Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction
Purchase
Description
by Gary Rogowski
“Gary Rogowski leads us gently but surely upon the path to a type of success we may not have previously considered. (Hint: it involves blisters.)” —Nick Offerman, author of Paddle Your Own Canoe
A new classic in the tradition of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Shop Class as Soulcraft, Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction will help creative people in any field reconnect to the source of their creativity and revitalize their creative energy. In Handmade, master craftsman Gary Rogowski confronts the greatest obstacles to creative focus in the modern age: distraction; pointless busyness; fear of failure; and the devil of self-doubt that tells you your work doesn’t matter.
Handmade shows that the path around these obstacles is the act of creative work itself. The discipline of working with one’s hands, mind and heart to create unnecessarily beautiful things shapes the builder into a more complete human being. Handmade tells the story of how the young Rogowski, an intellectual college graduate with no formal training in woodworking, became a craftsman through years of persistent labor, which taught him patience, resilience, tolerance for failure, and a love of pursuing beauty and mastery for their own sakes.
Rogowski punctuates the story of his growth as a craftsman with accounts of his hiking and mountaineering expeditions with his friend Wheaton, who taught him a different kind of perseverance and patience in the face of danger, discomfort, and the wild beauty of nature. In telling his stories, Rogowski reflects deeply on the lessons he has learned and presents a series of profound meditations on the eternal value of work, creativity, human fallibility, and the stubborn pursuit of quality.
Part autobiography, part guide to creativity, and part guide to living an authentic life, Handmade is a book for craftspeople, artists and anyone who seeks clarity, purpose and creativity in their work. Audience: Artists, craftspeople, woodworkers, creative professionals, and anyone developing their creativity.
About the Author: Gary Rogowski is a furniture maker, designer, teacher and author. He is also a playwright, essayist, and novelist. His previous books include the best-selling Complete Illustrated Guide to Joinery. Rogowski is the founder and director of The Northwest Woodworking Studio, A School for Woodworkers.
$18.95 US • Trade Paperback • 6" x 9" • 180 pages
ISBN 978-1-61035-314-4
Self-Help / Creativity • Crafts & Hobbies • BISAC SEL009000 CRA000000
Products You May Like
-
CRAFTSMAN'S CONSTRUCTION INSTALLATION ENCYCLOPEDIA
$65.00
$39.00
Step-by-step installation instructions for just about any residential construction, remodeling or repair task you're likely to face. Most major installations are covered in alphabetical order from Acoustic Tile to Wood Flooring. Included is a CD-ROM with all the material in the book. It offers search features and you can print the instructions for any job, capture the illustrations to include on a bid you are submitting, or cut and paste into an e-mail. Just a few of the subjects covered are; doors, drywall, brick, cabinets, electrical, glass block, plaster, plumbing, insulation, HVAC, trim, decks and porches. Installing moulding, roll roofing, aluminum and wood siding, cutting concrete block, drywall hanging and repairing and much, much more. This will be a great investment for the contractor and handyman. Regular $65.00 Special $52.00
-
The Great Book of Woodworking Tips: Over 650 Ingenious Workshop Tips, Techniques
$24.95
$14.97
Worlds biggest collection of reader-written, shop-tested, photo-illustrated woodworking tips and techniques. One, two or three to a page.
-
FOR PROS BY PROS: BUILDING STAIRS
$24.95
$14.97
Stair building combines precision carpentry with tricky math, so even experienced builders can find it challenging. But as this extensively illustrated book demonstrates, any builder who can measure the distance between two floors can plan and build a stunning set of stairs. By clearly laying out the geometry, planning, and construction involved, author Andy Engel takes the reader from a simple structure of framing lumber to a set of stairs fit for a king. From building and installing railings to using off-the-shelf stair parts, Building Stairs lays out the process clearly and completely. All the reader needs to is a router, saw, drill, and level. This elevating book fills in all the rest -- step by step by step.
-
CODE CHECK PLUMBING, 3RD ED.
$17.95
$10.77
Completely up-to-date with current code requirements, Code Check Plumbing is an invaluable guide to have on the job site! Referenced to the International Residential Code, Uniform Plumbing Code and Uniform Mechanic Code, it provides answers to hundreds of common plumbing-code questions.
-
UNDERSTANDING WOOD FINISHING, Revised
$19.95
$11.97
"How to Select and Apply the Right Finish". This is the completely revised and updated edition of Flexner's classic work on finishing. Includes the latest technical updates, step-by-step instructions, 40 must have reference tables, over 300 color photos, and numerous tips for the professional and hobbyist. An excellent work on finishing.
-
SMALL AND MINIATURE TURNING: A Complete Guide
$19.95
$11.97
A thorough introduction, covering both miniature objects (scaled down reproductions of full-sized works) and small turnings. Includes how to season and store wood, choose the appropriate tools, make some tools, in short, everything you need to know to get started.