Craftsmanship Magazine

@craftsmanshipmag.bsky.social

Highlighting the master artisans, makers, and innovators who are creating a world built to last. Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/ Website: https://craftsmanship.net/

After decades of building, achieving, and changing course, the Tennessee artisan is still finding new lessons in his craft—and passing them on to the next generation. We hope you’ll enjoy reading “In Pipe Making and in Life, Grant Batson Takes His Time,” written by Joel Sams: bit.ly/4dgZdWW

In Pipe Making and in Life, Grant Batson Takes His Time

After decades of building, achieving, and changing course, the Tennessee artisan is still finding new lessons in his craft—and passing them on to the next generation.

bit.ly

A lifetime of tinkering has led Brian Boggs to create a line of innovative woodworking tools, and some of the world’s finest chairs. We hope you enjoy reading one of our readers’ favorite stories, “Brian Boggs, Master of the Chair,” written by Janine Latus: bit.ly/3gND5sH

Brian Boggs, Master of the Chair | Craftsmanship Magazine

Brian Boggs, maker of fine, handcrafted wood furniture in Asheville, N.C., just can’t seem to leave a good idea alone. A lifetime of tinkering and experimentation has led to his line of innovative woo...

bit.ly

How one journalist (and her daughters) turned her frustration with household plastic waste into a sustainable, handmade line of organic soap bars—crafted with creativity and a whole lot of heart. Read "From Plastic Waste to Zero-Waste, One Soap Bar at a Time," by Jeff Greenwald: bit.ly/4no5WRr

From Plastic Waste to Zero-Waste, One Soap Bar at a Time | Craftsmanship Magazine

How one journalist (and her daughters) turned her frustration with household plastic waste into a sustainable, handmade line of organic soap bars—crafted with creativity and a whole lot of heart.

bit.ly

One would think that when people have been as successful in business as America’s billionaires have, they would understand basic economic arithmetic. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. Read "The Craft of a Sustainable Economy, Part 9," written by Todd Oppenheimer: bit.ly/4yhlPiE

The Craft of a Sustainable Economy, Part 9: How about Some Common Sense on Taxes? | Craftsmanship Magazine

One would think that when people have been as successful in business as America’s billionaires have, they would understand basic economic arithmetic. But that doesn’t seem to be the case.

bit.ly

Now that the tequila craze has crested, the latest Latin liquor to capture the world’s alcoholic imagination is tequila’s grandfather: mezcal. But an explosion of authentic mezcal is impossible. Read "Mezcal’s Dance with Extinction," written by Grace Rubenstein: bit.ly/3ENmgqC

Mezcal’s Dance with Extinction | Craftsmanship Magazine

Local Mexican producers are working to overcome the challenges created by a global craze for artisan mezcal that threatens the beverage's authenticity.

bit.ly

In the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, a band of determined Purépecha women led the overthrow of a criminal cartel. Their victory revived the town’s traditional livelihood, and ushered in a model form of self-government. Read "When Indigenous Women Win," by Andrew Sullivan: bit.ly/3KLlGOm

When Indigenous Women Win | Craftsmanship Magazine

In the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, a band of determined Indigenous women led the overthrow of a criminal cartel, and took back their town.

bit.ly

In this colorful dispatch from northeastern France, Anna Richards steps inside a tradition that is literally larger than life: the centuries-old craft of building (and carrying) the region’s festival giants. Read “The Giant Makers of Flanders,” written by Anna Richards: bit.ly/4yGhQvz

Freshly Unlocked: “The Giant Makers of Flanders”

Handcrafted dragons, bears, miners, kings, and queens have 'loomed large' over festivals in the Flanders region for more than 200 years. Who's making these traditional giants today?

bit.ly

The now iconic white guitar made famous by the Disney film, “Coco,” was created in Paracho, a small Mexican town where almost every shop makes guitars. Underneath the new icon lies centuries of craftsmanship. Read "Mexico’s Master Guitar Makers," written by Laura Fraser: bit.ly/3FHXNTS

The Master Guitar Makers of Paracho, Mexico | Craftsmanship Magazine

Meet some of the master guitar makers of Paracho, Mexico, and find out how they develop new techniques while keeping their traditions alive.

bit.ly

In a former silk weaver’s workshop in Lyon, a carpenter and trained musician is breathing new life into an instrument that was on the brink of extinction in France. Listen to “A Man on an Unusual Mission: Bringing the Alphorn Back to France,” written and narrated by Anna Richards: bit.ly/4xBY84h

A Man on an Unusual Mission: Bringing the Alphorn Back to France

Inside a former silk weaver’s workshop in Lyon, France, a carpenter and trained musician is breathing new life into an instrument that was on the brink of extinction in his country: the alphorn. In today’s episode, we’ll hear about this modern-day maker of the alphorn, which was used for centuries to summon livestock, or send messages across vast alpine valleys. “A Man on an Unusual Mission: Bringing the Alphorn Back to France” was written and narrated by Anna Richards. Read the original story here: https://craftsmanship.net/field-notes/a-man-on-an-unusual-mission-bringing-the-alphorn-back-to-france/ Anna Richard’s website: https://www.annahrichards.com/ Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Michelle Tucci photographed the story and recorded Sandro Faita playing the alphorn. Craftsmanship is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. This podcast episode was hosted and produced by Pauline Bartolone. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of the magazine and its parent organization, The Craftsmanship Initiative. Laurie Weed is the magazine's managing editor. Craftsmanship's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

bit.ly

Spiritual faith has long been shaped by the lettering on a religion’s sacred texts. This is particularly the case with Judaism, so we visited three Hebrew scribes to understand why such laborious traditions continue. Read "The Power of the Scribe" written by Bryce T. Bauer: bit.ly/44zQjg4

The Power of the Scribe | Craftsmanship Magazine

Scribes craft sacred Hebrew texts using an ancient, laborious process. Here, we visit three of them to learn more about their art.

bit.ly

A third-generation metalworker makes the security gates and doors that guard Las Vegas's neighborhoods—and with the same steel, he explores themes of vice, labor, and life beyond the Strip. Read “Forged in the Desert: The Metalwork of Luis Avila Chavez,” written by Oona Robertson: bit.ly/4AbTcVs

Freshly Unlocked! “Forged in the Desert: The Metalwork of Luis Avila Chavez”

A third-generation metalworker makes the security gates and doors that guard Las Vegas's neighborhoods—and with the same steel, he explores themes of vice, labor, and life beyond the Strip.

bit.ly

For decades, both our public and private sectors have been gradually weakening support structures that have strengthened the American workforce for generations. Two experts dissect this new dilemma, and look for solutions. Read "The New Workforce Dilemma" : bit.ly/3Ngl7fi

The New Workforce Dilemma | Craftsmanship Magazine

Will robots replace humans in tomorrow's job market? Not if workers get the support and hands-on training they want and need.

bit.ly

In the Basque country of Northern Spain, the Mondragon Corporation—the world’s largest co-operative business enterprise—has found ways to weather economic crises, avoid severe income inequality, and build long-term worker loyalty. Read "Could Co-Ops Solve Income Inequality?": bit.ly/47WHuzX

Could Co-Ops Solve Income Inequality? | Craftsmanship Magazine

Why don't more businesses follow the successful example set by Spain's Mondragon Corporation—the world’s largest co-operative business enterprise?

bit.ly

I’m sure you’ve seen the news about the double milestone the United States just reached when our national debt hit $40 trillion...We hope you'll enjoy reading "The Craft of a Sustainable Economy, Part 8: A (Late) Summer Reading List," written by Todd Oppenheimer: bit.ly/4caTTE8

The Craft of a Sustainable Economy, Part 8: A (Late) Summer Reading List | Craftsmanship Magazine

I’m sure you’ve seen the news about the double milestone the United States just reached when our national debt hit $40 trillion. Not only is that amount an all-time record, it’s also the first time it...

bit.ly

In a small brick building in East London, in a school developed by King Charles, when he was still The Prince of Wales, students from around the world are giving new life to a set of artistic principles that have been nearly lost. Read "King Charles Redefines Originality": bit.ly/45ZaDZu

King Charles Redefines Originality | Craftsmanship Magazine

Students at London's School of Traditional Arts use the ancient guiding principles offered by geometry, thanks to the school's Islamic roots.

bit.ly

America’s changing landscape, in both school and work, increasingly needs a sound system of apprenticing. Yet many of us cannot see that a period of formal apprenticeship might make more sense than four years of college. Read "The Apprenticeship Ambivalence," by Todd Oppenheimer: bit.ly/3NjWVtX

The Apprenticeship Ambivalence | Craftsmanship Magazine

Vocational training declined in the U.S. over the 20th century, as four-year college degrees became much more common. Is it time to flip this equation?

bit.ly

Using everything from cornstarch to coconut shells, Foley artists have been creating the invisible landscapes of cinema since the “talkies” were first invented. We hope you’ll enjoy listening to “Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound” written & narrated by Jeff Greenwald: bit.ly/4hKFCl6

Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound

When we’re engrossed in watching a movie, most of us don’t pay close attention to all of the sounds playing in the background. But what we hear subconsciously is often what makes films feel “real”—water rushing in a stream, the clink of ice in a glass, footsteps, the crackle of dry branches underfoot. Since the early days of cinema, Foley artists have been creating these kinds of acoustic layers by hand, using everyday objects, movement, and deep listening. In today's story, “Making Noise: The Endangered Craft of Foley Sound,” we visit a Foley sound studio in San Francisco. We learn why this specific type of audio craft is critical to filmmaking—and which parts of it can’t be easily replaced by digital technology. This story was written and narrated by Craftsmanship's contributing editor, Jeff Greenwald. Read the original story on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/p/making-noise-the-endangered-craft Jeff Greenwald's website: https://jeffgreenwald.com/bio/ Special thanks to Outpost Studio SF! We used clips of their work from the films "Amina" and "A Thousand Pines," and from a commercial for LinkedIn, as well as the "Canyonlands" episode of the Mindsource series. Craftsmanship is a multimedia publication about artisans and innovators who are creating a world built to last. More episodes—along with original feature stories, short videos, and more—can be found on www.craftsmanship.net. Music in this series is from Blue Dot Sessions. Todd Oppenheimer is the founding editor and executive director of the magazine and its parent organization, The Craftsmanship Initiative. Laurie Weed is the magazine's managing editor. Outpost Studio in San Francisco: https://outpoststudiosf.com/ Craftsmanship's podcast page: https://craftsmanship.net/podcasts/ Subscribe to Craftsmanship on Substack: https://craftsmanship.substack.com/

bit.ly

A writer searches Istanbul's cafés and alleys for the king of the ney, an enigmatic — and at times, endangered — flute that has long been a mainstay of Muslim musical traditions. We hope you’ll enjoy reading “The Reed Artist,” written and photographed by Rollo Romig: bit.ly/46VMuEs

The Reed Artist | Craftsmanship Magazine

Among Muslim countries, traditional Islamic music, played with a ney, flourishes most vigorously in Turkey. Our correspondent searched for its elusive master, Niyazi Sayin.

bit.ly

As U.S. student debt balloons over $1.75 trillion nationally, calls for loan forgiveness and low-cost or free college tuition programs are getting louder. Sound impossible? Kentucky’s Berea College, a highly ranked, 4-year liberal arts school, has been tuition-free since 1892: bit.ly/43KnEWx

Berea College Students Craft a Bright Future, Tuition-Free | Craftsmanship Magazine

As U.S. student loan debt balloons to $1.75 trillion nationally, calls for low-cost or free college tuition programs are getting louder. How do such programs work? Ask Berea College, which has been tu...

bit.ly

Brass, a material once prized across the Islamic world for its beauty and endurance, fell victim to industrial sameness. Now, against the tsunami of mass production, a handful of artisans are reviving the traditional designs and old techniques: bit.ly/4gbs3se

Cairo's New Brass Revivalists | Craftsmanship Magazine

In an city once known for its fine brasswork, Noha El Qahwagy is one of just a few Egyptian artisans crafting traditional brass pieces by hand today.

bit.ly

Master luthier Mike Morgan turned a lifetime of woodworking and design knowledge to making kayaks and other small "skin boats" by hand, building on Indigenous designs. Read: "The Kayak's Cultural Journey," written by Simon Morris: bit.ly/3pTEKSg

The Kayak’s Cultural Journey | Craftsmanship Magazine

Mike Morgan uses his skills as a master luthier to build kayaks and other small skin boats by hand, based on traditional designs.

bit.ly

Picking up a longtime hobby, our publisher tries out some new calligraphy tools and techniques, only to find that mastering graceful script is harder—and messier—than it may appear. Read "Calligraphy’s Hurdles," written by Todd Oppenheimer: bit.ly/4vX2IJA

Calligraphy's Hurdles | Craftsmanship Magazine

Picking up a longtime hobby, our publisher tries out some new calligraphy tools and techniques, only to find that mastering graceful script is harder—and messier—than it may appear.

bit.ly

In Lyon, the silk-weaving capital of Europe for centuries, the rhythmic clatter of Jacquard Looms once emanated from about 30,000 workshops. Today, only three workshops still uphold this tradition. Read “The Last Jacquard Silk Weavers," written by Anna Richards: bit.ly/4wizAM2

Freshly Unlocked: "The Last Jacquard Silk Weavers"

In Lyon, the silk-weaving capital of Europe for centuries, the rhythmic clatter of Jacquard Looms once emanated from about 30,000 workshops. Today, only three workshops still uphold this tradition.

bit.ly

Humans through the ages have used songs to tell stories, to communicate, and to unite communities in both celebration and struggle. Songs serve as vehicles for protest, worship, mourning, and—perhaps most importantly—for the courage to keep going: bit.ly/45yPZ40

Crafting a Community of Conscience through Song

From labor anthems to civil rights hymns, the Resistance Revival Chorus shows how the ancient tradition of communal singing can inspire courage in difficult times.

bit.ly

If properly maintained, a fine piano can last for centuries. So what does it take to keep them in top form? A remarkable documentary follows one team that pulls this off, and even improves these instruments as they age. Watch "Miracle in a Box": bit.ly/3ZWAMGl

"Miracle in a Box" — the Quintessence of Repair | Craftsmanship Magazine

If properly maintained, a fine piano can last for centuries. So what does it take to keep them in top form? A remarkable documentary follows one team that pulls this off, and even improves these instr...

bit.ly

When a promising rock musician tired of the road and the pressure, he gave up music and got a job at a hardware store. Then one day, he had a revelation. Read or listen to "The Cigar Box Guitar Maker," written by Nancy LeBrun and narrated by Avanthika Srinivasan: bit.ly/3pExQRd

The Cigar Box Guitar Maker | Craftsmanship Magazine

This profile of Mike Snowden, a rock musician who has made and sold more than 1,000 cigar box guitars, also explores the instrument's lore and legends.

bit.ly