List out the craftmans found in your place get to know the complete activity of any one of them and prepare an essay on it
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In looking back over my forty plus year career as a professional designer and modelmaker, I realize what a blessing it is to do that which you truly love. The neat thing is that you never know what your next project will be, and each will teach you something important. And, you never get bored!
I often wonder what draws us to this unusual profession, and what leads to success on this chosen path. It can be quite a challenge at times, especially when dealing with demanding clients and deadlines. You see, it is one thing to make something for personal enjoyment and satisfaction, yet quite another when your livelihood depends on it.
Most of us like to “make” things with our hands. It’s human nature- after all, we are bipedal. We all have a unique contribution to make to society, and each of us is uniquely blessed with abilities that, given the proper guidance and direction, has moved mankind from the caves to our present, often contradictory, society.
But I want to talk about the “Craftsman” in the classical meaning of the word. Those who make things by hand, in a manner that exhibits mastery of their craft, whether as an avocation or profession.
What is a Craftsman? Of course, I use this with non-gender intent, for throughout history men and women alike have excelled as craftspersons, and even more so today. I often ask; how do we, in today’s high-tech world, truly define craftsmanship, and identify those who are or may become one. And, most important, why should we care?
“The Craftsman, in (the) old-fashioned sense, seems now to be so rare as to lead many to speak of his extinction”… Eichner was; to a degree which could be instructive to others in this century who are blessed with the ability to ‘make things’ of such obvious superior quality as to overcome the advantages of the machine”. (Italics mine.)
These words are quoted from a brochure describing Laurits Christian Eichner (1894-1967) for a 1971 retrospective exhibition of his life’s work at the Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC, with text by Robert P. Multhauf. It was given to me about 1972 by Robert Vogel, a curator at the Smithsonian, and it had a huge impact on my life and career.
Mr. Eichner, whom I unfortunately never met, was a consummate craftsman, whose work ranged from hand-wrought pewter and handcrafted clocks, to armillary spheres, museum models, replications and restorations (most for the Smithsonian) and the invention and construction of many important scientific instruments for space exploration and physics. Simply put, he was a genius and a Master Craftsman by any definition, and is one of my “heroes”. Look him up on the Internet.
I think the most important attribute to becoming a Craftsman is the desire to make things exceptionally well. This desire is likely the result of our personality and upbringing; in fact, it may even define our personality- the desire to succeed, to constantly learn, to strive for perfection, and, above all, to “stick with it.” All children, almost from infancy, exhibit traits that, if nurtured, often translate into their life’s work. I can’t emphasize enough that these early indicators must be honored and supported. These early traits may lie dormant for many years as we pursue varied careers, coming to the forefront only later in life in the form of a hobby, avocation or second profession.
The second most important factor is an insatiable curiosity about the world around us, and what makes it work. The marvel and mystery of tools, machinery, processes, materials and how to put them together is at the core of almost all invention and discovery. Behind all engineering endeavor are the men and women whose skill, expertise and passion made it possible. From Da Vinci and Galileo to Fraunhofer and Edison, all had curiosity in common, and a willingness to learn everything possible in their field, in short, to master their craft.
Craftsmanship is the training of the eyes, hands and mind to accomplish a given task with ease and seemingly effortless application of energy, to bring forth objects of great beauty with minimal energy expended.
When I was employed as a modelmaker at Hughes Aircraft in the late 1960’s my “bench mate” was a craftsman of exceptional skill. Ellis Slankard, then in his early 60’s, (I was 23) had apprenticed as a patternmaker at age 12, had worked on the “Spruce Goose”, carved patterns for the DC-3 and hand carved