Hand Craftsmanship in the Digital Age

From my upcoming book The Joy of Workmanship

The Joy of Workmanship is now complete, and heading to a publisher soon--with a little luck. Here's a description and the introduction. Let me know what you think!

Episode 14: Jennifer Benner's peaceful gardening escape

Jennifer Benner is a master gardener, book author, and former editor at Fine Gardening magazine. I challenged her with the idea of gardening as a craft, and the result is

Episode 13: Abe Chaber and the pursuit of "It's beautiful"

Abe Chaber is a master gunsmith of best grade shotguns, having apprenticed under Carl Kruger. His work is beyond superlative, and recognized worldwide as among the very b

Episode 12: Ian Kirby: The Quiet Acceptance that Comes from Designing Thoughtfully from Nature

Ian Kirby's storied career as a teacher, designer, and hand craftsman with great skills of workmanship is the foundation of this interview. We talk of many things, from

Episode 10: Ben Heineman: Self-taught furniture and cabinetmaker on what leads to mastery.

Go see Ben's work at benswoodshop on Instagram, then you will have all the context you need for a discussion with him about mastery, beauty, making things, and what keeps

Episode 11: Denise Keim and Chip Reid On Seeing and Being Seen

Cell phones make photography the most democratic of arts. You take pictures, don't you? What is the thrill of the click for you? Denise Keim, an amazing professional str

Episode 9 3/4: On Hating Your Job v. Finding Meaning, Satisfaction and Joy in it. Is there a Secret Ingredient?

The corporate lawyer told me he hated everything about his job except the paycheck. I wondered how he could live that way. I find such satisfaction and meaning in my simp

Episode 9: Paula Sparks on Carpentry, Jewlery Making, and the Innate Drive to Make and Fix Things

Paula Sparks is my wife's best friend. She has spent her life either working with her hands or teaching how to use them in a range of trades. From furniture stripping and

Episode 8: Alex Alexopolous and Lauren Scott on the craft, art highs and lows of restaurant work

Alex and Lauren are my former neighbors, sadly moved away. Though their backgrounds and experience are rich and varied, they have one thing in common-- they have been (an

Episode 6.1 Followup with Mark Clement on wisdom earned from our hands

Mark sent a follow up email on the kind of wisdom he pulls away from hand work that was compelling enough to share and comment on. Only 15 minutes!

Episode 7: Marilyn Webster, Presence and Patience at the Loom

Marlyn Webster is a masterful weaver (www.whimsyandtea.com) who is also thoughtful about what she does (www.whimsyandtea.com/blog). We talk about the importance of having

Episode 6: Mark Clement and his "Pinball Path" though Construction, Editing and Youtube

Mark Clement is a remodeling carpenter, deck builder, editor, journalist, author of The Carpenter's Notebook, and Youtube star with myfixituplife.com. We discuss everythi

Episode 4.1 Followup with Tim Sams and Mike Patterson

If it hurts, you're doing it wrong.  Well, good advice for many things, but not about learning guitar (my fingers still ache). And if not painful, then difficult when do

Episode 5: Adam Simha and the Tools that Don't Betray Us

Award winning designer and teacher based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Adam's interests encompass design, craft/small to medium scale fabrication, as well as industria

Episode 4: Mike Patterson and "the little hands in our brains"

Today we talk with Mike Patterson, a deeply accomplished residential contractor for over 25 years. We touch on the differences between building in your head and building

Episode 3.2 Follow Up on Tim Sams Interview and Housekeeping

Tim Sams sent an email with an additional idea or two that was well worth talking about, concerning the mindset we bring to our work.

Episode 3.1: Why "In the Digital Age?"

A short discussion of the title of the podcast, on an important point that didn't get addressed in the first episode. Nervously, I try to say what I'm looking for in the

Episode 3: Tim Sams, marketing simulations, carpenty, and editing at Fine Woodworking magazine.

Tim Sams -- a multi-talented, multi-career fellow who knows the white collar world as a magazine publisher, a marketing director, and an editor at Fine Woodworking magazi

Episode 2: Tim Hochstetter and Competitve Crafts in 2022

Tim Hochstetter is a maker extraordinaire, having spent his life working with a wide range of media, from blown glass, to metals and resins. Our conversation covers his t

Welcome to Hand Craftsmanship in the Digital Age

Welcome to Hand Craftsmanship in the Digital Age! I am Strother Purdy (my woodworking is here: www.belovedoldtree.com and my short essays on every imaginable topic are h