Living National Treasures

Episodes

EpisodeFirst
Broadcast
RepeatedComments
0120200309

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Ieuan Rees is a 79 year old Welsh calligraphy slate carver. Ieuan grew up in Tumble where his father was a coal miner at the Ammanford colliery. His slate carving studio is in the old mining building where his father and other miners used to get ready to go down the mine and wash when they returned. Despite the fact Ieuan's work is in most cathedrals around the UK his father was most proud of the fact that he worked in the old mining building. Ieuan has been working at his craft all his life and continues to design and carve headstones in Welsh slate for people around the world.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

012020030920200906 (R4)

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Ieuan Rees is a 79 year old Welsh calligraphy slate carver. Ieuan grew up in Tumble where his father was a coal miner at the Ammanford colliery. His slate carving studio is in the old mining building where his father and other miners used to get ready to go down the mine and wash when they returned. Despite the fact Ieuan's work is in most cathedrals around the UK his father was most proud of the fact that he worked in the old mining building. Ieuan has been working at his craft all his life and continues to design and carve headstones in Welsh slate for people around the world.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

0220200310

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Victoria Hall lives in Norfolk. Victoria is a paper marbler and has been doing it all her working life. She works out of a workshop near Fakenham in Norfolk where she replicates historic marbled papers to help restore antique books. The marbled papers are made by floating watercolours on a slightly viscous liquid prepared from seaweed called carrageen moss and then laying the paper on it to transfer the design. There are only a handful of people working professionally in this field.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

022020031020200913 (R4)

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Victoria Hall lives in Norfolk. Victoria is a paper marbler and has been doing it all her working life. She works out of a workshop near Fakenham in Norfolk where she replicates historic marbled papers to help restore antique books. The marbled papers are made by floating watercolours on a slightly viscous liquid prepared from seaweed called carrageen moss and then laying the paper on it to transfer the design. There are only a handful of people working professionally in this field.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

0320200311

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Silversmith Rauni Higson works out of an old chapel in Snowdonia, North Wales. From her old chapel window, which streams light onto her traditional silversmith work bench, she can on a good day, see the top of Snowdon. Her work is very much inspired by the landscape around her. Rauni is currently making a processional cross and candlesticks for Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral. Rauni has been working on this commission for two years. It is a painstaking process, but the end result will be a beautiful object that could potentially last forever.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

032020031120200920 (R4)

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Silversmith Rauni Higson works out of an old chapel in Snowdonia, North Wales. From her old chapel window, which streams light onto her traditional silversmith work bench, she can on a good day, see the top of Snowdon. Her work is very much inspired by the landscape around her. Rauni is currently making a processional cross and candlesticks for Liverpool's Catholic Cathedral. Rauni has been working on this commission for two years. It is a painstaking process, but the end result will be a beautiful object that could potentially last forever.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

0420200312

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Carrie Fertig is a glass flame worker who works in a big airy studio in an old lemonade factory in Leith, Edinburgh. Carrie is known for making huge flame glass structures and glass musical instruments that can be played. In all of her work she hopes to make people think and feel. She says the transparency of glass means we can always see what it holds and she uses her work to help people explore what emotions they are holding onto.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

042020031220200927 (R4)

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Carrie Fertig is a glass flame worker who works in a big airy studio in an old lemonade factory in Leith, Edinburgh. Carrie is known for making huge flame glass structures and glass musical instruments that can be played. In all of her work she hopes to make people think and feel. She says the transparency of glass means we can always see what it holds and she uses her work to help people explore what emotions they are holding onto.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

0520200313

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Oak swill basket maker, Owen Jones lives outside Ulverston in the Lake District. Owen is the only master craftsmen of swilling (oak basket weaving) left in the country. Owen coppices near-by woods to maintain a supply of oak and willow and uses water from the beck running past his workshop to boil and soften the wood. Owen choice swilling because he spent most of his childhood roaming the New Forrest and wanted the lifestyle it brings him.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.

052020031320201004 (R4)

We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Oak swill basket maker, Owen Jones lives outside Ulverston in the Lake District. Owen is the only master craftsmen of swilling (oak basket weaving) left in the country. Owen coppices near-by woods to maintain a supply of oak and willow and uses water from the beck running past his workshop to boil and soften the wood. Owen choice swilling because he spent most of his childhood roaming the New Forrest and wanted the lifestyle it brings him.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell

A combination of slow radio and the personal stories of practitioners of unusual crafts.