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Kate & Jack Lennie

@weare_makers

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The quarterly in print publication that shares the stories of makers, craftspeople and artists from around the world.

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Why do we do what we do?

Because we believe it matters. The detachment between the people who produce our things and the things themselves is growing at an alarming rate. Most people likely don’t even comprehend where most of their belongings come from, never mind who is behind them.

Now ask yourself this. If we continue this way what damage do we do to the crafts and the people who are custodians of these crafts? It only takes one generation to skip a hands on career and a craft could be lost forever! You can’t read how things feel when you make them with your hands in a books.

We do this because by telling you the stories of the people behind the amazing things you see on this platform and others you can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the work, skill, and sacrifice that goes into the making of these pieces. by @weare_makers

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3 years ago

How do we what we do.

Long hours, long long hours. But loving hours. We produce a quarterly publication , podcast , web space , and documentary films telling the stories of the amazing makers we seek out.

In other words we scour the planet to find the most amazing makers we can. Then we share their stories with you by whatever means necessary. by @weare_makers

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3 years ago

Hey! We're Kate and Jack! 👋

We're the founders of We Are Makers. We know first-hand both the joy of honing a craft and the frustrations of going it alone while trying to gain visibility.

Jack and I met while studying Product Design at Edinburgh Napier University and have since taken on various creative projects. Jack worked in film and television as a special effects engineer. I founded Ardent Leather after a stint as a children’s furniture designer and we are now both working full-time building We Are Makers.

We Are Makers is an opportunity to overcome the frustrations and loneliness of the independent craftsperson. By uniting makers, it channels that contagious joy of being surrounded by people who love what they do.

Nothing brings us more joy than meeting inspirational makers and sharing their stories with the We Are Makers community.

We have now independently published 18 editions of the publication, cover to cover with inspirational makers worldwide & published 100 in person podcasts on our Youtube channel.

#wearemakers #makersmovement #makersgonnamake #makersmaking #indiepublishing #supporthandmade #supportsmallbusiness by @weare_makers

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3 years ago

Today we travelled by train to meet Koji, the maker behind @hworks1994

From a small workshop at home, Koji makes incredible fountain pens. We came to talk about his craft. We left having talked about materials, old techniques, new technology, education and what it takes for a craft to continue.

There’s much more to Koji’s story which we will share next year in We Are Makers Magazine 🇯🇵 taken in Japan by @weare_makers

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16 hours ago

Eric McIntyre got us thinking long and hard about shop space in this interview and after it. Where many see it as an unnecessary expense, Eric justified it as space to run workshops, allowance to rent a smaller place for himself and his cat, Dusty, and, most importantly, a place to welcome the world in. Showing people things are still made by hand.

We recently experienced this in Japan again, where a detour down a back street to avoid the Tokyo crowds found us in, and buying from 🫣, a small family-run knife maker. A welcome find after avoiding the many resellers you can find on Tokyo's streets.

Now I know retail space opportunities differ hugely by country, city, and town, but I think what Eric and Sōichi Hirano do well is welcome the consumer into a live workshop and give them a better understanding of what goes into a hand-crafted product.

What do you think? If you could find retail space, would you? by @weare_makers

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a day ago

Day 2 of 28 🇯🇵

Gathering stories for Ed.21 - it’s going to be pretty special!

Ps, it’s 3am here and I’m too jet lagged and excited to sleep. taken in Japan by @weare_makers

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a day ago

When we started We Are Makers, we set out to prove craft still exists everywhere. We found Una, Come the end of our writing spell for Edition Nineteen, we had a few hundred pounds left in our travel budget. So we challenged ourselves: Go to a country we know nothing about and prove we can find craft there.

That was the Tuesday... We flew that Thursday to Latvia. No plan, no agenda, just 4 days, boots on the ground in pursuit of craft. Una was the first person we found, and in Edition Nineteen we tell the story of how she wrapped up a successful journalism career to become an incredible weaver and, importantly, much more satisfied with her life.

Every maker, craftsperson, and artist we find proves that belief just a little more.

To get your hands on Edition Nineteen, comment 'ED19' and I'll send you a link. In the meantime, be sure to check out Una's work. by @weare_makers

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3 days ago

We often talk about scalability, or the lack of it, in craft. More and more, we see people jump from fulfilling the odd order to scaling to a larger outsourced manufacturer if and when their products take off. Sometimes even going overseas.

However, what if we just went up the road? Literally. Found craftspeople and capable artisans within driving distance, or in Jason's case walking, distance from ourselves? Could we scale the same? Could this create jobs and better circumstances for our local communities?

Jason thinks so, And having seen it first hand in North Carolina we agree.

Jason thinks so, and having seen it firsthand in North Carolina, we agree. ‘ED18' by @weare_makers

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4 days ago

Among the last of a dying breed, Phil is endlessly and contagiously positive about the work he does and the opportunities it has given him. Be it building cart wheels for royalty or makeshift aeroplanes in the desert. His enthusiasm and hand skills have taken him around the world.

What would you do if you could do something you loved near enough every day?

Want to read Phill’s full story and the stories of other makers just like him? Comment ED19 and I'll send you the link to the latest edition of We Are Makers. by @weare_makers

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6 days ago

Whether you're terrible, ok, a bit meh, or pretty good straight away, It's never worth giving up. Not without trying. This is the story of Nicole Revy, who, in her own words, was "terrible" when she first tried linocut art. Now, after COVID and a redundancy, she has a thriving one-woman business supporting her family through her art.

It's never easy, but it's never not worth it to put more beauty into the world.

Every Monday we publish an abridged maker's story in our newsletter, totally free. For more details: comment 'Newsletter' by @weare_makers

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7 days ago

WE ARE LOOKING FOR ILLUSTRATORS!
We have a lot going on this next few years. And are currently obsessed with better communicating place with our readers. So... we are looking for a number of illustrators to help us do that.

Comment an example of your work below or tag an illustrator you know who is well suited for this type of work.

We dont have any style restrictions and are very open to letting this play our and see what styles come our way. by @weare_makers

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9 days ago

Courses are only one facet of Jacob and the @northmenguild . But they are a big part of it. They are a chance for Jacob to teach and help. They give someone trust in themselves and their abilities through hands-on skills and community.

Their courses range from timber framing to traditional joinery. All of which use their expertly crafted tools in a beautiful setting in the Latvian countryside.

The story of Jacob and the guild is vast; it has many anchors and pathways. But one thing holds true. Jacob's true belief in the magic of craft. It helped him... And now I feel he is on a path to help others with that same magic. by @weare_makers

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9 days ago