蜜芽传媒

Technology detaches us from touch and provenance and this, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged.

This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Oak swill basket maker, Owen Jones lives outside Ulverston in the Lake District. Owen is the only master craftsmen of swilling (oak basket weaving) left in the country. Owen coppices near-by woods to maintain a supply of oak and willow and uses water from the beck running past his workshop to boil and soften the wood. Owen choice swilling because he spent most of his childhood roaming the New Forrest and wanted the lifestyle it brings him.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell.

First broadcast on 蜜芽传媒 Radio 4 in March 2020.