Craftsmanship

In Japan, an aging population, declining birthrate, and a concentrating of jobs in the major cities, has left rural areas across the Japanese countryside littered with abandoned houses—known as akiya, or “empty homes.” Now, a movement is on the rise to repurpose and enliven them with artistry and craft.  "Can Japan’s Akiya Movement Rebuild Rural Communities?" originally appeared in the S...

Ross Shafer made his mark creating a popular brand of mountain bikes, called Salsa, and a line of small but crucial bicycle parts that no one had brought to the market before. Now he’s making what might be the world’s most beautiful “pedal steel guitar.” Could Shafer’s relentless eclecticism offer a model for a second Renaissance? "From bicycles to “pedal steel” guitars: One maker’s quirky fr...

In 19th century England, miniature theatrical productions were all the rage. And they weren’t just for kids — children and adults alike collected intricately printed paper cutouts of their favorite theater actors, along with the theaters in which they performed, and acted out famous plays. And beyond just entertainment, these toy theater kits served as the PR campaigns of the day. "The Rise a...

"How I stumbled upon the world’s most perfect eating utensil": Owen Edwards pays homage to the humble, essential spoon, particularly the version designed by the late, great Massimo Vignelli. "Spoonism" originally appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'l...

Guest editor RoseMary Diaz talks with Craftsmanship 's managing editor, Laurie Weed, about growing up "half-Indian" in Northern New Mexico; the surprising controversy around "art" vs. "craft;" and the story behind the stories of the magazine's first full issue focused on Native American craft . You'll find many more stories on "Native American Craf...

When an American made, quartz watch costs up to $1,500, and its counterparts from other countries, including Switzerland, range from $50 to more than $50,000, what’s the difference between them? "The Value of Time" originally appeared in the Spring 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You&apo...

Felipe Ortega was known for his controversial opinions on culture, as well as his expertise with an unusual form of pottery. He devoted his life to bucking tradition, in more ways than one. Editor’s Note: This story has been updated from the original version, which was first published in our Spring 2015 issue. This update contains historical and culturally-based corrections, along with new reporti...

Michael Montenegro is driven to put the products of his imagination into tangible, active forms. After he builds them—often in life-size form, with a rag-tag collage of materials—he becomes them, lives inside them, then delivers them to us with a zany vigor. "The Puppeteer" originally appeared in the Summer 2015 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artis...

Pandemic, political strife, poverty, war. In times of extreme upheaval—global or personal—can the act of art-making ease suffering and strengthen resilience? "Shrine and the Art of Resilience" originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more st...

Eager to begin his life's work as a craftsman, Jack Mauch left high school at age 16, preferring to carve out his own path. By the time he hit his early 30s, he was already creating breathtaking examples of craftsmanship, in everything from furniture-making to ceramics to metalwork. "A New Renaissance Man" originally appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a m...

Throughout history, wine had always been aged in clay vessels. That’s just how it was done. But when French vintners discovered the marvels of aging wine in oak barrels, it was a total game changer. The flavors oak brought out in the wine set off a revolution throughout the winemaking world. Now—for fun, for distinctly different flavors, and to save some fine old trees—a few wineries are giving cl...

California, where much of our nation's food is produced, is facing a historic drought — again. It’s become a familiar refrain, year after year, and the growing climate crisis is only expected to make things worse. Our food system has to change, and a few forward-thinking farmers are adopting some ancient, low-water agricultural techniques for the modern age.  In an era of chronic drought, cou...

In a simple, residential neighborhood in San Francisco sits a former church for Christian Scientists. The building's white exterior and massive  columns give it a stately, antiquated look. But behind its doors sit stacks of servers, which contain billions upon billions of web pages, media, and other delights. This is the Internet Archive.  In today’s episode: what happens when an eccentric te...

In today’s automated world, why bother toiling with hand tools and sawdust? In his new book, Gary Rogowski—a master furniture maker in Portland, Oregon—ruminates about lessons he’s learned “at the bench,” and the quest for mastery and creative focus, no matter what your calling. "A Woodworker's Tale" originally appeared in the Winter 2018 issue of Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multime...

The blind spots in the American West’s approach to managing water are on full display in Ventura County, a coastal region of Central California that holds the most lucrative farmland in the state. "The California Mirage" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more...

Now that the tequila craze has crested, the latest Latin liquor to capture the world’s alcoholic imagination is tequila’s grandfather: mezcal. But an explosion of authentic mezcal is impossible—for reasons our correspondent discovers when she goes to Oaxaca to learn how this hyper-local spirit can be sustained. "Mezcal's Dance with Extinction" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Qu...

It’s 2015, and in the health and wellness world, the Kale Craze is in full swing — people are eating, roasting, blending, and juicing it. But one molecular biologist in Marin County stumbles upon evidence that this queen of greens might be hiding toxic levels of certain heavy metals. And it’s even worse in organic varieties. Could kale be behind the mysterious symptoms in his patients? EDITOR’S NO...

Craftsmanship 's founding editor Todd Oppenheimer sits down with Paul and Elizabeth Kaiser, a husband-and-wife farming team who have been at the forefront of a promising approach to growing food called regenerative agriculture. Hear about the success of the movement they helped start; some mind boggling results from recent testing on their soil and produce; and how they harness Mother Nature...

Ann Morhauser started with nothing but debt in a tiny glassware studio in Watsonville, a coastal community in central California. Now her work is in stores across the country—and in the Smithsonian. What is her secret to artisanal success? "The Glass Builder" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of...

Not only is wool unusually cozy and durable, but its creators (the  sheep) can help regenerate the world’s drying, fire-prone landscapes. The good news: a wool revival seems to be underway. "The Hidden Powers of a Sheep" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more...

Martha's Vineyard has long been seen as a summer retreat for the East  Coast elite. The island’s reality, however, is a far more complex  environment that has welcomed and inspired generations of Black  Americans, including an artist and doll maker named Janice Frame. "A Black Artist’s Haven on a (mostly) White Vineyard" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly ,  a multimedia...

With gumption, insight, and brilliant use of social media, a few guys in Virginia built an operation that makes what could be the world’s finest  toolbelts. "The Toolbelt Masters" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, and   the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and...

The commercial signs of yesteryear, which were all painted by hand, offer a kind of beauty, personality, and longevity that today’s industrial signs have been unable to duplicate. While exploring what’s left of the old sign-painting traditions, we stumbled upon small but lively seeds of revival. "The New Sign Painters" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online...

James and Deborah Fallows spent four years crisscrossing the United States in a small plane, visiting dozens of small towns. The stories they found were surprising—and entirely contrary to the narrative we've all read about in the news. They saw  communities engaged in a vigorous process of economic renewal—a stunning portrait, in sum, of an America reinventing itself, literally from the grou...

The Isbell family of Arkansas has spent decades experimenting with new ways to grow rice. In the process, they pioneered American-grown rice for sushi and sake, along with farming techniques that can save water and help slow climate change. "The Craft of Sustainable Rice Farming" originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly , a multimedia, online magazine about artisans, innovators, an...