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Why do we make things by hand, and why do we make them beautiful? These are the questions at the heart of Making a Life; ones that led author Melanie Falick on a transformative journey. She found herself beveling a chisel under the instruction of Peter Korn at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine; digging clay straight from the soil outside of a small English village with potter Sarah Jerath; learning about the evolutionary history of handwork with scholar Ellen Dissanayake; and assembling waxed cotton tote bags alongside twin sisters Katie Startzman and Laura Poulette in a tiny cabin in Berea, Kentucky. In this book, Falick introduces readers to dozens of these inspirational and influential makers, from weavers to woodworkers, shoemakers to fine artists, and explores why working with their hands gives each one of their lives meaning. For some, it connects them to their heritage; for others, it's a way to opt out of the consumer- and technology-driven society they find so alienating. Some have been working with their hands for decades; others are just beginning their creative journeys. Together, they paint a rich and nuanced portrait of the contemporary world of making and the power it has to give all our lives more authenticity and meaning.
About the author
Melanie Falick is an independent writer, editor, and creative consultant—and a lifelong maker. Formerly the publishing director of STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books, an imprint of Abrams, she is also the author of Knitting in America,Kids Knitting, and Weekend Knitting, as well as several other titles. Find her on Instagram @melaniefalick and at melaniefalick.com.
Summary
An exploration of how making by hand is the key to discovering your life's passion - whether that means spinning natural fibers, carving a wooden bowl, or creating elaborate papercuts; featuring profiles of 30 creatives.
Foreword
Named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2019 Why do we make things by hand? And why do we make them beautiful? Led by the question of why working with our hands remains vital and valuable in the modern world, author and maker Melanie Falick went on a transformative, inspiring journey. Traveling across continents, she met quilters and potters, weavers and painters, metalsmiths, printmakers, woodworkers, and more, and uncovered truths that have been speaking to us for millennia yet feel urgently relevant today: We make in order to slow down. To connect with others. To express ideas and emotions, feel competent, create something tangible and long-lasting. And to feed the soul. In revealing stories and gorgeous original photographs, Making a Life captures all the joy of making and the power it has to give our lives authenticity and meaning.
Additional text
“[This] book is filled with stories of weavers, ceramicists, welders, woodworkers, quilters and more, with photos of the art, the crafts, homes and workspaces. Falick examines how making by hand contributes to a good life.”
—Associated Press
“This book is a gem, and one that will inspire you to keep (or begin!) making and creating, a desire that’s inside each of us.”
—The House that Lars Built, November 2019 Book Club Pick
“A remarkable series of 30 vignettes that simultaneously comfort and stimulate. . . . Falick’s treasury, sumptuously photographed, will appeal to anyone who admires the people dedicated to making the world around them more beautiful.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Lovely and thoughtfully inspiring. . . . These very up-close-and-personal profiles, supplemented by elegant color photographs of people at work and their projects, capture the spirit of making and the dedication that’s behind the art. . . . In wholehearted agreement with the author: ‘When we get to the point where we aren’t able to make things with our hands and feel no mastery, we feel lost.’ ”
—Booklist, starred review
