A deep drive into seven key works by Helen Britton, from her current exhibition The Story So Far. 

In this audio tour, Helen describes how she made each work, her techniques and materials, and the stories behind each piece.

The Story So Far is a major solo, touring exhibition that honors Helen Britton as the tenth artist in the series Living Treasures: Masters of Australian Craft.

Living Treasures recognises eminent Australian craftspeople, celebrating their mastery of skill, their achievements and the unique place they occupy in the national design culture. 

Featured wor...

Helen Britton is a multidisciplinary Australian artist based in Munich, Germany.

Her practice includes jewellery, sculpture, drawings, stencils and installations, and is informed by popular culture, threatened traditions, environmental destruction and human anxiety.

The Australian Design Centre honoured Helen as a Living Treasure in 2025.

Guests

Julie Ewington is a writer and a curator and sometimes a broadcaster living on Gadigal land in Sydney.

Show highlights and takeaways

Childhood in Newcastle [00:05]

Growing up in working-class Newcastle exposed Helen to industrial processes that became foundational to her...

Host Lisa Cahill chats with master metalsmith Johannes Kuhnen. 

Johannes Kuhnen is one of the pioneers of anodised aluminium metalwork. In this episode, Johannes explains why he finds anodising annoying, and his design process.

Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on his MAKE Award entry, Remnant Green.

Johannes Kuhnen is one of Australia's most well recognised silversmiths. Johannes' practice has remained at the forefront of innovation, in particular his pioneering use of anodised aluminium. A fascination with the colour options of the aluminium continue to provide inspiration for his w...

Host Lisa Cahill chats with partners in life and work, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood.

In this episode, Csilla and Matt share the inspirations behind their work, what it takes to enter an award, and how they made a single sculpture from 100 pieces of clay.

Hear from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on their work, Walk the Line Version 7.

Guests

Host Lisa Cahill chats with contemporary jeweller Julie Blyfield. Hear how Julie's MAKE Award entry is inspired by love and loss. 

Julie Blyfield is a South Australian artist renowned for her work inspired by collected botanical specimens and forms. Using the traditional metalsmithing techniques of chasing and repoussé, Blyfield makes intricately textured pieces, which capture the essence of the Australian natural landscape.

Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes share their thoughts on Julie’s work Memento Vivere (Remember to live).

Episode photo by Grant Hancock.

Guests

Meet clothing designers High Tea With Mrs Woo.

Rowena, Angela and Juliana Foong are three sisters who run a clothing label that focuses on sustainability and ethical production and who collaborate on design, making, mending and more. 

In this episode, you'll hear comments from MAKE Award judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes.

And find out, Who is Mrs Woo? What are the innovative ideas behind their work Resilience Coat?

High Tea with Mrs Woo is a sustainable fashion practice, crafting clothes and accessories for modern thoughtful living. Their work f...

Meet the winner of the Inaugural MAKE Award, ceramic artist Vipoo Srivilasa.

Vipoo tells us about the themes that inspire his work, the process of making the winning piece Diverse Dominion Deities, his strategic approach to the MAKE award, and Vipoo's ongoing charity project 'Clay For'.

Hear comments from judges Jason Smith, Hyeyoung Cho and Brian Parkes on what made this sculpture a prize-winning work. 

About Vipoo Srivilasa

Melbourne-based, Thai-born Australian artist Vipoo Srivilasa creates artwork that is positive, accessible, and beautiful. His practice primarily focuses on ceramics, though he also p...

Series 3 introduces the winner, four finalists and the judges of Australia’s newest and richest award for contemporary craft - the MAKE Award.

This major new national award by us, the Australian Design Centre, celebrates innovation in contemporary craft and design.

Over five episodes you’ll meet winner Vipoo Srivilasa and finalists the Foong Sisters (High Tea with Mrs Woo), Julie Blyfield, Csilla Csongvay and Matt Blackwood (Csongvay Blackwood), and Johannes Kuhnen. 

You’ll hear the stories behind their work, and reflections and comments from the MAKE Award judges.

“An award can estab...

Meet Powerhouse curator Eva Czernis-Ryl and hear

And hear ceramic artist and former editor of The Australian Journal of Ceramics Vicki Grima on setting up a ‘living bequest’ fund for ceramics.

Eva Czernis-Ryl is an art and design historian and curator of Arts and Design at the Powerhouse in Sydney.

Vicki Grima, OAM, was the editor of The Journal of Australian Ceram...

Meet ceramics artist and writer Robyn Phelan and hear:

And, hear fine art photographer Greg Piper on

Robyn Phelan is a writer, a ceramics artist and an...

What are the many ways to learn ceramics? How do you find your own sense of touch with clay?

If you’re thinking about a hobby class or applying for a university or TAFE course, what’s good to know?

Hear different approaches on teaching with clay, including from a Japanese production pottery, and a wishlist for the future of ceramics education in Australia. What’s on your list?

Guests

How do you start a ceramics collection?

Tips on collecting for beginners, how to collect from galleries, how to make a collecting group and how to administer and document your collection.

The guests are Brett Stone, artist, art dealer and founding director of Claypool communal pottery studios; Jane Sawyer, founder and teacher at Slow Clay Melbourne; and Jenna Price and John Kavanagh, ceramics collectors.

Hosted by Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director of the Australian Design Centre.

Produced by Jane Curtis with production support from Alix Fiveash. Sound engineering by John...

Ilona Topolcsanyi makes bespoke tableware for some of Australia's most notable chefs. She’s even made plates that world leaders have eaten from, like Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Xi JinPing.

Hear how Ilona designs and makes by hand large orders of beautiful, hard-wearing and functional tableware. 

Learn how she works with chefs as a problem-solver, figuring out how to make bowls where the sauce sits perfectly.

Ilona and her partner Colin Hopkins run their business Cone 11 in Naam, Melbourne. Their tableware has subtle surfaces that range from shimmering pearly whites to rich enc...

From production pottery to learning and teaching ceramics, museum collections and personal collecting - this season of Object is all about making with clay.

Over five episodes you’ll meet Ilona Topolcsanyai, Brett Stone, Jane Sawyer, Robyn Phelan and Eva Czernis-Ryl.

You’ll hear from other artists too, and their advice for makers.

Object is a podcast by the Australian Design Centre. 

It’s hosted by Lisa Cahill, with production by Jane Curtis and sound engineering by John Jacobs.

In this bonus episode, you’ll meet one of the key people behind the original idea for the Living Treasures series of exhibitions - Brian Parkes. 

How did the idea of recognising Australia’s master craftspeople become a reality? Who chooses Living Treasures? 

How was the first Living Treasures exhibition made on a shoestring budget, maybe some shopping at IKEA?  

How important are exhibitions like these to regional art galleries? How do audiences react? 

And hear about the two Living Treasures Lisa Cahill didn’t get to interview – the late glass artist Klaus Moje and South Austra...

With a career spanning five decades, Robert Baines is one of Australia’s leading gold and silver smiths.  

Robert Baines makes intricately constructed jewellery and large-scale, sculptural, complex wire works that often combine gold and silver with plastic and powder-coated elements. 

Hear how Robert researched high Classical Greek gold jewellery and remade it using 2000 year old techniques, how colour takes on many meanings in his jewellery, and how a chance meeting in a gallery changed everything. 

Robert’s work can be found in all major public galleries, as well as internationally in significant museums l...

In a career spanning seven decades, Les Blakebrough has become one of Australia's most acclaimed and influential ceramic artists.

The ceramics of Les Blakebrough range from earthy functional ware to more delicate forms, made with the Southern Ice Porcelain - a material described as having ‘the whiteness of snow and translucent of ice'. In fact, he used Southern Ice Porcelain to make Tasmania’s wedding gift to Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.

In this episode, you’ll hear about Les’ experiments in the early days, why he went from ceramics maker to porcelai...

Liz Williamson is known as a ‘matriarch of Australian weaving’. Hear what Liz’s favourite ‘magical’ material is, how darning and repair informs her work, and how she works with weavers around the world.

Liz Williamson is an internationally respected textile artist who specialises in hand-woven textiles.

Sometimes wearable and sometimes for display, the texture of Liz’s work is distinctive. It’s woven flat, and the materials she uses create crushed, crinkled surfaces and three dimensional shapes like loops and sacks.

Australia Design Centre made Liz Williamson a Living Treasure in 2007, and her Living Treasure...

Jeweller Marian Hosking makes silver brooches, necklaces and vessels that are translations of the Australian bush. Hear why Marian thinks that souvenirs are underrated; the reason she still makes brooches and how she co-founded the iconic Melbourne open access jewellery space, Workshop 3000.

Marian Hosking is an award-winning artist, and is former Head of Jewellery at Charles Sturt University, The Riverina College of Advanced Education and Art Design and Architecture at Monash University.

Marian Hosking collects, draws or takes photos of Australian plants and flowers to make silver objects like brooches, necklaces and vessels. She often oxidises and...

Prue Venables is one of Australia’s most accomplished ceramics artist. Hear how Prue went from a career in science to pottery; how three tiny porcelain jugs changed everything for her; and her controversial advice for new makers.

Prue Venables makes porcelain vessels - like jugs and beakers, ladles and colanders - that elevate humble domestic objects to exquisite works of art. They are smooth and elegant, with a minimal colour palette of white, metallic black and sometimes red.

The Australian Design Centre honoured Prue as a Living Treasure in 2019.

Guests

Lola Greeno is an award winning Tasmanian Aboriginal shell worker and artist. Lola uses maireener shells, sometimes called rainbow kelp shells to make shell necklaces. It's the oldest continuing cultural practice in Tasmania. Learn about the role of insects in making a traditional shell necklace, how Lola creates for kids as well as adults, and what she wants every Tasmanian Aboriginal woman to know.

The Australian Design Centre recognised Lola Greeno as a Living Treasure: Master of Australian Craft in 2014.

She lives and works on Palawa land in the north of Tasmania. Lola Greeno is...

Jeff Mincham AM is one of Australia's most prominent ceramic artists. Hear what it was like to witness the birth of the Australian Crafts Movement, how Jeff deals with success and failure, and his characteristically blunt advice to makers.

Jeff is known for his large, coil built, earthenware vessels. On these vessels are his dramatic, painterly interpretations of the South Australian landscape - the patchwork fields of the Fleurieu Peninsula, the sand dune grasses of the Coorong and the leafy surrounds of the Adelaide Hills.

With over forty years of professional practice, he was awarded a...

Meet seven creative Australians who've dedicated their lives to mastering ceramics, jewellery, metal and textiles. Why does their work matter? How do they keep going? How does working in Australia impact their work? What’s their advice for makers now? 

Prue Venables, Jeff Mincham, Lola Greeno, Liz Williamson, Les Blakebrough, Marian Hosking and Robert Baines are recognised by the Australian Design Centre as 'Living Treasures' because of their contributions to contemporary craft and design.

In Season 1 of Object: Stories in design and craft, find out what makes them tick, how they've mastered their craft...