As a painter and crafter, I highly admire the skills of those who can build things. My uncle was a dentist whose hobby was woodworking and he made the most beautifully detailed pieces, some of which I inherited. A walnut side table with corkscrew legs and a marble top is one of my favorites. My son-in-law has the talent to fix and build anything he puts his mind to, to the point that we nicknamed him “Macguyver” due to his inventiveness. But the art of woodworking fascinates me and if I were younger and had the space I would be inclined to pursue turning bare wood into furniture with glowing finishes. The best I’ve done with that is to refinish pieces I’ve picked up at yard sales, but that’s nothing compared to taking blocks of wood and refining them into something else. I guess it’s like the thrill of taking tubes of paint and using the colors to produce images. Like magic.

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