My first bow was the dry wall tape red oak job. I then continued breaking about 8-10. My father-in-law asked me in the garage after seeing so many failures, "Why do you want to keep doing this?" My mother was digging weeds in the front yard and responded before me, "Because he wants to build a Stradivarius." I knew what she meant, smiled and said nothing.
The other day my brother-in-law was down for Thanksgiving and asked me, "Why this, you've done this for a long time, why this? I don't have anything like this." I knew what he meant...why bows. It could really be anything. I thought about it for a minute and finally said, "I do it for selfish reasons."
What I've learned on here? The importance of persistance with a craft. I doubt I'd have persevered this long without the community. Also, that the objects I enjoy the most and bring a bit of beauty into the world aren't bought at a store. Bottom line? American culture isn't completely dead. Gotta thank those that "pass it on" for that!
