Esterly on Gibbons, art, and time
I am reading the most wonderful book: The Last Carving: A Journey to the Heart of Making by David Esterly. It’s a marvelous memoir of many things: being inspired by the Grinling Gibbons’ beautiful woodcarvings to take up the tools of woodcarving, setting aside his academic career for a career in art, and, ultimately, becoming gradually more intimate with the work of the 17th century master carver as Esterly works to help restore the pieces damaged in a fire at Hampton Court Palace.
Here is the NPR story with Esterly in it.
Esterly also has a penchant for the English romantic poets, so that he is fully capable of blending those with his meditations on time and role of craft/art/making in one’s life in utterly sumptuous prose. Is it any wonder than my dreadfully late book chapter goes neglected while I spend my hours reading away?
