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Steven Sweeney · 07-24-2002, 12:56 AM

Accommodating an overseas transfer "cost" me my shop space (and the usefulness of the higher-amp 110V power tools in a 240V country) several years ago and interrupted guitar construction training from an Idaho luthier, and it was that loss of a hands-on creative outlet that probably led to my taking up painting. I'm sure there's a much more interesting, if not necessary, connection between those pursuits than the choices and accidents of commerce and geography. Doesn't seem universal, though, as many wonderful painters seem to have little skill in, say, matting and framing their work.

I've built some large pieces of oak furniture (Woodsmith plans) and an 8-foot wooden sailboat (Nutshell Pram from Woodenboat plans), but I've had the most fun building musical instruments from kits or plans, including the acoustic guitar I play (Martin D-45 kit), a Celtic lap harp, dulcimers (both Appalachian and hammer), and banjo (don't ask, I can't explain it). I refurbished my grandfather's violin (of "fiddle" pedigree and use), but never played it very well.

I find days without the addition of music to be almost painfully incomplete. I almost always paint to music. I've done the "years of piano lessons" (wish I'd kept it up!), trombone in high school band, guitar for some 35 years. Most of what I play on guitar now, I wrote (it's a clever ploy on my part to keep folks from knowing straight away whether I've made any mistakes.)

I got into letterpress printing and hand bookbinding about 15 years ago and found that printing, illustrating, and binding your own work was nearly as much fun as . . . well, okay, not quite that much fun. Depending. (And a signature of pages waiting to be sewn with linen thread never says, "Oh, I don't know, where do you want to eat?")

Ironically and even with considerable misgiving, I found that I had to let go of some of my music and wooworking in order to concentrate on painting. I can still get my "fix" by playing Bach in the studio, and building my own frames.

Just to skew the research, Tim, I'm a hopelessly confirmed, thrice tested INFP.

Cheers from The Road, somewhere in Montana tonight,
Steven

07-24-2002, 12:56 AM	#13
Steven Sweeney Juried Member PT 5+ years Joined: Nov 2001 Location: Stillwater, MN Posts: 1,801	Accommodating an overseas transfer "cost" me my shop space (and the usefulness of the higher-amp 110V power tools in a 240V country) several years ago and interrupted guitar construction training from an Idaho luthier, and it was that loss of a hands-on creative outlet that probably led to my taking up painting. I'm sure there's a much more interesting, if not necessary, connection between those pursuits than the choices and accidents of commerce and geography. Doesn't seem universal, though, as many wonderful painters seem to have little skill in, say, matting and framing their work. I've built some large pieces of oak furniture (Woodsmith plans) and an 8-foot wooden sailboat (Nutshell Pram from Woodenboat plans), but I've had the most fun building musical instruments from kits or plans, including the acoustic guitar I play (Martin D-45 kit), a Celtic lap harp, dulcimers (both Appalachian and hammer), and banjo (don't ask, I can't explain it). I refurbished my grandfather's violin (of "fiddle" pedigree and use), but never played it very well. I find days without the addition of music to be almost painfully incomplete. I almost always paint to music. I've done the "years of piano lessons" (wish I'd kept it up!), trombone in high school band, guitar for some 35 years. Most of what I play on guitar now, I wrote (it's a clever ploy on my part to keep folks from knowing straight away whether I've made any mistakes.) I got into letterpress printing and hand bookbinding about 15 years ago and found that printing, illustrating, and binding your own work was nearly as much fun as . . . well, okay, not quite that much fun. Depending. (And a signature of pages waiting to be sewn with linen thread never says, "Oh, I don't know, where do you want to eat?") Ironically and even with considerable misgiving, I found that I had to let go of some of my music and wooworking in order to concentrate on painting. I can still get my "fix" by playing Bach in the studio, and building my own frames. Just to skew the research, Tim, I'm a hopelessly confirmed, thrice tested INFP. Cheers from The Road, somewhere in Montana tonight, Steven __________________ Steven Sweeney [email protected] "You must be present to win."