The Work of Craft: An Inquiry into the Nature of Crafts and Craftsmanship [Paperback]

Carla Needleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 1993

The Work of Craft is a profound meditation on the relationship between craft and craftsman. Focusing in turn on pottery, weaving, and woodcarving, and grounding her insights in her own experiences as a potter, Carla Needleman shows that the basic material every craftsman works with is himself or herself. The stuff between one's hands-the clay, the wood, the wool-responds to the quality of one's inner state. The product of one's work is not just an object but a way of being. Thus, the exploration of a craft is-like this book- an exploration of the processes of life itself.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For anyone whose hands itch to make something-pot, piece of weaving, wooden clog, painting or book-with seriousness, so that it is undivorced from the maker's inner life." -Frederick Franck, author of The Zen of Seeing

"A stunning cascade of brilliant insight, enormous intelligence, and deep, genuine spirituality.... From the first page on I was completely engrossed." -Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of Magical Child

"A wise and wonderful book, a meditation to read and to share" -Publishers Weekly

"A remarkably drawn exploration into the mind and spirit of the artist-craftsman.... The Work of Craft is a wonder in many ways, not the least of which is that it hasn't been read by everyone who calls himself artist, craftsman, art teacher." -Peter London, author of No More Secondhand Art

About the Author

CARLA NEEDLEMAN was an occasional potter for twenty years and currently is completing a book that demystifies medicine. She was horn in New York City, is the mother of two children, Raphael and Eve, and lives in San Francisco.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha USA (February 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770017014
• ISBN-13: 978-4770017017
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,090,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb book on the process of creativity, August 17, 1999

By 

Michael Ham (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work of Craft: An Inquiry into the Nature of Crafts and Craftsmanship (Paperback)

Whatever your creative interests, this book is a must. A sustained exploration of what is involved in bringing a work into existence. Wonderful writing, wonderful thoughts.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just about creativity, but also about soulwork, September 11, 2003

By 

Storywoman (Newton, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work of Craft: An Inquiry into the Nature of Crafts and Craftsmanship (Paperback)

This is just a wonderful book. More than just about the work of an artist, its reflections on how we approach our life's work of any kind are deeply spiritually relevant for everyone.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She re-discovers a long-lost art., June 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The work of craft: An inquiry into the nature of crafts and craftsmanship (Hardcover)

Carla Needelman has brought back to the light of day a long lost art. Have you ever wondered how the ancient craftsman learned and plyed their trade? Before there were how-to books and detailed instructions, how did man gain his knowing about an art? If you had to construct something and had no plans, is there a way you could tap into your own knowing, and using that successfully complete the task? Read Carla Needelman with care...she speaks from a depth the casual perusal of her book will obscure. Above all, read it and try to apply what she says if you wish to experience yourself in a new way. Kudos to the second Needelman to write brilliantly. Cheers, Ron Loving, University of Oklahoma