Listen to “The Puppeteer”
Michael Montenegro is driven to put the products of his imagination into tangible, active forms. After he builds them—often in life-size form, with a rag-tag collage of materials—he becomes them, lives inside them, then delivers them to us with a zany vigor.
Pablita Velarde’s Legacy: The Pueblo Artisans of the Southwest
Among the different Indigenous cultures represented by the Southwest’s Native American tribes, some of the richest history of craftsmanship has been, and still is, practiced by the Pueblo Indians. For some of these artisans, the inspiration for carrying on came from an early artistic pioneer: a rebel painter named Pablita Velarde.
Written by DANIEL GIBSON
Photography by KITTY LEAKEN
Listen to “Jack Mauch: A New Renaissance Man”
Jack Mauch was so eager to begin his life’s work as a craftsman that he didn’t even wait to finish high school, preferring to carve out his own path. And by age 32, he was already creating breathtaking examples of craftsmanship, in everything from furniture-making to ceramics to metalwork.
Listen to “A Woodworker’s Tale”
In today’s automated world, why bother toiling with hand tools and sawdust? In his new book, Gary Rogowski—a master furniture maker in Portland, Oregon—ruminates about lessons he’s learned “at the bench,” and the quest for mastery and creative focus, no matter what your calling.
The Craft of Reclamation: Sustainable Addiction Recovery in Appalachia
In Appalachian Ohio, craftsmanship is a vital piece of the growing support system for recovery—philosophically, economically, and on a very personal scale. Editor’s Note: On March 1, 2022, in his State of the Union speech, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to spend $40 billion on new health services for the millions of Americans suffering from…
Watch “The Art of the Hat”
An homage, in film, to a third-generation Italian artisan—the last maker of the traditional, handcarved wooden shapes that are used as hat blocks.
Italy’s Last Maker of Traditional Wooden Hat Blocks
An homage, in film, to a third-generation Italian artisan who is the last maker of the traditional, handcarved wooden shapes used as hat blocks.
Story and Film by LUISA GROSSO
Watch “Mike Morgan’s Quest to Make Traditional Skin Boats”
Mike Morgan’s fascination with small, traditional watercraft dates back to the ’80s. Building on his decades of experience as a musical instrument maker and repairer, Morgan set out to deconstruct and understand the ancient kayak designs so he could make his own authentic boats.
Listen to “The Lost Art of Traditional Bow Hunting”
As interest in hunting with a bow and arrow has risen, much of the gear has gone high-tech. Meanwhile, a small band of purists like Gabriel Miossi have turned to a traditional Native American weapon: the stick bow.
