Barkley Hunt Podcasts

Great design in architecture on a grand scale must be difficult to pull off! Just imagine for a second planning a building that will house 600 units within an urban site that can barely take deliveries as well as connected to two designated historic properties. This is the Massey Tower that was recently completed by Gary Switzer and his team at MOD…

What is Stereotomy or L’Art du Trait? it can be defined as the art and science of cutting three-dimensional solids into particular shapes. It starts off as a drawing, moves on to a conceptual model to work out all the detail and then the carpenter or mason scales it up to the real structure. Sounds easy? Not so You have likely seen examples of this…

Tommy Smythe began his career as an interior Designer and is a Designer. His firm TOM is a creative partnership with Lindsay Mens Craig and Kate Stuart. I say that first as Tommy identifies with design before TV and is capable at both. We witnessed this with his on-air partnership with Sarah Richardson as they carved a niche on their show and laugh…

Hand Made Metal Spinning – Metal spinning is considered to be one of the oldest methods of forming sheet metal. This craft has its roots in ancient China where huge bells were made and other functional objects like cups and bowls. Today, it is associated with custom or difficult pieces and an economic alternative to the mass production version that…

A graduate from University of Waterloo, Sandra established a full-time blacksmithing practice in 1993. Seven years later she founded Two Smiths, a design and prototyping studio that develops and builds sculptures, functional objects and architectural features in forged steel, hammered copper and bronze for both private and public spaces. Sandra has…

Jim Patterson from Somerset, England has been making paper for over 50 years. What’s more impressive is Jim has no intention of slowing down. During the conversation you will hear the old pitt mill creak and moan as it churns power through a set of gears that date back 400 years. Two Rivers Paper Co., has been producing paper since 1988 and used by…

Alexandre Hupe of the Eastern Townships (just South of Montreal) was trained as a glass blower and is a glass artist and builder. He found the repetitive nature of production glass blowing gruelling and decided it wasn’t for him. Alex is a glass creator, explorer and free thinker. He is also the acting President of GAAC - Glass Art Association in C…

Jessica Steinhauser was in her early twenties and had a decision to make a tough decision… either stay in Germany and go to a prestigious Ceramics school or follow her inner guide and move to Canada to explore ceramics on her own terms. And after 30 years, Jessica has developed her skills within ceramics and is breathing new life into the old tradi…

Not many businesses can say they date back to 1912. Sandkuhl Clayworks, out of Ohio, is a family business that has adapted over the decades and thankfully hasn’t had to use the word pivot in any way to describe their last year during these trying times. On this episode I had the opportunity to speak to Ann Engh who brings decades of experience and …

Its March 9th, 2021 and It's been just over a year now where this lockdown has forced many to be sidelined from the job they love. Pivoting for some has come easy, but for others who rely on a packed concert venue or live theatre, it’s been well bad, really bad. And it’s not just the performers and artists, it has had a ripple affect on all the sup…

The conservation of cultural objects is a complex. It’s specialist area that requires a deep understanding of science and humanities, as well as craft and practice-based project management. To work in this field, we have to continually learn from the past mistakes and build from them. Studying how materials and methods worked previously and making …

The Door store in Toronto’s West end has maintained its unique presence over the years by creating a magical niche within an industry that cherishes its contents. The Door store is part museum, architectural library, antique shop and vintage market. This is an institution where some come to learn, find ideas, and get lost in an era when design was …

Many of Canada’s Cultural landmarks are rooted in time and stories of those families and communities from centuries ago help serve as a reminder that with skills and knowledge there comes a responsibility. During the 1800’s it was clear that they understood knowledge as not a secret, but something that has to be shared. The replication of art throu…

Welcome to The Art of Craft Podcast... Here is the Intro or Trailer. EnjoyBy Barkley Hunt

"This too shall pass," and we will be over this pandemic soon (I hope). Covid has shown us that the people we interact with at work are meaningful and the relationships developed outside of home are worth nurturing. Over that years, I have had many employees and some of those I call good friends. Adam Fullerton is one of those friends who worked fo…

Alex Fida from Prince Edward County and his sister Melanie grew up in Bloomfield - 10 minutes away from Picton. Their deep connection to this area is seen in the way they care for the old and quirky buildings that Alex and his partner play a key role in conserving. Living in rural Ontario forces Alex to adapt to the changing seasons with a varied s…

Miranda Fabricius is a mother of 3 girls under six and is incredibly busy as she juggles her time as mom and heritage restorer. I get the impression from speaking with her she is able to handle this and functions well under stress. Miranda’s version of creativity and the art that she creates is held within Crestview, a beautiful Queen Anne Revival …

Excited to have Nicholas Thompson on the show... Trained in the European atelier tradition, Nicholas is a sculptor in stone and bronze who uses a traditional figurative idiom paired with a contemporary way of seeing. After completing his training at City & Guilds Art School in London and Studio Barsanti in Italy, he works from his studio in Ottawa,…

A little bit about Eve and here work… Eve has been working in the industry since 1978 and has owned her business for 36 years. She is an Accredited Conservator Restorer, and holds an MA in conservation of Heritage Landscapes and Gardens from the Architectural Associate in London, England. She has managed a long list of high profile projects with th…

On this Episode I speak with Leigh bamford. Leigh is very skilled at stonework and also works in conservation masonry. Leigh lives and works out of Toronto, Canada and has been honing her skills for over 25 years. Leigh speaks about the art of her craft and highlights what motivates her each day. She is humble and gives a lot of info on what its li…

Excited to have Daniel Blenich on as the first guest of the show. His family has a great story that is worth the listen. Daniel grew up with his grandfather and father at work and is well immersed in the family business. A and D woodturning is out of Richmond Hill ON, Canada - and has been in business for 50 years! The depth of experience is eviden…