Everyone has a podcast these days, and now so does Oliver Kirkham.
Join Oliver and a series of guests as they explore creativity in everyday life: answering questions that nobody asked, like 'How is THAT art?', 'What is a gallery?' and 'Why do all museums smell like that?'.
With an overarching theme of Mental Health, conversations uncover art's ability to help us engage with the world and find solace amongst the challenges life throws at us. This podcast aims to give a safe space for guests to share their experiences, with the hopes that listeners learn more about themselves through others - and the beauty in the hidden art that surrounds us as we walk through life.
Oliver believes that everyone is innately creative. And this podcast is an open invitation to the artist's cerebral studio. Whether you make art, hate art or just want something to put on in the background as you do laundry - anyone can be an Armchair Artist. So come and hang out in the studio, Oliver's put the kettle on.
Interpersonal Conflict Under The Aries Moon with David Bates
The pod is BACK. Great to see you. How've you been? We're catching up on the last couple of months with David Bates, my good friend and costume designer. In this fashionable episode, we touch on the intersection of costume and fashion design, multifunctional dressing aprons and I read a monologue from The Devil Wears Prada. This was a really fun episode to record, hope you enjoy! And slide into David DMs he's so lovely x
Mentions and References
David's Instagram!: @davidandrewdesigner (https://instagram.co.uk/davidandrewdesigner/)
Owen Edward Snaith, fashion designer: @owenedwardsnaith (https://www.instagram.com/owenedwardsnaith/) on Instagram
Charles Jeffrey, fashion designer: @charlesjeffreyloverboy (https://www.instagram.com/charlesjeffreyloverboy) on Instagram
Julian Roberts, pioneer of Subtraction Cutting: @subtractioncutting (https://www.instagram.com/subtractioncutting/) on Instagram
Rogue Otherworld: @rogueotherworld (https://www.instagram.com/rogueotherworld/) on Instagram
Cosmic, artist: @cosmiclikespace (https://www.instagram.com/cosmiclikespace/) on Instagram
Samantha Hamlin, created For the Founders, The Founders Playground and Social Circle in Bristol: @samhamlin (https://www.instagram.com/samhamlin/)
'Nipple dress' worn by Chappell Roan by Thierry Mugler. Originally designed in 1998.
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
AA Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
29 Jul 2026
Third Time Coming Return Guest with Louis Burrows
He's back back back again, it's Louis! We catch up about his new studio space and exciting plans for the future. Plus the usual tangents - enjoy!
Leave a review on Apple and Spotify and I'll love you forever x
In this episode:
The Man Who Couldn't Stop: The Truth About OCD by David Adam
Follow Louis' Instagram: @lou.the.illustrator (https://instagram.com/lou.the.illustrator/)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
8 Jun 2026
Ep. 10: Skeletor Made Me Gay with Joe Glass
Ep 10 is all about comics, the writing process and LGBT+ representation. Joe Glass is here dropping wisdom about self-publishing and writing as a practice. Very interesting to learn more about comics and writing - I hope you enjoy!
Find Joe on Royal Road (https://www.royalroad.com/home)
Submissions are open for Critic’s Corner! We’d love to see your artwork! Email armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)!
Joe’s Instagram: @joeglass (https://instagram.com/joeglass)
Joe’s X: @josephglass (https://x.com/JosephGlass?lang=en)
Joe’s BlueSky: @joeglass (https://bsky.app/profile/joeglass.bsky.social)
Pod Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://instagram.com/armchairartistpod)
Oliver’s Instagram: @olikirkham (https://instagram.com/olikirkham)
12 May 2026
Community Building with Tim Kelly
In this episode of AA I welcome Tim Kelly of Tides Gallery in Swansea. We yap about all sorts; from how art and creativity can help bring people together, to whether science and art aren't so different after all. Buckle up, loads of good stuff in this episode. Enjoy!
Follow Tim on Instagram: @tides.gallery (https://instagram.com/tides/gallery)
AA Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Please review and rate! Thank you :-)
24 Apr 2026
96 Years Old with Daniel Suzuki
Today instant film photographer Daniel Suzuki jumps on the pod and we get into all sorts, including but not limited to; iPhone photography, Polaroids, having an eye for photography and cake. If you like technical difficulties and dodgy audio quality you're gonna love this episode! Enjoy!
Thank you to Alex for your Critic's Corner submission! We loved seeing it.
Resources and Mentions:
Reasons To Stay (https://reasonstostay.co.uk)
Daniel's Instagram: @instant_portraiture (https://www.instagram.com/instant_portraiture/)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
AA Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
27 Mar 2026
Friend Of The Pod with Louis Burrows
Apologies for the delay - episode 7 is here! Finally. Louis Burrows returns and we yap about being self-employed in the arts, Louis' new character sketches and the wild world of AI. Thanks to Charis Copp for sending in some lovely artwork!
Doodling study (36:28) came from this article by Cathy Hutchison (https://cathyhutchison.medium.com/to-doodle-or-not-to-doodle-science-says-doodlers-brains-are-smarter-and-sharper-40ee9f27d5aa), 2018.
AI documentary (47:56) is called AI Confidential with Hannah Fry, available on BBC iPlayer (https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002q76d/ai-confidential-with-hannah-fry-series-1-1-the-boy-who-tried-to-kill-the-queen).
Louis's Instagram: @lou.the.illustrator (https://www.instagram.co.uk/lou.the.illustrator/)
Louis's Email: loutheillustrator1013@gmail.com (mailto:loutheillustrator1013@gmail.com)
Charis' Instagram: @dakimabloo (https://instagram.com/dakimabloo/)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
AA Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
16 Feb 2026
Stuck At The Top Of A Rollercoaster with Louis Burrows
Do you have anxiety or depression? Well so do we, and boy do we talk about it. This week's guest is illustrator Louis Burrows, an illustrator who shares his experience with anxiety and depression and how drawing has helped him express his feelings and ask for help. This is a great episode with lots of good stuff covered and I really hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it. Thanks Louis!
Resources:
Call 111 and choose Option 2 for dedicated mental health crisis support, or visit NHS 111 online (https://111.nhs.uk).
Anxiety UK (https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk)
SHOUT texting support service (https://www.headstogether.org.uk/programmes/give-us-a-shout/)
Louis's Instagram: @lou.the.illustrator (https://www.instagram.co.uk/lou.the.illustrator/)
Louis's Email: loutheillustrator1013@gmail.com (mailto:loutheillustrator1013@gmail.com)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
AA Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
1 Feb 2026
Peeling Into Other Vessels with Lauren Pitson
Artist Future Fund alumni Lauren Pitson joins Oliver to discuss the themes of their recent exhibition, amidst tangents on burping etiquette, constantly loosing the thread of conversation and Lauren's dad's intestines. Enjoy!
Texts mentioned in this episode: The Ecological Thought by Timothy Morton (2010) ['the mesh' discussed in the episode]
Lauren's Instagram: @lauren.pitson (https://www.instagram.com/lauren.pitson/)
Lauren's Website: https://www.laurenpitson.com (https://www.laurenpitson.com)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @ olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
9 Jan 2026
Potentials for Change and the Temporal Non-Place with Susan Matthews
PhD Candidate, sound artist and performer Susan Matthews is welcomed to the pod to discuss topics that resonate with both her and Olivers practice. This episodes conversation highlights the importance of sharing experiences of trauma through artwork, how it can fortify recovery and help us to connect with others. It also looks cool and sounds fancy. Enjoy!
Texts mentioned in this episode:
A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (University of Minnesota Press, 1987)
Powers of Horror: An Essay on Abjection by Julia Kristeva (translated edn. Columbia University Press, 1982)
How Not To Kill Yourself by Clancy Martin (Oneworld Publications, 2023)
Your Brain On Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross (Canongate, 2023)
Facing Infinity: Black Holes and Our Place on Earth by Jonas Enander (Atlantic Books, 2025)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
9 Jan 2026
At First Gradually, Then Suddenly with Rob Jones
Wow, what an episode. This is a wild ride on the theoretical rollercoaster. Like Deleuze and Guattari? Never heard of them? That's okay! Rob and Oliver connect the dots between modern and contemporary philosopher's key concepts, and scrutinise Oliver's own theory on using mental health experiences to make artwork. Let's listen in.
Texts mentioned in this episode:
A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari (University of Minnesota Press, 1987)
How Not To Kill Yourself by Clancy Martin (Oneworld Publications, 2023)
Your Brain On Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross (Canongate, 2023)
Towards Speculative Realism: Essays and Lectures by Graham Harman (Zero Books, 2010)
The book I couln’t remember is When It Is Darkest by Rory O’Connor (Vermillion, 2021)
Facing Infinity: Black Holes and Our Place on Earth by Jonas Enander (Atlantic Books, 2025)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
9 Jan 2026
Jumper Fossil with Lewis Ward
Oliver's dear friend Lewis drops by to share their opinions on a recent art show Oliver was part of. They chat about how they met, making emotionally charged sculptures and the relationship between art and black holes (yes, there is one). Enjoy!
Quotes and stats in this episode come from these books:
Seven Logics of Sculpture by Ernst Van Alphen (Valiz, 2023)
Your Brain On Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross (Canongate, 2023)
How Not To Kill Yourself by Clancy Martin (Oneworld Publications, 2023)
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Lewis's Instagram: @windowfacing (https://www.instagram.com/windowfacing/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
9 Jan 2026
Introduction with Oliver Kirkham
Welcome to the first episode of Armchair Artist. I'm Oliver. This shorter episode sets the scene for the next four that focus on my art practice, personal experience with suicide and how art can help us process trauma and heal from our afflictions. I hope you enjoy my ramblings as I chat with friends about art, life and everything in-between.
Statistics from the top of episode can be found on Campaign Against Living Miserably and Papyrus' websites respectively. The estimated total impact of a single suicide (135 people) was published in 2018 and can be found in Rory O'Connor's book When it is Darkest (2023).
Follow Armchair Artist on Instagram: @armchairartistpod (https://www.instagram.com/armchairartistpod/)
Oliver's Instagram: @olikirkham (https://www.instagram.com/olikirkham/)
Email: armchairartistpod@gmail.com (mailto:armchairartistpod@gmail.com)
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