Painting by Scott Woolsey
I’d like to share my latest article from Dirt magazine with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Hands: Artisan’s Studio
THERE’S NO GOING BACK
Melissa Shaw-Smith
Writer
Painting by Scott Woolsey
I’d like to share my latest article from Dirt magazine with you. I hope you enjoy it.
Hands: Artisan’s Studio
Melissa Shaw-Smith 
Lovely way to live.
That was a wonderful article. I love the painting!
Thank you so much. Yes, Scott is a highly skilled artist with an interesting view of the natural world.
Thank you for this introduction, Melissa. Your telling made it seem like I was tagging along with you.
We had a really fun day. Glad that came through. Thanks very reading, Cynthia.
Enjoyed the article, envied the artist. 🙂
Thanks! From an outside point of view it did seem like a charmed life, but no doubt, the life of an artist is never without struggle and doubt.
Excellent! Your articles might be inspiring me to try my hand at submitting some freelance work; as a fictioneer, it’s something I’ve never tried before. I love that your voice and style, which I’ve got to know through your poems and essays here, is so present and recognizable.
Sunshine, such a nice compliment. Thank you. Writing these articles is such a blast for me. I get to meet very cool people, see them at work, and ask them lots of nosey questions. Coming up with my own art as a result is a bonus. Absolutely give it a go. You definitely have the writing talent and for me, it’s proved an excellent way to actually find my voice.
“Finally spring had arrived, so I unashamedly nudged him into building one. I could sense his reluctance, like taking on a marathon bike ride—something he does in his local Catskill Mountains. But fortified by green tea, he psyched himself up for the task.”
What a great paragraph…read that and my heart said to my mind
“FISH ON!”
❤
Charissa, happy to be able to pique your interest. Thanks for reading!
Great photos! His paintings are amazing and your photos of the cairn building process show its complexity. Really a good article!
Ann, appreciate the kind comment and for reading!
There is something so soothing and hypnotic about stone art. It’s something I could sit and contemplate over for repeatedly. Henges, cairns, balancing art–I love it all. In fact, I live in a house of stone and watched the men work for months and months shaping the stones and fitting them perfectly into place. It was magical. It’s like living within the earth rather than on top of it.
And Scotts painting are wonderfully remarkable as well. Thanks for the peek into his artful, creative life. What a treat, Melissa!
Lucky you! Living in a stone house has got to be an extraordinary experience, and getting to see master craftsmen at work, a treat also. Thanks so much for the comment, Shelley.
I appreciate the idea of cairns. Have spent many enjoyable hours stacking stone and would love to spend more, but alas, knee problems have ended that particular meditative practice. And I love Scott’s art! Thank you for sharing.
You’re very welcome. That’s the wonderful thing about art–even if we don’t make it, we get to share in the awe it brings.
Oh, yes!
Your article was a wonderful read. It felt like it was a beautifully contemplative day in nature for you and Scott. It has given me a new appreciation for cairns! I loved the photo of his artwork that you included, too.
Thank you so much!