Synopses & Reviews
Craftspeople usually leave their work to speak for itself, so it is a rare privilege to have the thoughts, stories, experiences, observations, and feelings of such skilled people in a book that enables us to share their insights on the nature of their work and the way they live. Most of the contributors have been featured in
Resurgence magazine, which regularly features crafts and their connection with spirituality, ecology, and sustainable, joyful living.
The work of these creators comes from their great dedication to their craft and the sincerity with which they integrate their philosophy into daily life--in much the same way that their bowls and baskets, chairs and tables, shoes and spoons are art for daily use. Their words inspire and their works delight. These essays, accompanied by beautiful color photographs, encourage us to have faith in the human spirit and the human endeavor.
Artist and crafts include:
* Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg, glassblowing
* Clio Mitchell, weaving
* Louis Allison Cort, basket making
* Ianto Evans, cob
* Margot Coatts, silversmithing
* Roger Deakin, leather work
* Edmund De Waal, pottery
Synopsis
Craftspeople usually leave their work to speak for itself, so it is a rare privilege to have the thoughts, stories, experiences, observations, and feelings of such skilled people in a book. Most have been featured in Resurgence, the longest running UK environmental magazine, which regularly features crafts and their connection with spirituality, ecology, and sustainable, joyful living. The work of these craftspeople comes from a great dedication to their craft and the sincerity with which they integrate their philosophy with daily life—in much the same way that their bowls and baskets, chairs and tables, shoes and spoons are art for daily use. These essays, with beautiful accompanying color photographs, encourage us to have faith in the human spirit and the human endeavor.
About the Author
Sandy Brown sculpts, pots, and paints. She gives talks and workshops and exhibits her work across Europe, the United States, and Japan. A book, Sandy Brown, a Monograph has been published about her work. She writes a regular column in Resurgence. Maya Kumar Mitchell writes, dances the tango, and teaches English as a foreign language.
Table of Contents
Part 1: World of CraftCreative Moments
glassblowing, Philip Baldwin
Art Elevated, Craft Degenerated
fragmentation, John Lane
Wonder of Work
overview, John Seymour
Inuit Solutions
design, Victor Papanek
The New Alchemists
recycling, Anna Champeney
Kingdom of Beauty
pottery, Breon O'Casey
Contemporary Concerns
craft today, Tanya Harrod
Part 2: Ways of LivingShoji Hamada
pottery, Edward Hughes
Clive Bowern
pottery, Geraldine Norman
Richard Batterham
pottery, David Whiting
Making in the City
pottery, Edmund de Waal
John Makepeace
furiniture making, Sarah Hudston
David Drew
basket making, Richard Boston
Kazuo Hiroshima
basket making, Louise Allison Cort
Part 3: Culture of CommunityAmish Thread
quilting, Robert Hughes
A Tale of Tapestry
weaving, Clio Mithell
Living Traditions
tribal art, Satish Kumar
interviews Haku Shah
All Hands to Work
local economy, Satish Kumar
Made to Measure
leather work, Roger Deakin
Willow Workers
basket making, Oliver Lowenstein
Way of the Cook
cooking, Julia Ponsonby
Part 4: Caring for NatureTreading Lightly
environment, Alexander Murdin
Guy Martin
furniture, Sandy Brown
Living Structures
willow work, Jon Warnes
Growing with Gratitude
gardening, Brigitte Norland
Building Like Gardening
architecture, Brian Richardson
Earth Sculptors
cob, Lorna Howarth
Made of Mud
cob, Ianto Evans
Saving the Swill
basket making, Mary Barratt
Tino Bawnsley
bodging, Peter Runyard
Buildings Like Trees
architecture, William McDonough
interviews Tim Stead
Part 5: Enduring SkillsPoetry of Practice
writing, John Moat
Roman Letters
lithography, Ken Sprague
Life of Books
book binding, Maureen Duke
Bill Phipps
silversmithing, Margot Coatts
Gwen Heeney
ceramics, Sandy Brown
Breon O'Casey
handskills, Kitty Corrigan
Marta Donaghey
jewellery, Sandy Brown
The Harmony in Hand Tools
woodwork, John Brown
With the Grain
woodwork, Barrie Thompson
On the Mend
repairing, Roger Scruton
Part 6: Seekers of MeaningContinual Renewal
craft traditions, Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay
Keith Critchlow
architecture, Satish Kumar interview
Bobbie Cox
weaving, Satish Kumar interview
Kaffe Fasset
knittting, Sue Lawley interview
Spontaneous Potting
ceramics, Sandy Brown
Spirit in the Woods
cabinet making, David Charlesworth
Tobias Kaye
woodwork, Satish Kumar interview
Let the Ingredients Sing
cooking, Ed Brown
Wabi Sabi
aesthetics, Leonard Koren
Details of Craftspeople and ContributorsAcknowledgements