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
-
RESIDENTIAL WINDOWS, 3rd ed.: A GUIDE TO NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE
$35.00
$21.00
A valuable book for home owners, architects, designers, and builders. This is a look at the state of the art today, as well as windows of the future and it offers information necesary to evaluate windows and make intelligent choices. Covers energy performance, glazing materials, window assembly, design implications with energy efficient windows, window and skylight selection consideration, and energy performance and cost considerations.
-
TURNING CUSTOM DUCK CALLS
$19.95
$11.97
A comprehensive guide and woodturning project book to all aspects of this American folk art including the history of duck calls and the methods for successfully making your own duck call.
-
FOR PROS BY PROS: FINISH CARPENTRY
$24.95
$14.97
This new, thoroughly illustrated reference provides the step by step information a professional or ambitious do-it-yourselfer needs to get the job done right the first time. Starting with how to damage-proof a house before the carpentry begins, the authors take the reader through every aspect of the craft. From running baseboards and installing interior doors to trimming windows and installing crown and wainscot, the authors tackle the hard parts such as working with out-of-plumb, out-of-square, and out-of-level conditions. The authors also include an invaluable appendix on wood basics that details grain, shrinkage, joint design, finishes, and composite materials.
-
Relief Carving Wood Spirits, Revised ed: A Step-By-Step Guide for Releasing Fac
$19.99
$11.99
by Lora Irish. With this book any carver can stand beside the workbench of acclaimed artist Lora S. Irish and learn everything she has to teach about creating an expressive wood spirit. Lora clearly explains the relief carving process from start to finish: every cut, every tool change, and every depth check. The entire craft is here, from preparing the wood to roughing out and detailing the wood spirit to applying a long-lasting finish. No step is left out and no technique is left unexplained. The author shares her tips for creating realistic and detailed facial features like eyelids, windswept hair, beards, and the ever-important mustache. Best of all, when the step-by-step project is complete, Relief Carving Wood Spirits, Revised Edition offers 20 more original patterns to keep any carver busy for seasons to come.
-
THE COMPLETE ILLUSTRATED G/T FINISHING
$39.95
$23.97
This is part of Taunton's "Complete Illustrated Guide" series. Jewitt provides in-depth coverage of tools and materials and covers all of the key processes from surface preparation to color matching. There are sections that cover advanced techniques such as adjusting color, disguising defects, toning, glazing, spray finishing and rubbing out. This is a complete look at finishing, from storing finishing materials to using various types of end coats. Regular $39.95 Special $31.95
-
Minimalist Woodworker, The: Essential Tools & Smart Shop Ideas for Building with
$24.95
$14.97
From Spring House Press. By Vic Tesolin. To enjoy woodworking, all you need is a few essential tools, a little bit of space, and the desire to make something with your own two hands. The Minimalist Woodworker is about making woodworking clean and simple – from the tools and the workspace to the easy-to-follow instructions. It eliminates the fears and excuses as it demystifies the craft. Written by Vic Tesolin, aka the Minimalist Woodworker, The Minimalist Woodworker is a stress-free approach to woodworking. Beginning with an understanding of the minimalist mindset, The Minimalist Woodworker quickly details how to make a small space productive and outlines the most efficient tools for a woodworker. Each piece of equipment is explained and instructions provided. Techniques for keeping each piece sharp and well-maintained are also detailed. Once space and tools are covered, seven projects are presented: a saw bench and matching saw horse; a Nicholson-style workbench; a shooting board/bench hook; a shop mallet; and a small hanging cabinet. Each project not only develops woodworking skills, but also outfits a small shop. With step-by-step instructions, photos and illustrations, and an easy-going tone, The Minimalist Woodworker offers an informative, but stress-free point of entry into the life-long craft of woodworking.