Wall Construction and the deeper artistic ideas that run through both women’s work. Audrey shares how she approaches Wall Construction, the geometry, the stillness, the discipline, the invitation to slow down. We talk about the connections between Mary Martin’s ordered structures and Audrey’s own practice, particularly her interest in presence, attention, and the emotional weight of space. In this episode we explore: What makes Wall Construction such a magnetic workHow Mary Martin balances precision with feelingWhy Audrey is drawn to silence, stillness and repetitionThe shared language between their practicesWhat happens when you really look at an artwork, without rushingA thoughtful, intimate episode for anyone who loves abstraction, process, and the hidden layers inside art. You can find out more about Audrey and her work here https://www.audreygrant.co.uk/ Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    18 min
  4. The Burning of Dunning by Jacobites (1716)

    JAN 13

    The Burning of Dunning by Jacobites (1716)

    Send us a text On the night of January 28th, 1716, Dunning was burning. As Jacobite troops from the Earl of Mar’s army retreated through Strathearn, they set fire to villages along the way.  Thirty-three families lost their homes, and at least three villagers died in the bitter cold that followed.  Out of the destruction came two enduring landmarks: the Thorn Tree in the village square, planted later that spring, and the Straw House, said to have survived through a clever bluff.  In this short walk, we trace how fire, loss, and survival left their mark on Dunning.  Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    3 min
  5. Paul Martin on his Mother Mary Martin: Legacy, Light, and Wall Construction

    JAN 9

    Paul Martin on his Mother Mary Martin: Legacy, Light, and Wall Construction

    Send us a text In this episode, I speak with Paul Martin, son of the artist Mary Martin, about her life, her process, and the story behind Wall Construction, one of the most iconic works in the University of Stirling Art Collection. We talk about: Whether Mary ever visited the University during the commissionHow Mary approached abstraction, simplicity, and the idea that “the work should explain itself”Paul’s childhood memories of growing up immersed in the art worldThe Belfast hospital commission and the surprising story of what eventually happened to itThe legacy Mary Martin left, both as an artist and as a motherHow the family navigated the balance between art, architecture, and everyday lifeThis conversation is a rare and intimate insight into Mary Martin’s work from someone who lived inside that world.  It offers history, humour, and a deeper understanding of the ideas behind her constructions. Mentioned in this episode: Toby Paterson, Douglas Hall, Matilda Mitchell, Sam Gathercole, the This Is Tomorrow exhibition, and the University of Stirling Art Collection. 🎧 Listen and discover the story behind one of the university’s most compelling artworks. Image  © Art UK / University of Stirling Art Collection  Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    26 min
  6. St Serf, the Dragon & the Dupplin Cross

    12/13/2025

    St Serf, the Dragon & the Dupplin Cross

    Send us a text  In the heart of Dunning stands St Serf’s Church, its tower dating back to the 1200s. But the stories it carries go much further: a local legend of a saint and a dragon, and a sandstone cross carved more than 1,200 years ago. In this short walk we explore how myth and history overlap, from St Serf’s victory over the beast to the Dupplin Cross and its royal inscription.  Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    3 min
  7. Ally Wallace

    12/12/2025

    Ally Wallace

    Send us a text What can a first impression reveal about an artwork that rewards slow looking?  Sometimes the simplest response opens the most interesting door. In this episode, I speak with Ally Wallace, an artist known for his observational drawings, animations, and explorations of everyday structures. His response to Mary Martin’s Wall Construction begins with instinct rather than theory, and this starting point leads into a wider reflection on how we meet abstract work for the first time. Ally discusses the clarity and restraint in Martin’s approach, the way architectural form influences artistic thinking, and why certain works hold your attention without demanding it. His perspective brings a grounded, human quality to understanding Martin’s legacy: not just as a figure of constructivism, but as an artist whose work continues to move people quietly and directly. This episode forms part of a wider series of conversations with artists, curators, and those connected to Mary Martin’s life and practice, each offering a different way into the ideas behind Wall Construction. 🎧 Listen now and explore the full series. Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    8 min
  8. Sam Gathercole

    12/05/2025

    Sam Gathercole

    Send us a text What do we uncover when we look beyond the clean lines of an artwork and into the thinking that shaped it?  Mary Martin’s work often appears minimal, but its foundations are anything but simple. In this episode, I speak with Sam Gathercole, Senior Lecturer in Contextual and Theoretical Studies at London College of Communication, whose knowledge of British constructivism provides a clear and grounded way into understanding Martin’s practice. Sam situates her work within the wider post-war landscape, highlighting the intellectual rigour, structural clarity, and mathematical thinking that underpin her constructions. We explore how Martin’s approach aligns with and diverges from the work of other British constructivists, the influence of architecture and spatial design, and the discipline required to achieve the sense of order in her reliefs and installations. Sam’s insights help reveal the depth behind the restraint: the quiet, thoughtful decisions that give Martin’s work its lasting impact. This conversation forms part of a wider series exploring Mary Martin’s life, practice, and legacy through the voices of artists, curators, and those connected to her work. 🎧 Listen now and explore the full series.   Support the show 💡 Stay in the loop 💬 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/letstalkabout1111?igsh=emJhOTc5b3h4bTBr LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-foley-instlm-ips-48927a6a ☕ Buy us a coffee: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1756031/support 📄 Transcript + resources available for all episodes 🧠 Created by Nicky | Sound design by Nicky ⚠️ Content may include references to mental health, trauma, suicide or ableism #NeurodivergentVoices #RealTalkPodcast

    59 min
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Conversations, features, and documentaries exploring the voices and histories overlooked. From disability and neurodivergence to forgotten stories, advocacy, and everyday life. Hosted by Nicky, blending interviews, reflections, and immersive storytelling.

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