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.
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.
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, and the editor in chief of Interweave Knits magazine, 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.
“[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
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