In this documentary short, Shaped on all Six Sides by Kat Gardiner, Andy Stewart shares his philosophies about his relationship with and respect for the craft of wooden boat carpentry. This quote on quality and his place in the work stood out:
A lot of the allure of working on wooden boats, actually, is because the sea is the final arbitrator of the quality of your work. It’s very gratifying to see repairs that I’ve done 30 years ago still holding up, and so I feel like I’m part of a long continuum of craftsman keeping vessels around and alive.
And while this video is about wooden boat carpentry, it’s also about tradition and family history. It reminded me of The New York Times article The Stories That Bind Us, which lays out the benefits of children knowing their family history. Sharing traditions and values through storytelling can help develop an “intergenerational self,” an understanding of their part in a family narrative that is built with both successes and difficult challenges. A good read…
Watch more videos about boats, making things by hand, and family on TKSST, including:
• Over 600 ships arriving at the Port of Amsterdam
• The San Francisco Fire Department’s Ladder Shop
• Kathryn DiMaria rebuilds her Pontiac Fiero
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