How working with our hands makes us more human In our present age
of computer-assisted design, mass production and machine precision,
the traditional skills of the maker or craftsperson are hard to
find. Yet the desire for well-made and beautiful objects from the
hands (and mind) of a skilled artisan is just as present today as
it ever has been. Whether the medium they work with is wood, metal,
clay or something else, traditional makers are living links to the
rich vein of knowledge and skills that defines our common human
heritage. More than this, though, many of us harbor a deep and
secret yearning to produce something - to build or shape, to
imagine and create our own objects that are imbued not only with
beauty and functionality, but with a story and, in essence, a
spirit drawn from us. Nick Kary understands this yearning. For
nearly four decades he has worked on commission to make fine,
distinctive furniture and cabinets from wood, most of it sourced
near his home, in the counties of South West England. During this
time, he has been both a teacher and a student; one who is
fascinated with the philosophy and practice of craft work of all
kinds. In Material, Kary takes readers along with him to visit some
of the places where modern artisans are preserving, and in some
cases passing on, the old craft skills. His vivid descriptions and
eye for detail make this book a rich and delightful read, and the
natural and cultural history he imparts along the way provides an
important context for understanding our own past and the roots of
our industrial society. Personal, engaging, and filled with
memorable people, landscapes and scenes, Material is a rich
celebration of what it means to imagine and create, which in the
end is the essence of being human, and native to a place. As Kary
puts it, "Wood and words, trees and people, material and ethereal -
it is here I love increasingly to dwell."
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