“The wooden bowl changed everything. The sound of a spoon on a wooden porridge bowl is gentle, comforting and homely.” Nigel Slater If you have not yet experienced just how wonderful it is eating from a wooden bowl and fancy giving it a try have a look in the bowl shop section of the website here.
“Physics-exploiting axe splits wood in record time.” reads the headline. There are some folk that think that 4000 years of development of a traditional tool can be improved by modern design thinking. I am all in favour of questioning things and sometimes it is true genuine improvements can be made but this axe is all over the internet at the…
I don’t use sandpaper and this email received today is a good start in explaining why. “Hi Robin Would you mind if I ask you another question? Can’t find any advice on this on t’internet. I buy a spoon from you, with lovely knife finish and no sanding and when I use it and wash it, it retains that wonderful…
I just came across this short film on the internet and wanted to share it. I love seeing work done well, can you imagine what a mess it would be possible to make doing this? and how smoothly and effortlessly these two get the job done. This impresses me as much as a premiership footballers skills, I suspect they are paid…
When if ever is it OK to work in the style of another culture? Can this work honour the native culture or is it always going to be demeaning and is there a danger of craft homogeneity with all woodworkers from around the globe taking what they like from Native American, Maori, Scandinavian or West African wood culture? If I…
Is it fair game to copy the work of traditional craftspeople because their work is traditional rather than their own artistic invention? I actually encourage folk learning craft to copy good work as a way of mastering skills. I see this as a bit like learning to play music by playing other people’s songs. The Rolling Stones learnt their craft…
Stanage Edge is a world famous climbing spot just outside Sheffield. I rarely go there because it is busy I like to find wild moorland with few people but it is stunning. Here are a few phone snaps I took on a walk yesterday.
Which is more important speaking and writing or making? I just listened to a fascinating interview with prof Mark Miodownik of UCLs institute of making on BBC radio 4 “The life Scientific”. “You can change whom makes the stuff that you use and who’s expression it is. Is it the expression of a big corporation? Most of the stuff that…
My talented daughter Jojo has spoons for sale on her blog. They are I have to admit better than mine.
Crispin is working with me this month as part of his Prince’s Foundation building craft apprenticeship In his previous career he was a product photographer, a chance I could not pass up so not only has he been taking some great product shots for me he has been showing me how he does it too. Here are some of the…
