A Dying Age

My husband and I were talking the other day about age. But not in the way you might think. It wasn't our ages so much as that of the other well known master woodworkers out there.

This subject comes up from time to time as we talk about the woodworking industry around us. If you go out and find those craftsmen who truly do own the title of master, you find that most tend to be over the age of fifty. There are very few, like my husband, who fall below that line.

One example of this is Sam Maloof. He died in May and his loss was felt throughout the woodworking community. He was 93 and still going strong with his woodworking business out in California. He did what he loved, what he had a passion for, and was able to share that with his customers and the three master craftsmen that worked under him. Sam was one of the best known modern woodworkers of our time. His death was reported by major newspapers around the country including the LA Times and the NY Times. If you've never heard of him, check out some pictures of his work.
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=Sam+Maloof&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=6b3ESqjfJMXR8Abmt51G&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCUQsAQwAw

Sam Maloof isn't the only woodworker out there or even the only one that is well known for what they do, but those who truly have passion and drive to do what they do is becoming lost. Most young men, and not to be left out, a few young women, do not have the desire to take up this heritage. Why? The answer is simple. Most don't want to deal with the challenges they know they will face in the market.

Let's face it, most people in the US today don't even think of having a piece of furniture made for them when they need a table, bed, or chair. The first thing to cross their mind is to run to the local furniture store and buy something, right? Well of course it is. We've all done it. It's simple. Everything is there, out in the open for you to see. Find something you like and you can have it delivered to your front door in no time flat.

But you see, this is the exact reason why woodworking is truly a dying art. Sure there are hobbyists out there and there always will be. There is a difference between someone who dabbles and one that dedicates their life to the craft. Would you want someone who dabbles in accounting to do your taxes? Of course not. You want it done right the first time so you don't have the IRS knocking at your door.

Doing something every day and being on top of the latest trends and techniques is important no matter what field you're working in.

Most people don't view furniture the same way even though it is something we see and use in our homes every day. It is part of who we are, it says something about us when people enter our home. What does your furniture say about you, about your personality, about your life? Does it mean something? Does it tell a story?