On our Australia trip we took a bus to Braidwood to visit Lea Durie, who we featured in Ed.9 of our We Are Makers Magazine. It's always great to connect with someone who you've spoke to so much online and over email to then meet in person. We are so thankful for these experiences and connections we get to have through our mission. From Lea's early experiments with clay in fifth grade to her current life as a full-time ceramicist in Braidwood, Southern New South Wales, her journey is one of continuous discovery and dedication. Initially trained as a landscape architect, her love for pottery was rekindled through a night class during a lonely stint in Melbourne. This reawakening led her back to clay after various life detours, including a significant career shift and raising a family. Her professional turning point came with a visual arts degree focused on ceramics and a transformative mentorship that guided her into taking her craft from a passionate hobby to a serious business. We hope you enjoy this incredible chat we had with Lea in her home studio! WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Mud Dept (Lea Durie) Insta: @mud.dept Website: https://muddept.com

On our Australian journey, we visited Doug and Danika in Albury, NSW, whose story graced the cover of our seventh edition of We Are Makers. Meeting them and their family was a highlight of our trip.

Danika and Doug met while studying design at the College of Fine Arts in Sydney in 2005. Their passion for letterpress began in the UK, where they started collecting wood type blocks from charming markets. Back in Australia in 2011, they won a fierce eBay auction for a 1920s Chandler & Price letterpress named 'Wendy', previously housed in a soon-to-be-demolished hospital.

With little experience but plenty of enthusiasm, they learned the art of letterpress from Des, a former printer and mentor who taught at a printing museum in Sydney. Des, who once taught letterpress through a rigorous five-year apprenticeship, generously shared his weekends to help them master the craft.

WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop D&D Letterpress Insta: @ddletterpress Website: @https://ddletterpress.com.au

On our trip to Australia, we took a flight to Adelaide to meet Heath who was featured in our 2nd Edition of We Are Makers. We were so excited to finally meet and to hear how business has been since March 2021. Timberwolf Design was initiated part-time by its founder Heath Polkinghorne in a modest garden shed (3m x 2m) back in 2015. Recognizing the need for more space to grow, Heath constructed a larger shed (10m x 5m) in 2017 to transition into furniture making full-time. Within two years, the his business had expanded beyond the confines of the home workshop, prompting a move to a 400m2 warehouse in Henley Beach in 2019. The journey from a backyard shed to a full-scale workshop with employees has been immensely challenging yet rewarding. Despite the difficulties, the experience of working independently and running a business remains unparalleled, though it comes with its set of challenges. In our conversation we talk about these challenges and the how his business has grown since we last spoke in 2021. WANT TO SUPPORT THIS PODCAST? Head over to https://www.wearemakers.shop and pick up a copy of our printed publication. Filled cover to cover with amazing makers from Around the world. We Are Makers Insta: @weare_makers Website: @www.wearemakers.shop Timberwolf Design Insta: @timberwolf_design Website: www.timberwolfdesignsa.com