Earlier this year, graphic designer Adam Spitalny reached out offering to take me under his wing to teach me more about design. It was an easy sell because I had been waiting for just the right person connect with for this very thing. I knew I wanted to grow in these skills, but didn’t know where to begin. Adam and I began working together right away, with our sights set on to refining my workflow and layout strategy. He sensed that I had a clear vision for what I wanted, but saw where I could grow in ways that would enable me to better achieve my aim. With these lessons from Adam I’ve been learning more efficient ways to use...
In this installment of the podcast, Joshua and I discuss the newly released video documentary and book that share the same name – Another Work Is Possible. Both of these resources detail the timber-frame project that took place here at our headquarters in Sedgwick, Maine last August. Thirty five international carpenters brought their axes to hew and raise a frame for a blacksmith shop over 8 days. But this project was about so much more than simply putting up a building. We cover many of the concepts that Joshua writes about in his book – the idea that manual work can be enjoyed and celebrated, rather than seen as drudgery, and that building with your own two hands (whether it...
This past week, our inventory of Issue Two completely ran out. Besides the small pile we have stashed away for the future, it’s gone for good. If you have not purchased a copy of Issue Two, I’m sorry to say it is now too late.
But just like with Issue One, we’re already getting emails asking for it. As disappointing as that may be, the finitude and uniqueness of print media is part of what is so beautiful about it, just like other tangible things. We cherish the unique and special, not the mundane and ubiquitous.
From the earliest stages of planning the Carpenters Without Borders project, I almost knew I’d be writing a book all about it. It was sure to be too unique a thing not to share with our readers. I wanted as many people to experience hand hewing, joining, and raising a frame as possible. But as I started planning the book, I knew words alone would never be able to capture the thud of the axes on the logs or the graceful movements of skilled hands at work. This is the kind of thing you need to see for yourself. So we started pondering what a film documentary would look like alongside the book, but we knew right away that...
This has been an insanely busy season for me. This past September, soon after Charpentiers Sans Frontières (CSF) left our place after constructing our hand-hewn blacksmith shop, I hit the ground running to write and organize the book that captured all that was bursting inside my mind. I had been studying and reflecting on the value of manual craft work for a long while before the project, but when this team of carpenters arrived and set to work, I realized that I was witnessing one of the most powerful examples of it I’d ever seen. Watching 35 carpenters from all over the world hew freshly felled logs into timbers, then joining and raising them with nothing more than the strength of...
Last night was fun! We were all up at midnight for the big “Another Work is Possible” film release and book pre-ordering. Mike, Grace, and I were keeping an eye out for technical glitches, and my brother, Sam, who made the film and his wife Yael stayed up to celebrate. We’re always amazed at you crazy readers who stay up to order! It’s awesome. Already this morning emails and messages have been coming in from some of you that have watched the film: “Sam killed it. Loved every second of the film, and thank you especially for including the scene with Gary Snyder’s poetry (and its impromptu translation). Totally worth staying up past my bedtime.” “The film is beautiful....
The moment has finally come! Starting right now, we’re kicking off the “Another Work is Possible” book pre-order and film release as a bundled package at a discounted rate of $63. This offer will be good for two weeks – January 17th - 31st. After that these products will only be sold separately for full price: the book is $50 and the film is $25.
Get your popcorn buttered and your pastis poured… the film is now available for immediate streaming and download. The book will be shipping out near the end of March.
You can now order your copy of the book and film here.
Enjoy, my friends!
– Joshua
Tonight is the big release we’ve been waiting so long for! The “Another Work is Possible” book pre-order and film are available at midnight (Eastern time). We began planning the logistics of the Carpenters Without Borders project way back in March and spent most of 2019 focused on preparing for and recovering from this intense event. Finally, late tonight, this work culminates when we open orders to share this incredible event with you. In only a matter of hours you will be able watch the film, and the book will go to the printer after final copy editing (Book delivery will be late March). We had an M&T family screening of the film last night, and it was a blast....
For those of you that have been asking for details about ordering this book and film, this announcement is for you: We’re going to be kicking off the first two weeks of the Another Work is Possible book pre-order and film release as a bundled package for a discounted rate of $63.00. This offer will be good for two weeks – January 17th-31st. After that time, these products will only be sold separately for their full price: the book is $50 and the film is $25. When can you order? Well, because we miss those crazy midnight releases we used to do, we’ve decided to open orders at 12:00 a.m. Eastern time zone on January 17th. This means that you...
In this episode of our podcast, Mike and I discuss our handmade Christmas gifts. This time of the year is a great excuse to get into the shop. We’ve been making gifts for years, and there are many ideas one could try out. We spent this episode discussing several of our projects in order give you ideas for the next gift you give.
Handmade gifts are a special thing. It is not an easy to commit to making gifts instead of buying them, but it is rewarding to invest yourself in something that will mean so much to those you love.
