Creat Wood working

Life Dremel tool and my left ear

Last week I was delivered the news that I have Melanoma: skin cancer. I can tell you that it was a quite unpleasant way to begin a weekend, and one that I had planned in the shop.

On Sunday, I decided to get out a couple of chisels (I dont have any proper carving chisels) then my Dremel tool and start carving. Do you have a Dremel?  Ive never used it for much beyond cutting off screw heads and such, but carving with it was a lot of fun. I think Ill have to explore this more in the future.

Today I tacked on an introduction to this video, after having almost a week to think about it. I really wasnt sure if I wanted to post it or not, because it is not a how-to video. In fact, its probably nothing that will be of any use to you whatsoever.

Any regular reader of my blog knows that we have talked about life, woodworking and art before. Art is a subject that has always fascinated me. How do we define it? Woodworking begins with a destructive act: the killing of a tree. I believe woodworking can be an act of renewal by giving the wood newfound life in a different form. In many cases, the project — if executed properly, and to our full potential — will outlive us.

But where does art fit into this? Is the artistry inherent in the creator of a given project? Can one be an artist without creating? How long does the "art" need to last to be considered art? Christo has built a career on creating art that is meant to be temporary. Perhaps his art really lies in the photographic record of his work.

Ill let you watch my video and draw your own conclusions.




Most importantly, I am helping out Marc Spagnuolo (The Wood Whisperer) in spreading the word about Woodworkers Fighting Cancer, his campaign to help in the fight against cancer. Ill be mentioning this more in the months ahead and encouraging you to get involved. You dont have to donate anything to get started, okay?