Country Craftsman

We have spent most of the past week camped in the driveway of my cousin Harold O'Brien and his lovely wife, Jean. As have I, Harold has rediscovered woodworking in his retirement years. Unlike me, he has made a lot of wonderful and unique things.

Harold's interest is in using the weathered wood from broken down barns in the area to create unique expressions of the life he grew up in or read about. He resaws the pieces to get two thin pieces from each slab, each with one weathered face. He then designs and builds cars or trucks or tractors or houses.

Some times the inspiration is a picture or an illustration. More often, it is Harold's memory and imagination. Each piece is incredibly detailed, from headlights and license plates to girl's hair blowing in the wind and expression of the faces of the characters included. Because most of items, and all of the transportation related ones, have people riding, driving, smiling and enjoying themselves.

These are certainly not toys, nor are they models. They are true artistic creations. They are made for the joy of the creating and are not sold, just sometimes passed on to the family, but mostly occupying shelves and tables around the house.

And for those of us who are woodworkers, always lusting after a larger shop or another tool, here's a look at the total of Harold's shop and the tools he uses to make all these wonderful things.

Thanks Harold and Jean, for your terrific hospitality and a memorable visit.