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MAKERS ***NEW SERIES***

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Makers (Series 2)

15 x 5 minutes

Begins on October 31st 2016 at 07.50am and 11.30am on RTÉjr

This new series of ‘Makers’ continues the tradition of presenting accessible, exquisitely-illustrated portraits of some of Ireland’s top craftspeople in a high quality format specifically designed for children under 7. This year we meet willow weaver Beth Murphy, eco-printer and felt-maker Nicola Brown and world-renowned glass artist Róisín de Buitléar. We follow each artist from the sourcing of their materials to the completion of their various pieces.

‘Makers’ has been specially planned to feed into the young audience’s natural curiosity and its growing understanding of both the physical world and the artistic process itself. Seeing and touching the materials is a very important part of the craft-making process and in ‘Makers’ we see our featured individuals take raw materials – rods of willow, natural wool and leaves, molten glass – and form these into beautiful, functional objects and art pieces. As the series progresses we see the creative process happening in front of our eyes and this year even more young people get a chance to work ‘hands-on’ with the craftspeople.

‘Makers’ was shot on-location around Ireland in high-definition video. The series was made in partnership with the Design and Crafts Council, Ireland, supported by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI).

Beth Murphy is a willow weaver based in Co. Kildare. She grows the willow in her own ‘sally garden’ and makes both practical objects (from baskets to fences) as well as art works – primarily animal sculptures. She also creates ‘living works’ by planting and weaving live willow trees in an on-going and ever-changing process.

Nicola Brown is based near Borris in Co. Cavan. She makes felt from natural wool and other fibres to create sculptural objects as well as more practical things like clothes and bags. All these she ‘eco-prints’ in a unique process that uses leaves and natural dyes to add colour and texture to her creations.

Róisín de Buitléar is a world-renowned glass artist based in Dublin. The series opens with her remarkable glass instruments being played by musicians Liam Ó Maonlaí and Peter O’Toole and follows her progress from Dublin to Limerick (via a furnace in Sligo) as she designs, makes and delivers a piece commissioned by the Limerick Museum to celebrate – in glass – the history of Irish lacemaking.

Review of Series 1:

Bernice Harrison of The Irish Times on 23rd October 2015: “Firmly aimed at children (although anyone interested in crafts will love them) are the ‘Makers’ short films on RTÉjr. Beautifully made and pitched for younger viewers… it’s lovely.”