Living in Japan for a few months was quite the eye opener for a simple Mid-Western wood worker, such as myself. I went with a hungry mind and excited spirit at the prospects of learning about a different culture. My real motivation to commit three months to a land half way around the world was curiosity about the Bonsai.
I fell in love with the graceful and delicate lines the Japanese incorporated into the art of growing these miniature trees. I could study at home, but what I really wanted, was to immerse myself into the mindset that created such beauty. I landed at Narita International Airport on a dreary day and was quite tired from the trip. I hired a chauffeured town car that was comparable to limo services Dayton Ohio back home to drive me around in style.
This post is a very personal one. I don’t often share such private information, but today has been an exceptional day and so a good one to share something exceptional with our readers.
Our unconscious love affair with wood has taken it from a thing of utility to a thing of art and back again. I have no doubt that this cycle will continue ad infinitum. Wherever you cast your eyes you are likely to see something that is constructed from wood. We take it for granted.
I was a teenager when I took my first wood working class. I knew from the moment I walked into the classroom and smelled the sweet, aromatic combination of wood, glue and stains that I was home. I ended each school day with at least an hour in the shop crafting something – anything.