Music, woodworking and painting

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-08-2002, 09:40 AM

I wanted to ask how many of you make music or do woodworking. Many artists I have known have done one of these two seemingly unrelated activities.

Morris Darby · 07-08-2002, 10:23 AM

Well, I guess I'll start the replies.

I started out with all types of arts as a kid and my first love was music. I started at 8 with piano and soon learned guitar. In junior high I played three different horns. In high school I learned sax and flute. In my 20's and 30's I played around the Southeast in bands and soon learned several other intruments, 15 in all. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work, but I always secretly wanted to live as an artist, not a musician.

I put all of that aside six years ago and now concentrate on portraits. I own a few special instruments and still correspond with some famous and not-so-famous acquaintances.

Renee Price · 07-09-2002, 10:22 AM

Not exactly music or woodworking, but I was a dance teacher for 13 years. That was in a previous life!

Renee Price

Rochelle Brown · 07-09-2002, 04:52 PM

When I'm able to, I play the Irish harp. I've been blessed to be able to play professionally, and in church at different times.

As far as woodworking is concerned, I'm working with my harpmaker in Ireland to decide which woods would work best for the instrument he is building for me. Luthiers and other instrument makers and repairers must have an extensive knowledge of woodworking.

Gina Rath · 07-09-2002, 05:32 PM

Interesting question. I admit I love woodworking. I'm better at painting, but if something simple needs to be made or fixed, I'm up for the challenge. My husband thinks it's funny that he has a wife who asks for tools or saws for Christmas (I share, so he buys them).

My oldest son is a very gifted artist and is also a very talented bass player.

Gina

Marta Prime · 07-09-2002, 07:20 PM

I married a wonderful man who sings like an angel. He is a tenor, has done everything from high church-like stuff like Ave Maria, to Barbershop Quartet, and of course, weddings. Our daughter has inherited a beautiful singing voice. She tried out for, and was chosen, to sing in her high school Madrigals. She's 15. Grandma plays the piano and the whole family often sings 4 part harmony. It's fun.

My husband also owns a Shopsmith and loves woodworking. We buy Woodworking magazines, and I tinker with a scroll saw and paint figurines now and then. And the big thing we did was build our own house. We contracted out very little.

Unfortunately, our main incomes are not in any of these fields. However, one can dream, can't one?

Timothy C. Tyler · 07-09-2002, 09:35 PM

You see, it is true. I make some of our furniture. I traded a wood supplier once (a painting) for several wide lovely planks of highly figured walnut from which I designed and made my daughter a cradle. I buy "Fine Woodworking", too.

Karin Wells · 07-10-2002, 12:50 AM

I played the viola for 8 years, but alas, it sounded awful. It seems that I have an "eye," but not an "ear."

As to woodworking, funny that you should mention it. About 15 years ago, I took up wood carving with a passion. This short-lived hobby lasted about a year, but it was lots of fun. I still have my carving tools handy in case the urge to make something out of wood creeps up on me.

Michael Fournier · 07-11-2002, 01:35 PM

Well, I play guitar (I was in a band when in college), and most of the furniture in my home is of my making. This Old House and New Yankee Workshop are my favorite shows.

I own a very old (1740) home and have done all the woodworking in the renovation of that home. My wife kids me that I will spend $300 on a router and bits to build a table when I could just buy one that would do for $200. But really anyone who has priced quality custom-built furniture or colonial reproductions can tell you that you can't really buy that for $200.

So, I think it was my expensive champagne taste, combined with my beer budget that has more to do with my woodworking than any desire to be a furniture maker.

I am always going to antique shops just to find furniture to copy. I actually went into an art store with a pad and tape measure to copy a very expensive studio easel. The salesmen just stood there and watched me as I measured and drew and even took part of the easel apart so I could better see the construction. I then put it all back together, thanked the salesmen and walked out.

I then went to a lumber yard that had local red oak at a good price bought what I needed and built my own studio easel. I had to spend a bit more on the hardware but even using the best red oak it still cost me less then half of what the one in the store cost.

My latest creation was a model stand with mortise and tenon construction and raised panels. One of the panels opens for a storage drawer. So I guess I do both woodworking and music as well as art.

P. S. I think the music thing was to meet girls more than a desire be a great guitar player. After all, that is how I met my wife. : )

ReNae Stueve · 07-13-2002, 08:46 AM

I played the piano as a child, and took to it well, but didn't develop the discipline (hours of scales) to become good. What I love to do is arrange and rearrange my enviroment. I'm constantly redecorating; my home is a collage of vignettes, everchanging. I have found that I'm moving in that direction in the yard as well, with plant textures, etc..