Hitting All the High Notes: Delbert Anderson Trumpets On
Uniting Navajo traditional songs with the dynamic currents of contemporary jazz and jazz improvisation, the trumpet master weaves a vibrant tapestry of sound.
Written by ROSEMARY DIAZ
The Reed Artist
A writer searches Istanbul's cafés and alleys for the king of the ney, an enigmatic — and at times, endangered — flute that has long been a mainstay of Muslim musical traditions.
By ROLLO ROMIG
The Cowboy Folklorist
Though he refers to himself as simply a "songster and storyteller," Andy Hedges is compiling a one-of-a-kind historical archive of cowboy music and poetry—and bringing the legends of the genre together on CD and stage.
Written and photographed by MEREDITH LAWRENCE
The Little Block-Printing Workshop that Could
“A rising tide doesn’t raise people who don’t have a boat. We have to build the boat for them. We have to give them the basic infrastructure to rise with the tide.” – Rahul Gandhi Padmini Govind awoke at 3 a.m. to her cell phone ringing. It was mid-October, 2020, and rain was pounding the…
Written by RUTH ALDEN WICKER
The Jewelry Archaeologist
In the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Hugo Kohl has pulled off what might be the ultimate act of sustainability—at least regarding jewelry. Through years of painstaking, costly, often fruitless detective work, he rescued an era of early American jewelry manufacturing technology that was on the brink of extinction. Now Kohl is one of the few people in the world making a class of vintage jewelry that is truly authentic. And he swears that the system in his shop is the only way to do capitalism.
Written by ALISON MAIN
Explore the Magazine
The Craftsmanship Initiative is dedicated to reclaiming craftsmanship’s principles of excellence, beauty, and durability as a pathway to a more sustainable world. The flagship venture of the initiative, which operates as a non-profit, is Craftsmanship Magazine, a multimedia publication that focuses on master artisans and innovators whose work informs our quest.
Watch “Snapshots of Istanbul, Music by Niyazi Sayin”
Scenes from the world of Turkish Islamic arts, accompanied by the sound of Niyazi Sayin playing the ney.
By Tasos
Western-Wear Designer ‘Jukebox Mama’ Paints with Thread
Sarie Gessner—known for her Western-inspired suits, custom embroidery, and passion for music—is dressing some of country and Americana's brightest stars for the stage.
Written by MEREDITH LAWRENCE
Photography by MEREDITH LAWRENCE, et al
Watch “Master of the Chair”
Watch Brian Boggs use (and discuss) his wood rail-bender, which does the work that normally requires two or three people. After the bending, he moves the wood to “the hot room”: 116-120 degrees, 16 percent humidity. (He also uses the hot room to dry mullein and stinging nettle for tea.)
By Craftsmanship Magazine
A new series of brief, intimate conversations with artisans, innovators, and other pioneers about what it takes to master their craft—now available for paid subscribers, only on Substack.
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