For most artists, I suppose, this drive is something that we simply cannot ignore and our happiest hours are often those spent in our studios doing “what we do.”
But, what if something happens that threatens “what we do?” Case in point – ME. In August, 2012 I was happily working along cutting our parts for my psalteries on my table saw as I had done so very many times before when suddenly (and don’t ask me how because it happened so fast that I really don’t know) the back of my right hand bumped the 10 inch, 40 tooth carbide steel blade that was spinning at 1725 rpm. (Do NOT Try this at HOME. It is NOT Recommended). Three fingers were cut off through the knuckle and the little finger was just chewed up. I say “cut off” but the blade cut through the knuckles and the fingers were dangling by strips of flesh.
The surgeon was a miracle worker and worked all night trying to get my hand put back together. (I was concerned that he was working so late because I was afraid that his mother would not let him stay out that late.) The end result was that he could not save the middle finger and took it off at the hand. On the index and ring fingers he cleaned out where the knuckles had been and reattached them by fusing the bones together with metal strips and screws to hold them together until the bones grew together. The little finger he sewed up and put in a splint.
This fixed up my hand, but did not “fix” my drive to create. What to do? My middle finger was gone and the index and ring fingers would no longer bend. (Initially I was fearful that I would no longer be able to communicate forcible with my right hand, until I realized that I could raise my right hand and tell people to “read between the lines”.)
How was I going to “feed” that drive with a screwed up (literally) hand? Enter the unbelievably remarkable and resourceful brain. If you are determined to do something, the brain will figure out how to do it in 95+% of the cases. So I was able to figure out how to make my instruments – albeit somewhat slower and with less efficiency than before, but I COULD do it including the delicate inlaying process. (To this day, the most difficult thing for me to do is to button my shirt because my fingers will not bend. Isn’t it wonderful, under the circumstances, that the thing that is most difficult for me to do is so trivial?)
Ok, I am back feeding that creative drive although slower than before when I encounter another threat to the “care and feeding” of my creative drive. I have had lower back problems since I was young, as had my father. In July, 2014, I had my fourth – and most serious – back surgery in which the surgeons fused five vertebra in my lower back with metal rods and screws. (Once again have I been screwed.)
This time recovery is going to be longer because of the trauma to the body with the seriousness of the surgery which is now exacerbated by age – 70 then, 72 now. At this age one simply does not heal as quickly and I was in pain – sometimes better, sometimes worse but –thank goodness- controllable by medication for about a year. The pain for this long has the tendency to “take the wind out of your sails” and I have had to cut back seriously on the number of shows that I am able to do, to say nothing of being able to “scratch that creative itch.”
As I was recuperating, reality reared its ugly head and “smote me about the head and shoulders” with the true realization that I would not be able to do this forever. While I did recognize this as truth, it was a bitter pill to my ego. This is something that everyone must “come to grips with” but, it seems to me that artists would be particularly sensitive to this as it directly threatens their ability to feed the creative drive. Those whose creative work requires less physical activity will not be forced to deal with this “multi-headed monster” as soon as those of us who have a more demanding physical activity involved in our creative process. However, the time will come to all of my generation of “senior artists”- some sooner and some later, but it WILL come.
The question now becomes, how will we deal with, not only our diminishing physical abilities but our ability to feed the creative drive? We will miss our long-held friendships with friends on the art fair “circuit”. Thank goodness for email! It will be hard to let go of our show canopy and supplies, to say nothing of the faithful van that has carried us so very many miles and of which we have so many memories.
We MUST find another suitable outlet for our “creative juices” that is compatible with our abilities.
I might take up writing. It is interesting to type with a right hand that has one missing finger, two fingers that will not bend and a little finger that will not straighten. ( I mack mamy tiping miskates amd eros)
Archie Smith
Archie Smith Instruments
Comments
My wife nearly died in Macon, GA last April while we were touring. We had just done three panhandle Florida area shows and were on our way to Chattanooga to do 4Bridges. We stopped in Macon Monday night to seek care in a Quick Med clinic the next morning, and several hours later that next morning we were riding in an ambulance to the main medical center there. Overnight my wife's condition worsened and she spiraled into respiratory failure in the afternoon, had to intubated in the regular room, then got hurried into critical care where she remained intubated for 44 hours.
We are lucky she survived. We cancelled the rest of the tour and came home. What came out of the deal is the fact that we can no longer tour in the South East. So what the heck will we do with our lives? We still love art and what we do with it. In fact, our art has gotten better because of that experience. We're more focused on what matters. She was always pretty well focused, anyway. But she's even better than ever now. Creating the work is what has always mattered. We just got lucky that we could sell it and cultivate a following. The difference now is that our expenses are lower, much lower. Tours cost us 6K most of the time.
Archie, your drive has pushed you beyond so you could do what you loved. You have accomplished way more than the bulk of the people would have if the accident happened to them. You are one tough guy.
I am sure you have a lot of helpful knowledge in that head of yours to share here. I am sure everyone would appreciate anything you have to share. So, if you ever get bored, write away.
Thanks for you note, Barrie. The only thing that I can say about safety is to KEEP YOUR TOTAL ATTENTION ON WHAT YOU ARE DOINE, and get a SawStop.
Ah, Archie, old and dear friend, we have had many a conversation about this. As we age, we all are subject to the toll taken on our bodies by the profession we have chosen. A 44-year veteran of road shows, I have a back that hollers and hands that ache. But mostly, I find that my soul has ached to do something different with my art. So I am seguing from fiber (clothing) to oil painting, mostly figurative. I've been going to school every spring and painting for a number of years, but I am now seriously cutting back on shows and pouring myself into as much painting as I can do. I don't know if the works are show jury-worthy, but the important thing is the process. If I work hard enough and care enough, the results will take care of themselves: i.e. that I am pleased with what I do. I've spent years caring about what judges think, and it's so subjective (and often capricious) that it doesn't matter any more. If I like the final product (and I'm darned critical), it's good. I'm OK with that.
Yeah, Karen. It's the brain, fer sher. Photographer Edward Weston, a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1037, commented about that back in the 1930's in response to what people said about him making pictures with his camera. He said, "Pictures are made with one's brain."
I very strongly remember out talk at Jazz Fest several years ago Archie. This was one of your shows after your accident and it impacted me so very much to see this happen to a fellow wood artist. your recommendation about the Saw Stop so strongly influenced me that i went straight back to my booth and used my ipad to buy a Saw Stop immediately.
I agree so much about the creative outlets we all so much love to do each and every day. A lifelong love of creating in one particular medium is not something that can be changed easily.
Creativity is obviously there in so many forms always but for so many of us we have developed a passion for our chosen medium (woodworking) and how does a person evolve into another medium that has not pushed their "Passion Button" in the past as our chosen medium has done.
I always am excited to see the passion others have for their art...and it is often obvious to notice the difference of people with passion and the people who have other reasons to be in art shows.
With your skill, determination and most importantly you creative passion ... a new and exciting world will definitely be there for you once you have found that creative next outlet.
Stephen Hawking, the brilliant physicist, said in a film about resilience "My disability is really not very important to me." He thought the most important tool was the mind.
So I think as aging artists we need to be continually willing to clean out our toolboxes and change our focus to new tools that might work better for us.
If I can no longer do, I can teach. If I can no longer type, I can use voice recognition software and let the good ideas spring from my mouth rather than my fingertips. If I miss my artist friends, I can start an art cooperative. Etc, etc. All of these options require creativity, just of a different sort.
Best wishes, Archie.
This is a great safety reminder for those of us using table saws. I use a table saw more than any other tool in my shop. Recently, I was shopping for a new table saw with the SawStop feature that stops the blade dead when coming in contact with skin. They are a bit more expensive but how much do you value your fingers? Check them out if you haven't already heard of this safety feature?
http://www.rockler.com/sawstop-3hp-professional-table-saw-w-36-fenc...
I know the original post is about the strong drive to create. I've taken it to the safety thing since I think it's so important for everyone to learn from. If you're not ok with that Archie, I'll take it out.
Certainly a horror story, for sure. I am deeply sorry for your loss and difficulty, Archie. I have a good friend out here in Wyoming who cut off fingers last year in January. He's been doing woodworking for 40 years. He's mostly a wood turner, but he's got numerous hours of experience in the shop.
Archie, I need your help. I have been making picture frames for my wife's artwork since 1995. When I'm in the studio working and not on tour, I use the table saw nearly every day.
Sometimes I get an uneasy feeling about it and usually shut down the saw and come back to the project later. Sometimes I turn off the saw and think about what's going on and then power up and finish. I'm particularly aware of safety and it's always on my mind. But that doesn't matter. Accidents can happen.
I wear safety glasses every time I work. I even wear them to mow the grass. I use hearing protection often, too. But we're talking about blade cutting safety in this thread.
I'm rabbeting often, so the blade guard is off the saw. I don't cut too deep, but rather make a few passes with different blade height. Sometimes that's impractical. But I have to judge what's good and bad practice. I read about safety stuff as much as I can to help me. Sometimes design dictates what I have to go through to cut something, though.
I don't let the blade protrude through the wood much greater than 1/8 inch. I've had arguments about this fact with people who stress that the blade should reveal the gullet depth, and that raises it high through the wood. I disagree completely with that practice.
What advice can you give to me and others, Archie? I'm all ears.
My friend got rid of his table saw. But he didn't get rid of unsafe practices. Just the other day he was turning a laminated project and it blew up on him. Not wearing a face shield, he fattened his lip pretty good. I'm mad about it. I've been razzed for using the face shield even on the smallest projects. I've been razzed for harping on safety in our wood turning club. I'm vice president. Now the president wants to buy a dozen face shields. We have a small club, but safety is a concern for each individual. We have to come together on this issue.
So accidents can happen even when safely handling tools. Please help me if you can, Archie. I want to keep all my fingers and eyes and all the rest of me.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next