Ministry of Arts Podcast

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Pure Evil (@MichelleHeron.art) Michelle Heron is best known for her evocative paintings of shop-fronts, which capture the quiet character of everyday streets.Working primarily in oil, Heron focuses on independent shops, cafés and small businesses, often depicting them closed, weathered or slightly worn. Her work is less about commerce and more about memory, place and passing time. By isolating shop-fronts and removing figures, she invites viewers to reflect on changing high streets and the social histories embedded in familiar buildings.  Her muted colour palettes and careful attention to signage, reflections and typography give each painting a strong sense of atmosphere. Through these seemingly ordinary subjects, Heron elevates overlooked spaces into thoughtful, nostalgic portraits of contemporary British life. Thank you to Tani Burns for making this conversation happen For more information on the work of Michelle Heron go tohttps:// MichelleHeron.co.uk  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

 In this REWIND episode (recorded: Feb 2019) Gary Mansfield speaks to Katie Piper OBE (@katiepiper_) Katie Piper OBE is popular TV presenter/personality, model, writer, activist and a whole lot more.In 2008 she was horrifically attacked with acid, severely scarring her face and chest; she also lost the sight of her left eye.Katie later founded the Katie Piper Foundation, helping others’ deal with living with such injuries. In 2018, Gary Mansfield created an exhibition called FaceValue, where 30 artists would donate a piece of artwork, and I would deface it [aesthetically] in some way. The question was asked, “If something/one has their identity changed by a third-party, are they devalued by society, or viewed as unique?” The artists’ collectively donated the works to the Katie Piper Foundation.  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield talks to Emily Malice (@emilymalice)Emily Malice is one of the most sort-after artists in the UK, she is one of the many bold and powerful women that are rebalancing the gender scale of the once heavily male orientated industry.She is famed for her linear style mouth design, smiling or snarling and showing braces fixed to the teeth.As well as selling prints of her designs, along with her close friend Stephanie she has started the ethical clothing brand FILTHYCUTELDN. For full line up of confirmed artists go to www.mizogart.com Email: podcast@mizogart.com Social Media: @mizogart

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Catrin Osborne (@CatrinOsborne) Catrin Osborne is a multidisciplinary artist and photographer whose work explores identity, femininity and the shifting nature of the female body. Known for her intimate portraiture and collaborative approach, Osborne focuses on themes often overlooked in mainstream visual culture, giving voice to women’s lived experiences. Her projects combine documentary clarity with a gentle poetic sensibility, resulting in images that feel both grounded and emotionally resonant. Osborne frequently works with her subjects over long periods, allowing trust and authenticity to guide her creative process. Her latest book, A Portrait of the Menopause, continues this commitment to honest representation. Through photographs and personal testimonies, Osborne highlights the varied realities of menopause—its challenges, its freedoms and its profound physical and emotional transitions. The book provides a platform for women to share their stories, reframing menopause as a powerful, multifaceted stage of life rather than a taboo. Overall, Osborne’s work contributes meaningfully to contemporary conversations about womanhood, aging and visibility. For more information on A Portrait of the Menopause go tohttps://blackdogonline.com/products/a-portrait-of-menopause To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to https://www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this episode Gary Mansfield speaks to James Payne (@GreatArtExplained) James Payne is a writer, curator and YouTuber, known for demystifying art via his popular YouTube channel Great Art Explained. His newly released book, Great Art Explained: The Stories Behind the World’s Greatest Masterpieces, brings that same clarity to the printed page. It explores 30 iconic works — from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus to Monet’s Water Lilies and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed — unpacking not only their visual features but also the artists’ lives and social context. Payne’s style is refreshingly jargon-free: he explains what makes each piece “great” through clear storytelling and insight. Stephen Fry has called the book “an instant classic.” For more information on the Great Art Explained: The Stories Behind the World’s Greatest Masterpieces go towww.welbooks.co.uk/shop/p/great-art-explained-the-stories-behind-the-worlds-greatest-masterpieces-by-james-payne-signed  To Support this podcast from as little as £3 per month: www.patreon/ministryofarts For full line up of confirmed artists go to www.ministryofarts.co.ukEmail: ministryofartsorg@gmail.comSocial Media: @ministryofartsorg 

In this rewind episode Gary Mansfield speaks to Gina Soden (REC: 2019).Gina is a photographic artist that enters once grand and regal buildings to capture images of the last remnants of beauty within those decaying walls.Back in the studio, her creative process produces artworks that are far from dark or macabre.She directs your eye, firstly to a strong focal point, then allows it to absorb the rest of the artwork which has equal measures of beauty, decay and intrigue.