Craftsmanship

The Craftsmanship Initiative
  • 4.7 (21)
  • Arts
  • Updated Semimonthly

Welcome to our podcast! Craftsmanship is a not-for-profit, multimedia magazine focusing on in-depth profiles of intriguing artisans and innovators across the globe — the movers and makers who are creating a world built to last. To support this project, please consider making a donation — it's tax-deductible! www.craftsmanship.net/donate

  1. 2d ago

    Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound

    When we’re engrossed in watching a movie, most of us don’t pay close attention to all of the sounds playing in the background. But what we hear subconsciously is often what makes films feel “real”—water rushing in a stream, the clink of ice in a glass, footsteps, the crackle of dry branches underfoot. Since the early days of cinema, Foley artists have been creating these kinds of acoustic layers by hand, using everyday objects, movement, and deep listening. In today's story, “Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound,” we visit a Foley sound studio in San Francisco. We learn why this specific type of audio craft is critical to filmmaking—and which parts of it can’t be easily replaced by digital technology. This story was written and narrated by Craftsmanship's contributing editor, Jeff Greenwald. Read the original story on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/p/making-noise-the-endangered-craft Jeff Greenwald's website: https://jeffgreenwald.com/bio/ Special thanks to Outpost Studio SF! We used clips of their work from the films "Amina" and "A Thousand Pines," and from a commercial for LinkedIn, as well as the  "Canyonlands" episode of the Mindsource series. Craftsmanship is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. More episodes—along with original feature stories, short videos, and more—can be found on www.craftsmanship.net. Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of the magazine and its parent organization, The Craftsmanship Initiative. Laurie Weed is the magazine's managing editor. Outpost Studio in San Francisco: https://outpoststudiosf.com/ Craftsmanship's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound

  2. Jul 3

    The Uncommon Quilts of Joe Cunningham

    Quilting, which is so often treated as a “domestic” art or folk art, is a serious craft— and a serious business. Today’s featured story profiles a master artisan who has been part of the modern quilting movement for more than four decades. The Uncommon Quilts of Joe Cunningham" was written and narrated by Jeff Greenwald. You can read the original story at https://craftsmanship.net/field-notes/the-uncommon-quilts-of-joe-cunningham/ This is the Craftsmanship podcast, a series about the artisans, makers, and innovators who are creating a world built to last. It is hosted and produced by Pauline Bartolone. Craftsmanship's managing editor is Laurie Weed. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.  Theme music is from Blue Dot sessions.  Cover image by Jeff Greenwald.  Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/ Craftsmanship is funded by grants and individual donations, and every bit of financial support goes a long way. You can support our journalism by making a donation at www.craftsmanship.net.

    The Uncommon Quilts of Joe Cunningham

  3. Jun 16

    Black Artists Are Reshaping How We Think About American Ceramics

    The work of David Drake, or “Dave the Potter,” commands eye-popping prices at art auctions. Drake (c. 1801-1870) was a formerly enslaved Black American ceramicist who would become one of the most famous names in Edgefield pottery. He signed his own pots and sometimes inscribed them with a poem, defying the strict anti-literacy laws of the time.  Contemporary ceramicists are continuing a long legacy of Black Americans working in clay, and finding new ways to tell their stories. This audio version of the Craftsmanship story, “Black Artists Are Reshaping How We Think About American Ceramics,” was written by Ruth Terry and narrated by Chinwe Oniah.  This is the Craftsmanship podcast, a series about the artisans, makers, and innovators who are creating a world built to last. It is hosted and produced by Pauline Bartolone. Craftsmanship's managing editor is Laurie Weed. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.  Theme music is from Blue Dot sessions. Cover photo: Chotsani Elaine Dean, artist and Assistant Professor of Ceramics at the University of Minnesota. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can read this story on craftsmanship.net: https://craftsmanship.net/field-notes/black-artists-are-reshaping-how-we-think-about-american-ceramics/ Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/ Craftsmanship is funded by grants and individual donations, and every bit of financial support goes a long way. You can support our journalism by making a donation at www.craftsmanship.net.

    Black Artists Are Reshaping How We Think About American Ceramics

  4. May 7

    The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities

    India’s artisans are often knowledge-keepers of centuries-old craft traditions. But they face an uncertain future. In this episode of the Craftsmanship podcast, writer Laura Fraser looks at some of the ongoing efforts to support these master artisans before their skills fade into history. Laura Fraser's article, “The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities,” was originally written for Craftsmanship magazine. This audio version was narrated and produced by Pauline Bartolone. Craftsmanship is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. More episodes—along with original feature stories, short videos, and more—can be found on www.craftsmanship.net. Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of the magazine and its parent organization, The Craftsmanship Initiative. Laurie Weed is the magazine's managing editor. LINKS: Read "The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities” here: https://craftsmanship.net/field-notes/the-fragility-of-indias-artisan-communities/ Laura Fraser's website: https://laurafraser.com/ Craftsmanship's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    The Fragility of India’s Artisan Communities

  5. 05/03/2025

    "The New Didgeridoo," with Andy Graham (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

    On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we talk with musical inventor Andy Graham, whose long-term fascination with a centuries-old Australian aboriginal wind instrument, the didgeridoo, has yielded several off-the-wall new musical creations.  The Electric Stringed Didgeridoo, the Didge-ly Bow, the Fiddleridoo and the “Didge Bass” all are just a few iterations of the ancient instrument that Graham has fashioned over the past 25 years.  From his Santa Rosa-based studio, his experimentation has also created the Nixa Wobbler, a percussion instrument composed of a magnet on a rod. And he sells the SlapStick, which he patented. It looks like a metal walking stick with frets, and Graham plays it as if holding a guitar.  Graham can be seen performing as a one-man band with his wild-looking instruments, everywhere from Maker Faire in the San Francisco Bay Area to the annual National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) musical trade show in Anaheim.  I sat down with Graham to learn more about how he sees himself fit into the historical tradition of the didgeridoo, and what motivates him to devote his life to creating new musical sounds. LINKS:  Andy Graham’s website: http://www.andygraham.net Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/ Other episodes of Craftsmanship Magazine's “The Secrets of Mastery” series: https://craftsmanship.net/interviews/ Sign up for Craftsmanship Magazine on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    "The New Didgeridoo," with Andy Graham (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

  6. 05/01/2025

    "Taking Bamboo to New Heights," with Jonas Hauptman (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

    On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we’re talking about taking bamboo to new heights.  Jonas Hauptman, an industrial design professor at Virginia Tech, has been experimenting with ways to use bamboo, a giant grass, to build multi-story housing.  Hauptman says bamboo could be key to housing the world’s growing population in a more ecological way.   Bamboo culms, or stalks, can be harvested in just 3-5 years, and they grow back in place from the same rhizome bulb. Contrary to wood, steel or concrete, bamboo is lightweight, making it easier to transport, and cheaper to use on the construction site.  For the past seven years, Hauptman has collaborated with organizations in Ecuador and other countries in the Global South to experiment with bamboo construction, which includes planing bamboo stalks and turning them into panels.  Hauptman has had his hands on many different materials throughout his varied career as an entrepreneurial craftsperson. He’s a trained blacksmith, he’s made modernist furniture out of tree flakes, and while living in Los Angeles, he researched how to divert palm tree fronds away from the landfill.  I sat down with Hauptman to learn more about his ambitions with bamboo, and to find out how his hands-on experimentation with materials informs his design work.  LINKS:  Jonas Hauptman at Virginia Tech: https://design.vt.edu/faculty-staff/faculty/industrial-design/hauptman-jonas.html Craftsmanship Magazine: https://craftsmanship.net/ Other episodes of Craftsmanship Magazine's “The Secrets of Mastery” series: https://craftsmanship.net/interviews/ Sign up for Craftsmanship Magazine on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    "Taking Bamboo to New Heights," with Jonas Hauptman (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

  7. 04/22/2025

    "Tear Out Your Lawn," with Doug Tallamy (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

    On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine: why is entomologist Doug Tallamy on a national crusade to get private landowners to tear their lawns? As a wildlife ecology professor at the University of Delaware, Dr. Tallamy sees the world from a bug’s point of view. He’s also a co-founder of an organization called Homegrown National Park. The organization is trying to convince Americans to grow native plants — not ornamental, non-natives — in order to increase biodiversity. Tallamy says rewilding approximately 44 million acres of lawn is critical to restoring the natural order of insects of animals that keep our food webs strong and help alleviate the climate crisis.  We interviewed Doug Tallamy about how he’s rewilded his own land in Pennsylvania and the steps landowners can take to be craftspeople of biodiversity in their own yards.  The “Secrets of Mastery” podcast series is a production of Craftsmanship Magazine. It's a series of conversations with artisans and innovators about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them. Craftsmanship Magazine is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. For more Secrets of Mastery episodes, or more stories about craft, check out Craftsmanship.net.  Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Pauline Bartolone is Senior Audio Editor for Craftsmanship.net. Managing Editor for the magazine is Laurie Weed, and Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.  LINKS:  Homegrown National Park: HomegrownNationalPark.org Craftsmanship Magazine's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Sign up for Craftsmanship Magazine on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    "Tear Out Your Lawn," with Doug Tallamy (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

  8. 04/17/2025

    "Humility, Hustle, and Building a Craft Business," with Rebecca van Bergen (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")

    It’s one thing to make, it’s another thing to sell.  On this edition of “The Secrets of Mastery,” a production of Craftsmanship Magazine, we talk with Rebecca van Bergen, founder and executive director of NEST, about what craftspeople need to have thriving businesses. NEST helps craft businesses around the world grow by providing training, resources and sales opportunities. The international organization has worked with 2000 artisans and businesses in more than 100 countries, from quilters in Alabama to candle makers in Taiwan.  Because of Nest’s work, potters, jewelers and textile workers sell their wares through major brands such as MadeWell and Anthropologie. “One of the questions I’m often asked is whether or not with robotics and AI whether the death of craftsmanship is upon us,” van Buren tells Craftsmanship Magazine. “We’ve seen the opposite. And the more we swing in that direction, the more the human psyche craves something else.”  Van Bergen brings her training as a social worker to help craft businesses grow. Her own grandmothers were textile workers. I asked her about what craftspeople need — and offer — in an increasingly manufactured world, and about the role both humility and hustle play in business.  The “Secrets of Mastery” podcast series is a production of Craftsmanship Magazine. It's a series of conversations with artisans and innovators about what it takes to master their craft, and what their journey has taught them. Craftsmanship Magazine is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. For more Secrets of Mastery episodes, or more stories about craft, check out Craftsmanship.net.  Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Pauline Bartolone is Senior Audio Editor for Craftsmanship.net. Managing Editor for the magazine is Laurie Weed, and Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director.  LINKS:  NEST: https://www.buildanest.org/ Craftsmanship Magazine's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Sign up for Craftsmanship Magazine on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

    "Humility, Hustle, and Building a Craft Business," with Rebecca van Bergen (Best of "The Secrets of Mastery")
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4.7
out of 5
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About

Welcome to our podcast! Craftsmanship is a not-for-profit, multimedia magazine focusing on in-depth profiles of intriguing artisans and innovators across the globe — the movers and makers who are creating a world built to last. To support this project, please consider making a donation — it's tax-deductible! www.craftsmanship.net/donate

Information

  • Creator
    The Craftsmanship Initiative
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Craftsmanship Initiative
  • Show Website
    Craftsmanship

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