beyond

A year ago this past May, we closed a beautiful chapter in our lives, and opened another. We walked across the north of Spain, and along the way, we found our way home. Our intention at the time, was to take a year to refine our school in its new environment, and resume teaching again this fall. My body, and my mind have told us otherwise. Until then, I work with my hands. I walk in the woods. I meditate and write. I rest and heal.
Be well, and enjoy the many subtleties in your life, and in your work,
Robert

"I no longer want to be resilient. I don't want to simply bounce back from things that hurt me or cause me pain. Bouncing back means returning to where I stood before. Instead, I want to go beyond the hurts and the darkness. The first step towards genuine healing from my mental illness was when I came to trust and believe that there was a beyond. Now I reach for beyond every day, in every encounter, in every circumstance. I seek to go where I have never travelled. I wake with the vision of a purposeful day, filled with adventures and teachings. Then I take the first step and try to make it beyond."  - Richard Wagamese

finding our way home

I have always maintained that the school is a good place to make mistakes, and that mistakes, often lead to opportunities. I also know, that mistakes that have been made due to a lack of attention always seem to hurt the most.

A little over a year ago we made the move to Keats Island, just a short passenger ferry crossing and cycle, from our former school and our family in Roberts Creek. We have made the most of our time here, with the primary objective of trying to recreate the creative and supportive environment enjoyed by our students in our former location.

When I think back to our extensive transition business plan, we made several assumptions based on our experiences in setting up the school in Roberts Creek. We have discovered, that just as Jim suggested in the The Impractical Cabinetmaker, that different people, see things in different ways, a concept I have always embraced as a teacher; so too, it is with our ‘different’ location.

Since arriving on the island, we have tried to find suitable, sensibly priced accommodations for our students and in the end, we have come up short, actually we have come up empty:( We have discussed at great lengths, and even considered moving ahead with our long term goal of building onsite accommodations for our students, and feel that more preparation, and discussion is needed, before undertaking such a project.

Was the move to this beautiful place, a mistake? Perhaps? If it was, at least, it was not one made due to the lack of attention. This island has showed us her moods, and it has taken its toll on our health, with it’s hills and its weather. We have come to understand that we need to learn from our new home and evolve.

In the meantime, we continue to live simply, in a beautiful and inspiring place, work at a craft that we love, and feel grateful for the opportunity we were given, to share that craft with so many beautiful people over the years.

This past January, the world lost a beautiful man. He wrote the following passage that I have always believed as words to live (and work) by:
“The manner in which you get ready for work, go to work, and the way you are while you are there affects not only those you work with, but also the quality of your work. Everything we do has an effect on our work. I, myself am a poet but I love working in the garden growing vegetables. One day an American scholar said to me, “Don’t waste your time gardening and growing lettuce. You should write poems instead; anyone can grow lettuce.” That is not my way of thinking. I know very well that if I do not grow lettuce, I cannot write poems. The two are interrelated. Eating breakfast mindfully, washing the dishes, and growing lettuce in mindfulness are essential for me to be able to write poetry well. The way someone washes the dishes reveals the quality of his or her poetry. Similarly, the more awareness and mindfulness we bring to all our daily actions , including our work, the better our work will be.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

We are going to take a rest, go for a long walk, grow lettuce, and find our way home. Be well all of you, enjoy your life and your work.
With wishes of peace, love and gratitude,
Robert & Yvonne

In the books

“The way you use your tools may not be according to the books; rather it is the way your hands and body feel when the work goes well that is the final interpretation of any knowledge. You are training still another part of you, perhaps the most important part of all - the centre of you which pulls it all together and gives it your meaning.” - James Krenov

This past Sunday evening as James, Yvonne and I finished wrapping his chair, in doing so wrapped up our seventeenth year of operations and our first term in the new school.

I was filled with deep gratitude as James completed his fine chair in white oak and seagrass. I’m not sure when I last saw such remarkable progress in a student in just one term as I saw with James this past term. It was a joy to watch his progression through wood selection, the increasingly complex joinery and shaping as he moved through the chair. Not only did he build a fine chair, but the skills he developed were equally impressive. A fine, dedicated craftsman, and kind and gentle soul.

The above image was taken while Matt and Yvonne were preparing for the first of two final glue ups of his wonderful floor cabinet. In his final term of composing Matt will hang the doors, complete the drawer insert, and carve the clock which will hang for the top rail, shown mocked up above. The cabinet is now completely assembled including the top rail and it has been wrapped carefully awaiting his return next month. This cabinet will mark a segue for this fine craftsman as he intends to make this craft his life. We are grateful to have him back next term as his meticulous work will serve as a fine example for our two first terms students who will be joining us from Switzerland and Canada.

I have always maintained that Yvonne is the heart of our school. This past Saturday, when Matt and I were preparing the cauls for his final assembly which would take place on the Sunday morning. Matt asked if I thought Yvonne would come in and help him with the final assembly. A piece he has worked on for multiple terms. I do think this speaks volumes about the impact Yvonne has on our students and just how well she is respected. She of course came in, and James joined us, for what was a very smooth assembly with a lot going on.

My break will be spent, walking in the woods, hanging out with Yvonne and our grandchildren, and mornings with the cabinet for the hall in Roberts Creek. Since this photograph was taken, I have the latches and fittings in, back pieces are selected and milled. Onto final surfaces and edge treatment, and an assembly when Yvonne has a moment. Although it might take some convincing to get her in from the yard. Be well and enjoy your work, I know I am.

Thanks Jim

“… when we see a fine piece of cabinetmaking, we should look closely, and think about what it means, and remember that it is not just pieces of wood put neatly together, but a measurable part of an honest craftsman’s life.“– James Krenov

At the end of each of the lecturers Jim presented when I was in school, and here at our school, there was always a resounding “thanks Jim” from his students. Looking back, I think that it was not only a gesture of respect but a deep appreciation for our teacher. 

At the end of last month, I completed my brown oak cabinet, and have titled it ‘Thanks Jim’. On the following Saturday morning I presented it to the class, and a very special guest. Our grandson Elijah, joined us for what would be the first presentation in our new working school. I feel that it was appropriate, that I should be the first to present a new piece. 

The case is made from a plank of brown oak, I picked up from Jim in 2006, and was a joy to work. Shortly after announcing that he was no longer able to continue with his work, and that his eyes had betrayed him. He asked me to come down and pick up the last of his cabinet wood. 

Among the planks and bits and pieces were leftover veneers from his final cabinets all carefully kept in sequence, his sequence. The were several where he had written and even sketched. On a piece of spalted European beech shop sawn veneer, he had sketched a playful pattern of dovetails, as he handed me the stack of veneer he said that it was when preparing to cut the  dovetails on the drawers of his final cabinet that he new it was time to step away from the bench. It was this piece of shop sawn veneer that would be the starting point for my cabinet to house my notebooks.

The case is dovetailed, and the doors coopered and tapered. The absence of pulls and very fine open grain, gives the piece a quite feel I think. The latches and fittings are carved of bocote, and are from a off cut from one of his last planes. The interior, including the back piece is waxed the exterior received two very thin coast of polish. All wooden hardware including the latch has been left untreated.   

This past term, has been the realization of a dream more than two decades in the making, and has given me a renewed sense of rhythm in my life and work.  Since I began teaching, more than two decades ago, the personal work I have managed to do was always segmented. The work often set aside for periods of time so that the school, and more so my students receive the attention they require and deserve. While I continue to enjoy three hours in my workshop before the students arrive each morning, I also enjoy working quietly at my bench along side my students in a warm, well lit workshop in a beautiful place. Be well and enjoy your work, I know I am.
Robert