For the final episode of season 4 I talk with undertaker and owner of the independent funeral service Natural Endings, Rosie Grant. After listening to several episodes of this season, Rosie reached out to me to suggest talking with me about her creative, personal, and as she described it ‘radical’, approach to honouring the lives of those we love. …

In this episode I talk with writer, poet and playwright, Cordelia O’Neill. We discuss Cordelia’s play ‘Anything is Possible if You Think About it Hard Enough’ about a young couple whose baby is born still. We discuss creativity as a tool for developing empathy and how experiencing loss can bring you closer to joy, love and hope. And we talk about t…

In this episode I talk with Yorkshire artist, Jess Kidd. We discuss Jess’ childhood as an acutely shy child who often lived in her own imaginary world, the comfort she found in creativity as a form of expressing herself, the challenges she experienced at art school and then being diagnosed with health issues that impacted her life dramatically. We …

In this episode I talk to photographer Jo Ritchie and writer Laura Mcdonagh. We talk about their work on Projecting Grief, a collection of stories and portraits from individuals who have found comfort, distraction or hope in a creative pursuit after losing someone they love. We also talk about how they came together creatively, their own experience…

In this episode I talk with writer and disabled content creator, Helen Lear. Helen and I met at drama school in Manchester, sixteen years ago. Since then, a lot has happened. In her twenties, Helen dropped her life in the Uk to travel through Australia and New Zealand, envisioning a life of further international travel ahead of her. During this tim…

In this episode I talk with autoethnographic artist Hannah Turlington. We talk about growing up as a people pleaser, training as a teacher despite wanting to study textiles, eventually becoming a textile designer and realising it was no longer what she wanted, grieving the person that she thought she would one day be, Coming to terms with not being…

In this episode I am talking to calligrapher, bookbinder and writer Gaelle Jolly. Gaelle and I have followed each other on Instagram for many years, and it was a joy to finally meet over zoom. In this chat we talk about our shared love of writing letters, Gaelle’s passion for getting lost in imaginary worlds, we talk about losing her husband and ho…

In this episode I am talking to gardener and allotmenteer, Heidi-Lee Gregory. In 2020, having experienced a sequence of losses and readjustments in her life, Heidi turned her back on twenty years in the corporate world and decided to start from scratch and completely change direction with her path. We talk about Heidi’s move from her native South A…

In this episode I talk with Susanna Amato, who describes herself as: actress, theatre maker, writer, clown and humanitarian. Susanna also has a podcast where she invites guests to bring a paper based memory to talk through and shred, based on her theatre piece Landfill of Memories. We discuss Susanna’s identity, how this forms a huge part of her cr…

In this episode I am talking with author, art historian and lecturer Joanna Wolfarth. Joanna was the first person I interviewed for this season. I was feeling nervous and out of practice, but Joanna’s gentle warmth and grace shone through my headphones and I immediately knew that this was exactly where I wanted to be. Sat, listening to her story. I…

In this episode I talk with my dear friend and neighbour, the author, Rozie Kelly. On a sunny autumn morning, Rozie and I headed out for a walk through the fields. We talked about about losing her dad in lockdown and how this time of enforced solitude helped her embrace her grief, and also, how Buffy the Vampire Slayer featured heavily in this proc…

Hello and welcome to season 4 of ‘On the Irregular’ with me Java Bere. In previous seasons I have chatted to women from all walks of life about their unique, creative journeys. How they got here, and how their story has shaped their creative process. For this season, I wanted to specifically explore the way in which grief informs the creative proce…

Support the show Get full access to A Kitchen Notebook at javacbere.substack.com/subscribeAutor: Java Ceridwen Bere

In this episode I chat to artist and community organiser Sapna Agarwal. Sapna is one of my oldest friends, having met in Manchester twenty years ago when we were both running around the city pretending to be the stars of a Jean Luc Goddard film. This was a soft, gentle talk, fitting for a rainy day across Yorkshire and Glasgow. Sapna tells me about…

In this episode I chat to Poet, Writer, Performer and Educator Fionna Inward Allen. I first met Fee around six years ago at a mutual friend’s picnic. As soon as she flashed her stellar smile, I knew I wanted to talk to her. And talk we did, all afternoon. We have since kept in touch via social media and on the 10th of September we finally met again…

In this episode I chat to Life Coach, Speaker, Writer Syreeta Challinger. It’s an emotional one, Syreeta shares her unique story of love, creativity and transformation. We discuss growing up with a high level of academic expectations, her experience studying a degree in textiles in Manchester, the impact she believes the contraceptive pill had on h…

In this episode I chat to writer, artist and creator of the Moon Journal, Jo Cauldrick. With her Moon Journal website, instagram, book and patreon, Jo has created a space full of resources and wisdom about working with the moon cycles and how these can help us find balance, rhythm and focus. Beautifully illustrated and full of inspiring writing, th…

In this episode I chat to creative coach Kathryn Ho, or as she describes herself on Instagram 'Psychological witch and self-doubt coach’. This felt like a deeply thoughtful and delicate conversation. Kathryn’s meditative pace and considered answers to my questions led us to the big questions, the big feelings, the essence of it all, in many ways. W…

This conversation comes with a trigger warning regarding baby loss. Eight Years ago, Jon and I lost our daughter Alma at six months in the womb through a late stage termination due to medical reasons. We discuss the pregnancy, the procedure, her birth and her funeral. At certain points we express a humour which could be uncomfortable for some liste…

In this episode I chat to Interior Designer, Diversity Consultant, Instagram Influencer and Location House Host, Natasha Landers. I first came across Natasha when I spotted her magnificent yellow kitchen floor on Instagram, and instantly fell hook, line and sinker for her sense of style both in her home and her dress sense. I’m not the only one who…

In this episode I talk to actor, writer and singer Sandra Cole. Once upon a time, many years ago, I had the honour of being Sandra’s acting agent. I adored Sandra and always knew there was more I’d like to talk to her about than audition times and self tapes. So, finally I got my chance. Sandra graced me with her gentle, winding thoughts on grief, …

In this episode I chat to Annie Ridout: journalist, author, poet and founder of the business community for women The Robora When I listened back to this conversation, recorded in July, I realised that Annie is such a natural coach that I had accidentally ended up talking more about myself than I usually would. Thankfully I managed to shut up long e…

In this episode I chat to artist, designer, maker and soon to be qualified yoga teacher, my friend Lynne Morris. Throughout this conversation, amongst many things, you will witness Lynne’s ADHD in live, gorgeous, technicolour action, and you will also witness my giddy inability to stop cackling every thirty seconds. We grasshopper all over the plac…

In this episode, I talk to the singer songwriter, Josephine Oniyama. Born and bred in Manchester, Jo grew up listening to her mum’s record collection, never knowing a time when music and writing weren’t her focus. Starting gigging in her teens, her career took off very quickly, leading her to touring and working with huge names in the industry and …

This week I chat to Deborah Eydmann Beau, writer, model, life long creative. In this inspiring and at points, tear inducing chat, Deborah tells me about coming into her own at 55, her childhood in Yorkshire and how this formed her, a lifelong passion for drama, her life in France with her three children, successful careers in translation and bloggi…

This week I am chatting to baker, artist and empress of cushion embroidery Sharon Nagadya. Born in Uganda, Sharon moved to the UK age 11. After initially pursuing a career as a nurse/hairdresser, Sharon couldn’t ignore the fact that her passion was in the creative fields. We talk about family and cultural expectations, what she now considers to be …

This week I’m chatting to Grower & Florist Hattie Shackleton of Honour Farm Folk. In our conversation we touch upon Hattie’s experience of working in branding agencies and being a woman in the graphic design industry, then opening up her own shop ‘Maud’s House’ in the old market town of Skipton. We talk about what it’s like to have several skills a…

This week I’m chatting to writer and life coach, Nadia Karim. Nadia’s rich journey includes a passion for photography, social justice, an ongoing theme of storytelling and being one half of Edinburgh based shop Century General Store. We had a long chat about empathy, acknowledging the depths of our differences, the value of being quiet, her journey…

This week I’m chatting to TV Camera Operator and photographer Lyndsey Harris. As a camera op, Lyndsey has worked on productions such as Coronation Street, Wimbledon and, in my opinion, the most exciting of all, Stars in Their Eyes. When she’s not filming, Lyndsey captures the world around her with her camera and a sharp documentary eye, honing in o…

This week I’m chatting to visual artist, community builder and photographer Jo Melia. Jo and I chatted about growing up and living with her mum’s alcoholism and the impact this had on her creative dreams, parenting and being part of a neuro-divergent family, her experience of art school, her years working full time in a bank, setting up a make-up b…

This week I’m chatting to artist, adventurer, writer and marine conservationist Katie Tunn. Katie lives her life in companionship with the waters: waking up to the sound of waves on the Isle of Skye, creating stunning art work inspired by the Hebridean seas, collecting litter and rescuing injured seals along the coastline and, later this year, visi…

This week I’m chatting to creative powerhouse, Instagram influencer, kitchen dancer, style icon… the one and only Sophia Cook. Growing up, Sophia loved the performing arts, leading onto studying and later working in theatre and costume design. We cover her journey from working as a wardrobe mistress in London theatres to overseeing builds of new sc…

This week I’m chatting to sensory designer, brand consultant and passionate foodie Lauren Davies. Lauren approaches her work as both an alchemist and detective, using design and her passion for innovation as a way to tell her own stories and those of her clients. For the first half hour we talk about Lauren’s focus on sustainability and wellbeing i…

This week I’m chatting to photographer, graphic designer, story teller and creator of magic, Mirlah Richardson. Mirlah is a multi-hyphen, multi-talented stream of cool water, adapting to whichever way her life has led her. In this conversation we touch upon (amongst many other things) the value of being a master (or mistress) of all trades, adjusti…

In this episode I talk to the journalist and author, Amy Liptrot. Amy grew up on Orkney before moving to London in her twenties to pursue a career as a music journalist. Her memoir The Outrun is an account of her alcoholism during this time, her recovery and the pull between the island and the city. The book won her the PEN Ackerley prize, the Wain…

A short, and slightly emotional intro to Season Two of 'On the Irregular' with me, Java Bere. It's a brief reflection on my own journey, the first season and what to expect from this season. If you are interested in learning more about our creative workshop Say It Out Loud, click here to read more. Welcome back and thank you for listening! Support …

In this episode I talk to Fola Agbalaya, a vintage furniture upholsterer, with a passion for mid-century designs. Working from her South Manchester workshop, Fola sources furniture from all over Europe and breathes a new life back into each unique piece. Originally from London, Fola talked to me about her dramatic career pivot in her late forties a…

This week I talked to my partner Jon, who doesn’t identify as a woman, but for this bonus episode, I asked him to chat with me while we picked up ingredients at the market and returned home to make lunch on a cold, bright winter morning. I wanted to discuss the last couple of years since we both started our businesses, and Jon gave up his full time…

This week I’m talking to my dear friend and colleague, the photographer and educator, Laura Carly Adams. In this chat we grasshopper all over the place. We go from the value of community, to how photography changed Laura’s life, to the power of sharing our stories and finding purpose after the early years of motherhood. Laura is a firework of enthu…

This week I'm talking to Jenny Oakenfull, baker and co-owner of Longboi's Bakehouse in South Manchester. Originally from York, Jenny left school with an armful of A grades and very little idea of what she wanted to do. Because her academic learning skills were strong, she was encouraged to pursue the academic route and applied to do Geography at un…

This week I am talking to my dear friend, Emma Crompton, a casting director and acting coach. Emma and I met over fifteen years ago at drama school. Since then, Emma has worked with some of the greatest casting directors, producers and directors in the world, on productions such as Line of Duty, Sherlock, Beauty and the Beast and Vanity Fair. In ou…

This week I am talking to clinical scientist, photographer and writer Emma Goulding. From the moment we started talking, we went in deep. You will hear me wax lyrical about Emma’s self portrait, and I cannot encourage you enough to follow her on instagram for both her images and words. Starting with the heart of a tree, we moved onto thoughts on sh…

This week I’m talking to Mariel Greene of Next Lives Vintage, a stylist, photographer and seller of unique vintage pieces. Mariel lives in South Africa with her husband and two dogs in a self built, off grid house from where she runs her vintage business alongside doing her full time day job. We talk about her learning difficulties misdiagnosis as …

This week I’m talking to the prolific artist and graphic designer Lela Harris. We talked about Lela’s childhood days in Manchester, sat on her back step writing her memoir on a typewriter, the acts of generosity that have helped guide her creativity, and the serendipitous snowboarding accident that opened up a staggering talent for portraiture she …

This week I’m talking to Laurie Park, aka Dear Prudence Studio, an illustrator and designer, mother of three boys and dear friend. Originally from Scotland, now based in Hebden Bridge, Laurie chatted to me about growing up knowing she wanted to be an artist, the struggles she had in the education system and the path she took via textiles and fashio…

This week I’m talking to Annie Klink, an American artist selling Mexican pottery. I first came across Annie on instagram years ago when searching for other vintage sellers. At the time Annie lived in New York and specialised in selling vintage rugs. Her elegant, bohemian, warm style appealed to me on every level. Annie has since moved to Mexico, fr…

This week is chapter II of my chat with Kiruna Stamell, an Australian actress based in the UK. Kiruna has worked extensively on both stage and screen. Her credits include Moulin Rouge, Life's Too Short and The New Pope alongside a prolific stage career. Kiruna and I met in Manchester in our early 20’s. Fast forward 17 years and Kiruna is busy filmi…

This week I’m talking to Kiruna Stamell, an Australian actress based in the UK. Kiruna has worked extensively on both stage and screen. Her credits include Moulin Rouge, Life's Too Short and The New Pope alongside a prolific stage career. Kiruna and I met in Manchester in our early 20’s. Fast forward 17 years and Kiruna is busy filming a big budget…

This week I’m chatting to Saima Kaur, an embroidery artist living in Hebden Bridge. Saima spent time at boarding school in India where she first learned how to embroider. Little did she know that years later, embroidery would become her main channel of work and expression. As Saima tells me her story, we touch on how our clothes can reflect our sta…

Cherelle is a multi-faceted creative dynamo. She is passionate about growing food, cooking food, styling, interiors, challenging herself to take on practical projects and setting the perfect scene to enjoy a feast of food and drink. Since finding each other on instagram a few years ago, we bonded over bulk buying ingredients, the electric joy of a …