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During the first three hours of my my class on building a trestle table, here are the statements I heard the students say the most.
I cannot design.
I can’t draw.
I can’t come up with original ideas.
I will just copy an existing design.
Today is Tuesday. It’s only the second day of the class, but most of the students are finishing up the joinery on the bases of their trestle tables. Yup. They each designed a table on Monday morning and are getting ready for assembly on Tuesday evening.
It’s not that I’m a good teacher. I suck, and I know I suck, and I’m OK with that sucking. But I also know that the students are natural designers. We all are. In fact, the less we worry about “design,” the more creative the results.
So I just give them no choice. Design it. Here’s your paper. Design it.
That works wonders.
So the best part of the day was watching a 19-year-old student work on his table. It is going to be two carved cobras supporting a glass tabletop. The naysayers said he’d never get to the carving.
Dudes, he finished joining the end assemblies after lunch (sloppy joes) at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking, and was roughing out one of the heads when I left at 6 p.m.
So here’s my advice: Stop typing and start chopping. You can build a cobra-headed trestle table in a week and win the hearts of every chick on your block. Promise.
— Christopher Schwarz
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After 3 days one wonders:
The snake… Did it fizz? Or did it flop?
I really want to attend the Marc Adams School of Woodworking one day!!!
Well if he does fail, it won’t be for lack of clamps. Nicely appointed shop I say!
“Just as he loves the arrow that is true, so does he love the bow that is steady….” (or something like that). You are doing good works, Chris.
Hmm, just wondering where you’ve ever met chicks that would like a cobra-headed trestle table; guys yes, chicks I’m just not really sure about that one.
If he gets Destro chemically etched into the glass top, then I will be impressed.
What a great reminder. Can’t wait to see the final product.
When you’re young you haven’t yet learned that “I can’t do that.” This reminds me of the fact (myth?) that according to engineers bumble bees can’t fly. Bees are too young to have learned that. My favorite furniture styles are early American and Federalist. If those designers and the designers before them believed that “I can’t design, I can only follow” we’d all be sitting on chairs designed by Joseph of Nazareth. In a few years we’ll be reading books on furniture design by this very creative 19 year old. I congratulate him on his freedom!!
Excellent! If you can’t tell me I can, then don’t tell me I can’t! More power to that kid. I bet it turns out great and that class will be a highlight for the rest of his life. Great post. Thanks.
chop like an Egyptian