Hand Made

If you look on the bottom and its say, 'Made in China', chances are, it's NOT hand made. On the other hand, if you happen to know an artisan of some sorts, and have had the privilege of watching them in action, you know first hand what 'hand made' means. I've worked around quite a few skilled craftsmen over the years, to recognize true talent when I see it. When a carpenter chooses to use a hand coping saw rather than an electric jigsaw, or he opts for the block plane as opposed to the belt sander, you know at that moment you're going to witness a type of 'old world' way of creating things. The older gentleman who nursed me through my apprenticeship, happened to be such a person, even though he considered his trade as a means to an end - just a job. One day, while sitting at lunch (we used to bring our lunch everyday), he picked up his tile nippers, a piece of tile, and started to play around. Keep in mind, tile nippers are for chipping away bits of tile until you get close to the shape you need. There are certain aspects of the nippers you figure out after multiple upon multiple uses. The tool does have limitations, and if you push it too far, or use it incorrectly, you will inevitably have to start over with another piece. Well back to the story. So after a couple of minutes nipping away at a piece of tile, he holds up a horse head silhouette. And from a distance it looked like a horse head! It was remarkable! It was fun to watch and see the finished product. I have an acquaintance who happens to be building his own house as we speak. He happens to be somewhat of a perfectionist. He is also an accomplished artist. I've had the pleasure of working with this fellow over the last 3 - 4 years, and have been involved in some incredible projects. I feel a little flattered, because he recently asked me to help him do a concrete vanity in his house. He's quickly ran some ideas by me, and he wants, not only a functional sink, but a piece of art. We're going to collaborate on the project, so it won't be all me, but just to be asked was pretty cool. I'll definitely have to bring my 'A' game. We will employ power tools for the sake of convenience and time, but a good portion of this is going to have to be done by hand. There's nothing quite like creating something by hand, and having it turn out better than expected. I hope this is a success and I'll have pics on my website. All of us have a creative side to us whether we realize it or not. You won't realize it unless you try it. Failure just gives you the excuse to try it again. So don't be afraid to pick up that paint brush and paint, or that carving knife and whittle. It beats sitting in front of a computer!