Adam King Studio Fine Furniture & Antique Restoration

Whenever I begin to lose focus, or if I just need a quick breather in the studio, I find a piece of wood (any species will do), grab one of my hand planes, and just start to carefully, meditatively plane the board. Most of the time I choose a piece that might present a challenge like curly maple, or some particularly "angry" walnut, or some soft wood perhaps. It really doesn't matter because the process is always the same. I plane, check the shaving and decide to see if I can make it thinner. I go back and forth: one pass of the plane, set the blade finer, one pass of the plane, set the blade finer, and so on.

The purpose is to challenge myself to produce the thinnest shaving possible, while leaving a polished surface on the wood. It takes time, but once I reach that point the plane sings its melody and gently tosses a piece of fine silk in to the air. It always leaves me wanting more of the same experience over and over again.

Why? What does this accomplish? Well, with each stroke of the plane, my mind simply engages the moment. I begin to reflect on things pertaining to this chosen path of being a craftsman. I recall my ambitious over-eager beginnings, and envision a hopeful fulfilling future. The weights and worries of the past float away with each delicate shaving passing through the air. This is a sweet and necessary time of quiet reflection. It allows me to reassure myself of my purpose, my path, or just to simply stop and breathe!

Do you take time for these needed moments? I know I don't do it enough. No matter if you work with clay, paint, glass, any medium, you must stop and take time to reflect and remember your path and purpose. Recall the reasons you chose the life that you did. Are the same fires of creative passion still burning bright, or could they use a little fuel? No matter what you do take time out to produce some "shavings" in quiet meditation and you might just find the "cravings" for the creative process all over again!