Made by hands, expressed from the heart.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Real wood art from Dad.

My father worked all his life in a automobile factory, as a tool maker. After he retired, he started working with wood in our backyard in Brazil.
He would make beautiful furniture, well finished and very detailed. But nobody wanted to pay for something made by hand, at least at that time, and preferred to buy something made in a factory.
Since he was very good at playing pool(or billiards), he started making pool sticks (I think they are called cues).
He made everything by hand, using only a few tools, like his drill and made other tools with wood or metal to help him finish these pieces.
What was impressive was that he eyeballed them to be perfectly straight, hand carved the wood and cut different pieces to be fitted with precision in surfaces that were not straight. Then I remember he sanded his pieces attaching the to his old drill.
He also made the bags to store them, cut and sewed them.
They were made with care and perfection, and like other handmade pieces nobody would pay for them. People often said:"If you make them at home, you should give them for free.".
But he continued to make them, until his hands could not work anymore, and because he had to care for my mother, who had alzheimer's disease and passed almost 10 years ago.
These pictures were taken a few days after he passed, about 5 years ago. My sister and I had to donate most of his belongings, and most of these pieces were not allowed to leave Brazil, because the wood was indigenous to the country.
We gathered all our cousins and uncles (we have a lot), and each one kept one piece, including us.
Today I am lucky enough to have these pictures, to have in my memory his technique, the way he executed his craft, and hopefully to inherit and pass along the eye for detail, patient hands, and the love for art.
Thank you Simone Izumi for the pictures.

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