We have become divorced from physicality. Technology detaches us from touch and provenance. This, in part, has contributed to the boom in artisanal crafts. It's a call back to more tactile experiences. We're learning to craft, to forage, to paint, to build; gravitating towards skills which can replace some of the sensory connections from which we've disengaged. We want to literally get our hands dirty!

Living National Treasures seeks to represent this societal shift. This series is about celebrating existing ability and drawing attention to our own Living National Treasures.

Silversmith Rauni Higson works out of an old chapel in Snowdonia, North Wales. From her old chapel window, which streams light onto her traditional silversmith work bench, she can on a good day, see the top of Snowdon. Her work is very much inspired by the landscape around her. Rauni is currently making a processional cross and candlesticks for Liverpool’s Catholic Cathedral. Rauni has been working on this commission for two years. It is a painstaking process, but the end result will be a beautiful object that could potentially last forever.

While the Living National Treasure tradition began in Japan - where they also commend buildings and monuments as 'National Treasures' - the celebratory trend has now been adopted by France, Thailand, South Korea and Romania. Living National Treasures are defined as people who possess a high degree of knowledge and skill in a culturally significant craft.

Living National Treasures is a combination of slow radio, artisanal craft and poignant personal stories. We get under the skin of practitioners, learning why they've chosen rare and unusual crafts.

Produced by Kate Bissell Show less