In that regard, here in Charleston is the American College of the
Building Arts that was established ten or so years ago. They teach old
skills -- timber framing, plasterwork, furniture, iron working, and some
other stuff. All the kids (both young men and women) get a job, a buddy
of mine hired a coupla timber framers right out of the program. Others
are working on restorations or have their own craft businesses and are
doing well, they are not afraid of work it seems. They just got some
sort of accreditation and are doing well. One of the guys who started
our local woodworkers guild teaches furniture making there. The club
has quite a few younger members, men and women (one in her mid 20s does
some really nice woodturning) too, these days, in Houston it was mostly
a bunch of old farts then some younger guys started showing up and the
group got bigger and the younger members appreciated the knowledge from
the old farts. One young guy has published articles in Fine
Woodworking, I remember when he first walked in with his mother to a
meeting, and was asking about tools and such, he proceeded to acquire
tools and learn and was soon building some beautiful things.
I think with the electronics revolution, all the components and software
and computers and stuff becoming dirt cheap and accessible, has sparked
a new kind of "craft" revolution -- 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC
machines, robotics, all kinds of cool stuff that is sorta analogous
these days to hot rods and metal shop for creativity and pushing the
envelope. There are some young guys I met last month here on the Island
who have some warehouse space and have set up 2 big CNC machines and are
making all kinds of stuff, kinda like the factories were doing in the
late 1800s with the CNC machines of the day (cf. old Victorian
gingerbread and such). Another guy is doing high-end kitchens and
built-ins and doing quite well, he has a numerical controlled table saw
(of sorts) and subs stuff out to the CNC guys. I talked to him about
this other outfit I knew about that has CNC cabinet making
machines/programs, he was all over that. The CNC guys have started
working on this https://github.com/wikihouseproject/Wren/wiki/About-Wren
which is very advanced building technique, they have made some
prototypes and are working on getting US certification.
My daughter is managing a small brewery now, that whole new industry has
grown like wildfire just the last few years, young people mostly getting
into it, a very crafty kind of thing, and they are adapting the "old
ways" to the new technology and business opportunities, some of the
breweries look like a surgical suite with all the computer controls on
the tanks.
So, yeah, all us old farts always bemoan "these young people" but I
think their interests are similar but have shifted to integrate new
knowledge and technology, and some things don't matter to them as much
as other things. Progress I guess...
-FT
On 12/10/18 1:01 PM, ROGER HALE via Mercedes wrote:
So Curt, are 3 people all you can find as examples? Yes, there are a few younger folks
that still appreciate the "old things", but I see everyday the many, many, many
younger folks that do not. If more of them did, my sales would be really good, but they
aren't. And prices are down on eBay, at antique stores, auctions, etc. Young folks want
disposable. They don't want to polish silver, hand wash glasses, etc. Now, they'll take
care of that phone or computer, but heck with the really valuable stuff. Anyway, keep
looking, I hope you find more to count.
Best wishes,
Roger
Roger Hale
Dinnerware Classics, Inc.
Monroe, Ga.
770-267-0850
www.dinnerwareclassics.com
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--FT
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