Woodworking As An Artistic Expression
Hobby woodworking is a great way for some people to express themselves. Anyone who likes wood can use it as a means of artistic expression. Even professional artists choose wood as a medium sometimes, but most people choose woodworking to make some useful objects for themselves or others.
Those who choose woodworking as a hobby enjoy the feel and the beauty of cut wood. When using a natural finish, the wood's beautiful color and its grain shine through, making a statement.
Some woodworking hobbyists may like to make small objects, and enjoy the finishing touches, they may take a long time creating inlays for example. They enjoy the slower process, and may use hand tools, which tools requires more precision. Others choose woodworking as a hobby because they may like to make their own furniture, sometimes even bigger pieces. For this type of woodworking they would highly benefit by using power tools, sometimes high-tech machinery, which could get pretty expensive. On the other hand, they get great satisfaction from creating a piece of furniture they enjoy.
Those who truly like woodworking know a lot about wood. They choose the pieces to fit their needs, but sometimes they may choose the projects to showcase the wood. They understand the differences between hard and soft wood, between porous and diffuse-porous woods, the structure of the wood and its water content. When choosing a piece for a project, they take all of the above in consideration in addition to the color of the wood and even the knots that inevitably are present in most bigger pieces. It may be a great joy, a real creative experience to think out a project using a given piece of wood. The opposite may be also true, some people enjoy looking for specific pieces of wood to fit their already designed project. Either way, their creativity shines through the finished project.
Woodworking is a dangerous hobby though compared to most others. This craft requires a high level of concentration, so anyone working with wood can not be angry or preoccupied. When working on a project, a woodworker needs to focus all of his or her attention on it, which makes it imperative to start with a peaceful frame of mind. This fact alone can make woodworking gratifying, since it helps the craftsman get away from all the stress of everyday life.
Woodworking can also be an expensive hobby, considering the price of the tools and wood combined. A hobby is a work of love though. Those who choose woodworking as a hobby generally don't mind the expense. On the other hand, there is a growing market for handmade wood items, so they may have the opportunity to sell some of their work. If they do, everyone wins. They could make money for the next project, while the buyer will enjoy a beautiful handmade wooden piece.
