This week I’m chatting to artist, adventurer, writer and marine conservationist Katie Tunn. Katie lives her life in companionship with the waters: waking up to the sound of waves on the Isle of Skye, creating stunning art work inspired by the Hebridean seas, collecting litter and rescuing injured seals along the coastline and, later this year, visiting all 82 of Britain’s largest islands. In our chat, we touch upon Katie’s relationship with her environment, the pros and cons of social media, spo...
Mar 25, 2022•1 hr
This week I’m chatting to creative powerhouse, Instagram influencer, kitchen dancer, style icon… the one and only Sophia Cook. Growing up, Sophia loved the performing arts, leading onto studying and later working in theatre and costume design. We cover her journey from working as a wardrobe mistress in London theatres to overseeing builds of new schools with all the twists and turns in between. We talk about where she finds herself now, living and working in the stunning home that her and Cookie...
Mar 18, 2022•1 hr 7 min
This week I’m chatting to sensory designer, brand consultant and passionate foodie Lauren Davies. Lauren approaches her work as both an alchemist and detective, using design and her passion for innovation as a way to tell her own stories and those of her clients. For the first half hour we talk about Lauren’s focus on sustainability and wellbeing in design, the pivotal experiences that led her on the path she is on now, her passion for discovery, the challenges of being a multidisciplinary artis...
Mar 11, 2022•58 min
This week I’m chatting to photographer, graphic designer, story teller and creator of magic, Mirlah Richardson. Mirlah is a multi-hyphen, multi-talented stream of cool water, adapting to whichever way her life has led her. In this conversation we touch upon (amongst many other things) the value of being a master (or mistress) of all trades, adjusting to life with her partner’s MS diagnosis, carving out time for her work and creativity, letting go of what no longer fits, allowing ourselves to fee...
Mar 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min
A short, and slightly emotional intro to Season Two of 'On the Irregular' with me, Java Bere. It's a brief reflection on my own journey, the first season and what to expect from this season. If you are interested in learning more about our creative workshop Say It Out Loud, click here to read more. Welcome back and thank you for listening! Support the show This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit javacbere.substack.com/...
Feb 25, 2022•6 min
In this episode I talk to the journalist and author, Amy Liptrot. Amy grew up on Orkney before moving to London in her twenties to pursue a career as a music journalist. Her memoir The Outrun is an account of her alcoholism during this time, her recovery and the pull between the island and the city. The book won her the PEN Ackerley prize, the Wainwright prize, has been translated into fifteen languages, is a Sunday Times Bestseller, and is currently being made into a film starring Saoirsa Ronan...
Feb 25, 2022•54 min
In this episode I talk to Fola Agbalaya, a vintage furniture upholsterer, with a passion for mid-century designs. Working from her South Manchester workshop, Fola sources furniture from all over Europe and breathes a new life back into each unique piece. Originally from London, Fola talked to me about her dramatic career pivot in her late forties after a succesful career of working in HR. We talk about the creative pull and allowing ourselves to embrace it, the huge shift of leaving a stable car...
Feb 25, 2022•1 hr 12 min
This week I talked to my partner Jon, who doesn’t identify as a woman, but for this bonus episode, I asked him to chat with me while we picked up ingredients at the market and returned home to make lunch on a cold, bright winter morning. I wanted to discuss the last couple of years since we both started our businesses, and Jon gave up his full time job at Manchester University. The timing of this, combined with a global pandemic and several lockdowns have made it an intense time, challenging in ...
Nov 27, 2021•44 min
This week I’m talking to my dear friend and colleague, the photographer and educator, Laura Carly Adams. In this chat we grasshopper all over the place. We go from the value of community, to how photography changed Laura’s life, to the power of sharing our stories and finding purpose after the early years of motherhood. Laura is a firework of enthusiasm and determination, and has the wonderful ability to make us all want to hitch onto her journey up into the bright sky. A warning, there is a mil...
Nov 19, 2021•37 min
This week I'm talking to Jenny Oakenfull, baker and co-owner of Longboi's Bakehouse in South Manchester. Originally from York, Jenny left school with an armful of A grades and very little idea of what she wanted to do. Because her academic learning skills were strong, she was encouraged to pursue the academic route and applied to do Geography at uni. Nearly fifteen years later, via several other cafes, bakeries and patisseries, Jenny has now co-opened a bakery and patisserie in South Manchester....
Nov 12, 2021•51 min
This week I am talking to my dear friend, Emma Crompton, a casting director and acting coach. Emma and I met over fifteen years ago at drama school. Since then, Emma has worked with some of the greatest casting directors, producers and directors in the world, on productions such as Line of Duty, Sherlock, Beauty and the Beast and Vanity Fair. In our chat we touch on what it’s like to be Sacha Baron Cohen, in front of Sacha Baron Cohen, the occasional wisdom in giving up on your dreams and mental...
Nov 05, 2021•1 hr 5 min
This week I am talking to clinical scientist, photographer and writer Emma Goulding. From the moment we started talking, we went in deep. You will hear me wax lyrical about Emma’s self portrait, and I cannot encourage you enough to follow her on instagram for both her images and words. Starting with the heart of a tree, we moved onto thoughts on sharing personal stuff on Instagram, emotional growth, Emma’s experiences as a Black woman in a heavily white environment and how photography has been a...
Oct 29, 2021•1 hr 1 min
This week I’m talking to Mariel Greene of Next Lives Vintage, a stylist, photographer and seller of unique vintage pieces. Mariel lives in South Africa with her husband and two dogs in a self built, off grid house from where she runs her vintage business alongside doing her full time day job. We talk about her learning difficulties misdiagnosis as a child, the resourcefulness that can be born from not fitting the mould, her life long love affair with photography, and how seeking validation from ...
Oct 22, 2021•1 hr 16 min
This week I’m talking to the prolific artist and graphic designer Lela Harris. We talked about Lela’s childhood days in Manchester, sat on her back step writing her memoir on a typewriter, the acts of generosity that have helped guide her creativity, and the serendipitous snowboarding accident that opened up a staggering talent for portraiture she never knew she had. At the time we recorded this podcast, Lela mentioned that she had a very secret, and very exciting announcement coming in October....
Oct 15, 2021•57 min
This week I’m talking to Laurie Park, aka Dear Prudence Studio, an illustrator and designer, mother of three boys and dear friend. Originally from Scotland, now based in Hebden Bridge, Laurie chatted to me about growing up knowing she wanted to be an artist, the struggles she had in the education system and the path she took via textiles and fashion, to arrive at her current medium of cards and stationery. A brief warning, this episode includes the F word. Welcome to chapter seven with the lovel...
Oct 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min
This week I’m talking to Annie Klink , an American artist selling Mexican pottery . I first came across Annie on instagram years ago when searching for other vintage sellers. At the time Annie lived in New York and specialised in selling vintage rugs. Her elegant, bohemian, warm style appealed to me on every level. Annie has since moved to Mexico, from where she sells pieces of pottery and continues to infuse every aspect of her life with her own unique, creative magic. On the day we chatted, An...
Oct 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min
This week is chapter II of my chat with Kiruna Stamell, an Australian actress based in the UK. Kiruna has worked extensively on both stage and screen. Her credits include Moulin Rouge , Life's Too Short and The New Pope alongside a prolific stage career. Kiruna and I met in Manchester in our early 20’s. Fast forward 17 years and Kiruna is busy filming a big budget drama in the South of France. I was lucky enough to catch up with her between scenes. We talked about Kiruna’s acting journey as a wo...
Sep 24, 2021•42 min
This week I’m talking to Kiruna Stamell, an Australian actress based in the UK. Kiruna has worked extensively on both stage and screen. Her credits include Moulin Rouge , Life's Too Short and The New Pope alongside a prolific stage career. Kiruna and I met in Manchester in our early 20’s. Fast forward 17 years and Kiruna is busy filming a big budget drama in the South of France. I was lucky enough to catch up with her between scenes. We talked about Kiruna’s acting journey as a woman with dwarfi...
Sep 17, 2021•59 min
This week I’m chatting to Saima Kaur, an embroidery artist living in Hebden Bridge. Saima spent time at boarding school in India where she first learned how to embroider. Little did she know that years later, embroidery would become her main channel of work and expression. As Saima tells me her story, we touch on how our clothes can reflect our state of mind, being the parent of a child with autism and the value of community. You can find Saima's work at saimakaur.com On Instagram @sewsaima And ...
Sep 09, 2021•49 min
Cherelle is a multi-faceted creative dynamo. She is passionate about growing food, cooking food, styling, interiors, challenging herself to take on practical projects and setting the perfect scene to enjoy a feast of food and drink. Since finding each other on instagram a few years ago, we bonded over bulk buying ingredients, the electric joy of a vintage bargain and derelict buildings we want to convert. Today we chatted about Cherelle’s creative journey, the career expectations set out for her...
Sep 08, 2021•1 hr 18 min
This week I’m chatting to Carissa Tanton, an illustrator from North Wales currently living off grid in Central Portugal. Carissa began with ambitions to be a doctor, then a psychologist and then after a life changing time living in Paris, became an illustrator despite having been labeled ‘terrible at art’ at school. Her linear monochrome work is minimalist and precise, often featuring flowers, the sea and pop stars drinking tea. Please join me in our conversation where we touch upon working in w...
Sep 02, 2021•1 hr
Welcome to the trailer episode, where I explain a little about my background, how and why this podcast was born and the intention behind collecting these conversations. Useful links: A Short History of My Business Blog Post My Life Story in Chapters 'Say It Out Loud' Workshop About Me About Laura Adams If you would like to get in touch with any questions, you can find me @javabere on Instagram or email me at hello@javabere.co.uk . Support the show This is a public episode. If you'd like to discu...
Sep 02, 2021•5 min
