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In Praise of The Makers

In his new book “Material: Making and the Art of Transformation”, master furniture maker and designer Nick Kary explores the roots of craft, through stories of makers and their essential materials.

By WILLIAM BRYANT LOGAN
A review of “Material: Making and the Art of Transformation,” by Nick Kary
 (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2020)

The Soul Of Community

Like many American cities, Durham, N.C. has been turning once-abandoned factories into tech hubs and microbreweries. Over the decades, it has also been building a shared commitment to the poor, the disenfranchised, and people of color. Barry Yeoman, a veteran journalist who has lived in and loved Durham since 1985, digs into the city’s soul. And he discovers an architecture underneath this community with some unusual layers.

Story by BARRY YEOMAN
Photography by ALEX BOERNER

Watch “Nate Bargatze demonstrates the art of understatement”

As you can see from this video, Nate Bargatze has perfected the art of dry humor–a style that suits a country boy from Tennessee.

The Art of the Joke

When you watch masterful stand-up comics perform, it seems like they are just naturally hilarious. Don’t kid yourself. This is hard work, requiring hours and hours of trial and error. To its masters, the art of comedy is a craft, not unlike the careful, step-by-step work required to make a fine piece of furniture.

By DAVID MUNRO

The Watchman of Lausanne

Every night for the last 612 years, a man has been climbing 153 stone steps of Lausanne’s cathedral to call out the hour, telling the city that all is well. For the last 28 years, this ritual has fallen to Renato Häusler. “Here it is good values,” he says. “Wood, stone, history – nothing complicated.”

By MICHAEL CERVIN

Respectful Political Conversations: A Resource Guide

While today’s divisive political climate can certainly feel discouraging, the good news is that it has spawned a fertile variety of projects that aim to make discussion of the day’s issues more civil, more informed, and (one hopes) more productive. Here are the main players on the stage at the moment: One of the early…

Resources for Toy and Puppet Theatres

For another Craftsmanship story, “The Puppeteer,” I profiled an unusual puppet-maker and performer named Michael Montenegro. As it turns out, the puppet and toy theatre worlds share a lot of common ground—sometimes performing at the same festivals, and being active in the same organizations. Here, then, are some resources for both endeavors: The National Puppetry…

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