Design by Touch
While design is dominated by the eye, the hand plays an important role. Most of what I’ve written about design has focused on how we look at it. Yet good design often has multiple layers that [...]
Artisan Geometry
The universal and timeless structure of our imaginations. Woodworking spans the globe and is a common thread linking humans across the ages. This craft shares a basic tool kit across time and [...]
Making Sense of Forms
Early 20th-century filmmakers used time-lapse photography to dazzle audiences with never-before-seen images of flowers emerging and bursting into bloom. Critics with Victorian sensibilities [...]
Secrets of the Cyma Curve
Invisible lines and circles explain the beauty of a series of fair curves. I can still remember Holloway’s farmhouse. Even in summer when the fireplace was cold, the smell of wood smoke lingered [...]
Great Legs
The black stallion’s name was Step. Marvin, the only man I ever saw ride him, called him simply “the horse,” his raspy Southern voice pausing for emphasis. I was 5 years old the first time I laid [...]
Design Matters: Brooke Smith
Adding Curves to Your Toolkit
A lot of woodworkers shy away from curves. There’s plenty of reasons for this. For starters, some of the common power tools are built for rectangular construction, a table saw is a good example. [...]
Rustication Heightens Both Organic and Crafted Elements of Design
One of my favorite places is a neighborhood Italian market called DeVitis. Every time I step through the door, I stop and let the smells of a great kitchen waft over me. Italian sausages and [...]
