Making Problems to Solve
By David Bauer
Podcast Instagram: @makingproblemstosolve www.instagram.com/makingproblemstosolve/
Find me at @davebauerart www.instagram.com/davebauerart/ or davebauer.art
Making Problems to SolveApr 25, 2024
Self Reflection and Bamboo Kites with Mark Adams and Nick Toga
Mark and Nick are back for another whirlwind tour of our brains from museums to travel and reading. We answer a listener question from Griffin Makes!
Send in your question for the next "Art Talk with Mark and Nick". We'll revisit the themes of trying to make art in a world of distractions periodically.
Check out Nick at @designisblank and Mark at @markadamspictures
Kim McIntyre - Woodworker, Dog Lover
This week I am joined by Kim McIntyre of McIntyre furniture! In school for outdoor education, a required course "Reverence for Wood" kindled an interest in woodworking. After spending time as a wilderness expedition guide, she took the interest in woodworking back to school, and started her furniture business. We discuss her approach to problem-solving in the shop, teaching, and a bit about the Restoration Station at the Catskill Mountain Maker Camp. Kim is currently working on a custom Myrtle Burl dashboard for a vintage Austin Healy and you can follow along with that project on Instagram.
Don't forget to check out the McIntyre Furniture web site.
Bending Kumiko - Johnny Tromboukis
Carving out a life - Makanda Woodshop
This week I talk to Makanda (Makanda Woodshop) about carving out a creative life, overcoming, working with limitations and disability, and asking for the right help from your community.
Follow Makanda and her work on Instagram.
Passionately Motivated with Mark Adams and Nick Toga
We're back for the thrilling conclusion with Mark and Nick! We talk about creative journeys, motivation and passion, exploration, sharing, and you guessed it Maker Camp. Along the way we cover design school and learning creatively.
Check out Mark on Instagram.
Check out Nick on Instagram.
Reckless Curiosity with Mark Adams and Nick Toga
We all know Mark Adams as the black and white photographer of makers. Nick recently is probably best known for his support of the WGA+SAG strikes with his clever protest art. We have great conversation about doing your creative thing, learning and communication. We went pretty deep. This is the first half of our conversation. We'll have the conclusion next week!
Check out Mark on Instagram.
Check out Nick on Instagram.
Susana McDonnell - Lino Cave Prints
Susana McDonnell is a printmaker and teacher working with colorful geometric patterns. We discussed her exploration of media from ceramics, drawing, glassblowing, and printmaking. Along the way we learn about the online printmaking community, and Susana's work being featured on Speedball product packaging and in art stores alongside their products.
Caroline Landau - Combining Glass and the Natural World
Caroline Landau is a glass artist who combines glass blowing with nature. We chat about their Archiving Ice and Prometheus projects which capture details and transformation in glass. We also explore art as a process, and a creative life lived in chapters.
Checkout of Caroline's work on Instagram and their web site.
Dan Scrima - Make it While You Fake It
Dan Scrima is the proprietor of Whoashop Woodworking as well as the host of the new Make It While You Fake It Podcast! He's also working on creating a new maker space MontcoMakers. We talk about being in a band and the maker mantra "I can probably figure it out."
Check out Dan on Instagram and check out the podcast!
Samantha Sic - Earth Found Designs - Hand Dyed Block Printed & Reworked
This week my guest is Samantha Sic from Earth Found Designs. She creates nature inspired clothing and accessories, often from repurposed materials. We talked about balancing creating multiples versus making each piece unique.
Check out Samantha's work on Instagram.
Rebecka Jonasson - Metal and Tattoo Art
This episode we learn about Rebecka Jonasson a tattoo and metal artist from Sweden. She also works in painting, photography and jewelry. We explore the idea of taking time to make something, a Maker Day, once a week, or taking a little time every day. Do we finally define "Art", absolutely not, but we explore learning about art through the personality of the artist. We also discuss why rust is so great.
Follow Rebecka on Instagram.
Photo by Petvin Sandström
Chris Giffrow - Irrational Confidence
Chris from Cowdog Craftworks is my guest, he's a self-taught hand tool woodworker who tries to challenge himself on every project. We talk about making for yourself, and how creating content just might get you closer to making art. Somehow we never got around to discussing exactly what a cowdog is!
Kris - Meltdown Metal Art - Nature in Metal
This episode I talked to Kris from Meltdown Metal Art about her journey from painting, to mechanics, to welding, fabrication, blacksmithing teaching and metal art!
Check out Kris on Instagram.
Chelsea Andersson - Making It Miniatures
Chelsea Andersson is a miniaturist making tiny objects for decorating dollhouses, television, and stop-motion advertising. She was a contestant on Making It, season three, and now is renovating her mid-century modern house in her spare time! We discussed her her journey from making tiny things growing up to landscape architecture and model making, to building full-size furniture back to miniatures. Chelsea has created an online course for Domestika and recently published a book "50 Makes for Modern Minatures".
Follow Chelsea on Instgram at ChelseaMakes
Mary Tsai - Koda Mari Furniture Design
This week I talked to Mary Tsai from Koda Mari furniture design. She started out in architecture, making furniture on the side, then changed careers to user experience design, always keeping in mind the design of physical objects. Her work is inspired by architecture with a focus on ensuring the form is in harmony with its environment.
Dave Turner - Over and Over and Over and Over
It's Dave Turner from Wooden Whale Company of Cape Cod. We talk about doing the same thing over and over, and keeping it entertaining, paying attention so you know what to improve, and how to stack you bones. We mentioned Paul from Copper Pig Woodworking, Paul Jackman, and Dustin Penner, who is not a Paul.
Keith Wöltje - New Year, New Keith
For this new year's episode I caught up with my friend Keith Woltje. He started out mainly in digital fabrication and then started learning the more traditional maker crafts. We chat about how we met as fans of Laura Kampf, and meeting without knowing it at Maker Camp! We reminisce about classic vector graphics and learn about Keith's history with maker spaces.
Check out Keith on Instagram
Mostly Accurate Ramble with Jeremy Foster
We had a fun wide-ranging chat this week! My guest is Jeremy Foster known as Mostly Accurate (@mostlyaccruate). We covered the world-famous Diresta Go-Cart event, making art every whatever (week for example) and the life of a necessity craftsman.
Photo Credit: Mark Adams Pictures
Maya Rumsey - Fun and Functional Ceramics
Maya Rumsey - @melissamayapottery keeps it fun while making functional ceramics such as mugs, pitchers, earrings and other jewelry. We talk about local art community, the ancient history of early Etsy, and giant printmaking, along with how to choose the perfect vessel to drink your coffee, and how to truly determine if something is actually art.
Ben Cline: Logo Swap and Technocopia
This week I am talking to Ben Cline from Cline Craft, a maker from my hown town that I first met at the Making It 100 event, 140 miles away. We talk about the benefits of a local, in-person maker community and the amazing Technocopia makerspace, along with the usual maker journey!
Matt Serio - Art, Community, and Books
Hey, this week it's Matt Serio, otherwise known as Artigiano Serio, and the Maker Librarian. Matt has a great story, leading a path from Art, to the Navy, back to Art Education, to community building. It all makes sense when you look back at it! See Matt supporting all the other makers over on Instagram, he might actually be making something!
Dave from Atomic Airship Works
This week I talked to Dave Anderson from Atomic Airship works. He spent his career as a mechanical engineer, but always had a hand in creating physical models using the tools in the workshop. Along the way he's tried just about every making skill from glass blowing to home-built airplanes. We had a great conversation about lifelong curiosity and making.
Follow Dave on Instagram.
Jill Jacobs: Cut, Bend, Weld. Persist
My guest is Jill Jacobs, metal artist. She makes metal "vessels" by combining repeating shapes from uniform steel rods in unique combinations to create 3-D forms. Our conversation ranged from art to philosophy, and of course, the community of creative people who share what they do.
Learn more about Jill's work on Instagram,her web site, as well as her Patreon where you can see behind the scenes and some thoughts on art and philosophy.
Dave Miao - 3D Printing - Inspiring Others and Keeping it Fun
Dave Miao - 3D DDIY Dave - is well known for his Maker Scans project, 3D scanning makers and making those files available. He started out focused on photography, and now explores the ways to combine traditional materials with 3D printing. He's always learning and sharing what he learns.
Check out Dave on Instagram or download your favorite maker from the Maker Scans Project.
Tiff from Nightcarver Designs
Tiffany Marchand from Nightcarver Designs has been creating for as long as she can remember, from helping her parents at craft shows to her unique painted carved signs, and multiple podcasts! Tiff is a great supporter of the maker community and has recently begun teaching power carving.
Check out her work on Instagram and her podcast Maker Conversations.
Larissa Huff - Furniture Maker, Math Nerd, Woodworking Teacher
This episode I had the pleasure of talking to Larissa Huff, who you may know from the Call Me Mabie Maker Documentary about her work. Larissa wanted to teach and help people understand practical applications for math, and along the way discovered one of the best ways to use math in woodworking and furniture making. Now along with commission work she explores the personal connections in her work as well as combining geometric precision with organic curves.
Check out her work on Instagram.
Photo credit to the inimitable Mark Adams.
Logan Needham - Remember Pillage, then Burn
Logan Needham is all about a mindset of creativity and wonder! We explore his home school experience, and his path from making music in a rock band through advertising, programming, sign making, to becoming a full time creative problem-solver! Logan's maker motto is "Do Hard Things". His journey was so interesting we are going to need to circle back and cover that in another episode!
Check out Logan on Instagram.
Scot Crabtree - Bringing Graphic Design to the 3rd Dimension.
Scot from Crabtree Creative caught my eye with his amazing tribute to Wesley Treat's Makers Welcome sign. He put everything he has learned in the sign business into the creation. His blend of design skills with fabrication makes for some impressive work!
Check out Scot on Instagram
Alma - Pink Soul Studios - Have Fun and Learn as You Go
I had a fun chat with Alma from Pink Soul Studios. She's been solving problems for her family by making furniture, toys, and whatever else she can imagine, mostly from wood. She actually found the maker community accidentally after sharing her projects with family on social media. There's also a fun bit about motorcycles!
Char - Woodenmaven - Wood Shop Teacher
Char Miller-King, known as Woodenmaven - is your friendly shop teacher, has been learning woodworking, and sharing what she knows since she started by DIYing a platform bed she wanted, but couldn't afford at the time. Now she shares her love of woodworking with kids and adults at the Decatur Makers makerspace, online, and on TV.
John Grassey - Boon Island Originals, Woodworking, Lighthouses, and Writing
John Grassey started woodworking like so many of us, to fill a need a home, and with an attitude of "I think I can do that!" He started out on the creative side of theatre and moved into stage management before a side trip to software product management, for theatre. Lately he's been exploring the creativity of the written word and completed a 30 day writing project!
Check out John on Instagram and his web site www.boonislandoriginals.com
Bernie Solo - You Never Know When You'll Use That Skill
I had a great conversation with Bernie Solo, Artist, Designer, Sometimes Inventor, and Problem-Solving Maker of Things. You might know him from his fire-breathing zombie fighting circular as seen on YouTube or in person at Maker Camp, or his fidget invention the Sprok-it, or his CNC lamp carving saw. We talked about finding patterns in nature, functional inspiration and always adding to your toolbox of skills.
Find Bernie on Instagram and YouTube.
Mentions in episode
Wesley Treat - Neon Signs and Rayguns
Wesley Treat makes cool signs, retro-futuristic art, and shop upgrades most makers would dream of (shop elevator!?) We talked about his love of classic roadside signs, theatre, and how his work making signs and decor in Texas lead to connection with an Upstate New York Drive-In.
Bonnie - Vermont Print
My guest this time is Bonnie from Vermont Print specializing in screen printed apparel with a focus on the outdoors and nature of Vermont. Bonnie learned html and web design starting by customizing MySpace pages and turned that into a career in user experience design. In her creative print work she follows a practice of "don't take yourself too seriously" and we discuss making fun art to find your audience of people who appreciate it.
Check out Bonnie and Vermont Print on Instagram and her web site https://www.vermontprint.shop/
Glen Haworth - Howling Winds Axe and Tool
Glen gave me a lot to think about around art, creativity, craft, and paying attention. One highlight was the "Spiraling Circle of Learning". We talked about photography, high-end audio visual installations and cardboard robots along the way.
Check out Glen's work on Instagram
Tony Rouleau - Hillview Tool - Quality Tools for Discerning Makers
I met Tony Rouleau at Making It 100 - and learned he was a relatively local maker and a great guy! He's well known for making quality tools such as his brass infill block plane, double squares, and bevels made in his home shop. We covered how he started making tools, his design inspiration, an mention a bunch of folks from the maker community.
Learn more about Tony's work on Instagram or his web site hillviewtool.com
Photo credit: Mark Adams
Mentions in this episode:
Crafts with Ellen - Creative People and Crazy Projects
My conversation with Ellen ranges from Heavy Metal Knitting to Conceptual Art and Tom Sachs. Ellen is always ready to learn the next thing, from spinning steel wool to forging and welding, to complete the next project ans share what she learns to help new makers.
Check out Ellen on Instagram and Youtube.
Photo credit Mark Adams.
Paul from OLIO - We Might Have Mentioned the Maker Community
This week my guest is Paul from OLIO @theolioarchive on Instagram. We talk about the makers in your community, growing up with a fix it yourself attitude, and bring your kid to work day with an engineer. Too many makers to mention in this one.
Sophie Glenn - Making Wood Furniture out of Steel
This week my guest is Sophie Glenn from Arcburn Furniture! We discussed her recreations of classic furniture designs from metal and the series Rust Never Sleeps, including textile from steel wool. We also explored her experiences teaching woodworking and metalworking.
Find Sophie on Instagram
Rob Ray and Taylor Hokanson - Curiosity, Creativity and Trying New Things
Taylor Hokanson and Rob Ray hosted the super creative Opposable Thumbs podcast which challenged the hosts and a guest to solve a creative problem every two weeks. They've taken a break from the podcast but they are still out there spreading the good word about being a creative weirdo at Columbia College and Cal State San Benardino. We learn why teaching is like being the captain of a pirate ship.
Check out Taylor on Instagram and https://www.finewiththis.site/
Check out Rob at https://shimmeringtrashpile.com/ and https://kdzu.org/
Justine Silva - Anthropologie to TV
This weeks guest is Justine Silva, a multidisciplinary artist and winner of Making It Season 2! She started her professional art career as an intern working on window displays at Anthropoligie, and explored residential construction as a project coordinator before getting pick to participate in the Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman show Making It on NBC. That experience led to her working behind the scenes on a future season of Making it and on Making Fun! for Netflix with some of our favorite YouTube makers.
Find out what Justine is working on now on Instagram and Youtube.
Rebecca DeGroot - Functional Art, Walking Woodwork, and Tattoos
I had a great conversation with woodturning and tattoo artist Rebecca DeGroot. We talked about the definition of functional art, teaching in the classroom and workshops, where Rebecca is going next, furniture as danger, and why everything is better with legs.
Find Rebecca's woodworking on Instagram and also her tattoo art on Instagram.
Lucas De'Angelo - Take Your Time
This week I talked to Lucas De'Angelo, otherwise known as Mann Made in MA and discover the start of his vintage cast iron obsession, and some tips about getting started finding and collecting old machines. We discussed his history with making, and his relatively recent entry into the online maker community.
Check out Lucas on Instagram and YouTube (there's also a TikTok)
Mentions in this episode:
Austin Handel and Catskill Mountain Maker Camp
Photo Credit: Mark Adams
Morley Kert - International YouTube 3D Printing Problem Solver
Katie Freeman - From Manufacturing Technology to Furniture Design
This week I talked with Katie Freeman, a woodworker who specializes in power carved art pieces. We talked about her making from making with her family, to shop class, to learning woodworking, discovering power carving, and to her latest exploration of furniture design. Of course we talked about her experience finding the maker community, online, and in person at Workbenchcon!
Find Katie on Instagram at @freemanfurnishings and @kf.designs.art as well as on her podcast @craftingarevolution
Mentions in this show:
Tamara Robertson and Tinkering Belles Podcast
Geoff Feder and Keith Decent - Is the business the art?
I had the great pleasure of hanging out with two of the best makers and podcasters out there, Geoff Feder and Keith Decent. We started talking about art but of course the conversation took off and we ended up talking about products, teaching, sharing, and problem-solving from sculpture to business.
Check out Geoff at Feder Knives on Instagram and the web shop, the Full Blast Podcast, and the Knife Talk Podcast.
Check out Keith on Instagram, his web store, and From the Ground Up Podcast.
Bandsaw Cowboys: Beckner/Diresta
This week I talked to Shawn Beckner and Jimmy Diresta about their bandsaw history. Along the way we covered paint robots, video editing, and race cars.
Follow Shawn on Instagram @shawnvbeckner and of course @jimmydiresta everywhere.
Mentions in this episode:
Chris Faroe - Creative Mapping - Designing a Creative Life and Career
I had the great pleasure of chatting with Chris Faroe about his path through creativity from music to permaculture to spoon carving and his development of the Creative Mapping Project. We talked about anti-mentors, who push you away from the wrong thing, even if they're not quite sure what the right thing might be.
Learn more about what Chris is up to creatively @faeroplane on Instagram and his work @creativemappingproject and learn more about Creative Mapping on his web site https://www.creativemappingproject.com/linkinbio
Photo credit: Chris Bauer
Mentions in this episode
Michelle Chandra - Generative Art, Waves, Math, and Nature
Michelle Chandra is a generative artist using programming, waveforms, and mathematical curves to create unique designs using an Axidraw pen plotter. Her work explores repeating patterns, sometimes along with layering colors to geometric designs that sometimes evoke images of nature. We chat about the possibilities of art through programming as well as how exploring the outdoors, especially the Southwest of the United States can inspire exploring patterns. We cover the ongoing theme of creative community from art school to online including the @penplotart Instagram account and the Plot Part week-long online art challenge.
Find Michelle's work on Instagram @dirtalleydesign and her web site dirtalleydesign.com
Mentions in this episode
Keith Mitchell - Shipwright, Toolmaker, Illustrator
You might know Keith Mitchell from his woodworking, tool making, and boat building, or from his illustration work with Lost Art Press, or have met him at the Total Boat tent at Maker Camp. We had a great conversation about making, art and learning. We talked about learning the trades and passing on the knowledge, though mentorship or apprenticeship, sharing what you know with the maker community online, or teaching in person at your shop or at a maker event.
Follow Keith @shipwrightskills on Instagram or Youtube or go old school and check out his website and blog and maybe pickup an awesome tool.
Mentioned in this episode:
Anne of All Trades
Jimmy Diresta