Materially Speaking Podcast

Materially Speaking is a podcast where artists and artisans tell their stories through the materials they choose.

We began interviewing local artists and artisans in a small town on the Tuscan coast called Pietrasanta, near Carrara, where generations of sculptors have been coming here since the time of Michelangelo 500 years ago to work with the locally sourced marble.

Our work exploring artisanal materials inspired a more planet-conscious perspective, with episodes including the creation of a modern day Indian saint (Pramashwar), a generation of young artisans committed to the preservation of Venice, the first state-sponsored African American statue for the US Capitol’s National Statuary Hall, and an exploration of how artisans in Paris are able to practise their craft in a vibrant, urban setting. 

Founder Sarah Monk was initially inspired to make this podcast because of the influence of her father, who carved Renaissance musical instruments from wood.