Jake Weidman: Penmanship
Watch this beautiful clip on an artform that is being lost to modern technology. It's amazing how, at my present age, I can look back and be amazed, and not in a good way, how in less than a generation modern handwriting has devolved because of our over-reliance on the keyboard. The beauty of handwriting cannot be overstated and what's not obvious is how much it says about the person behind the pen and how the mind works in conveying creative thoughts and expression. One of my favorite quotes, and one that I and so many of my artist friends and fellow woodworkers can relate to is, "people often see the end result, they don't see the struggle that goes into it."
As the world grows increasingly digital, storied art forms like penmanship are quickly dying out. Old masters pass away, leaving behind a gaping void. Enter Jake Weidmann, the youngest "Master Penman" in the United States by three generations. Weidmann's work shows an attention to minute detail that only comes through years and years of practice.