Article on George Nakashima

[Jim Becker]

Here is a recent article about George Nakashima who many of us admire.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22406366

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the link, Mr. Becker. I have read a number of his articles and would like to read his book if time permits. I have attended a seminar with Odate, but have never had the pleasure of seeing or hearing Nakashima.

His conversations with wood were much in line with "Kodama" (wood spirits in Japanese folk lore) as the wood has a soul of it's own.

Again... thanks for the post as I was not aware his family still maintains the business.

Sarge..

[Joe Mioux]

Great Article, but then again I have read his and Mira's books.

btw:

It must be an over-sight that your name doesn't appear on this list.....

WONDERS OF BUCKS COUNTY: PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS
2007 PEOPLE
Pearl S. Buck
Joyce Byers
Mario Capecchi
St. Katharine Drexel
Ben Franklin
Joseph Grundy
Bill Levitt
Henry Mercer
James Michener
Robert Morris
George and Mira Nakashima
William Penn
Nelson Shanks
William Tennent

[Jim Becker]

I have several of the books...highly recommend everyone read Soul of a Tree...and I live about 5 miles from "the compound". The extended tour that the James Mitchner Museum in Doylestown arranges on a somewhat regular basis for fund-raising is wonderful. You get access to a lot of places and things to see that you cannot do during normal Saturday afternoon hours that are open to the public.

Oh, on the list. Yea, I didn't make it. Thankfully. But our property is part of what was originally on the Paxton Estate...which was deeded to that family by William Penn who IS on the list... LOL

[Mark Singer]

Jim,
Thank you !
It was an excellent article!

["Jason Belous"]

Pbs did a nice job showcasing mira and the nakishima family on the craft in america specials. I believe they rerun them on thursday nights. Worth looking at. They also did a special on everones favorite chair builder.

[John Thompson]

You guys obviously did a sell job on me. I just ordered "The Sould of a Tree" on Amazon. I will just take time and read it as I have wanted to for several years. No time like the present.

Thanks again for motivating me on this one...

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

John, you'll enjoy the book. It contains a lot of George's history, philosophy, motivation and...some great pictures of his wonderful work.

[John Thompson]

John, you'll enjoy the book. It contains a lot of George's history, philosophy, motivation and...some great pictures of his wonderful work.

Morning Jim... And you are correct that I will enjoy the book. I recieved it yesterday morning from Amazon and started it during football as I'm not back in the shop till tomorrow. I finished it early this morning around a 1 AM.

Excellent.. excellent and inspirational read. I susprisingly found Mr. Nakashima's inner thoughts and ideals quite similar to some of mine. I grew up in a rural county outside of Atlanta (that is past tense as the county now has over 1,000,000 pop. :>( ) and was quite attuned to nature as a child.

I also was surprised that he prefers through sawn ( I use the term flat sawn which will contain some riff sawn) over quarter sawn to take advantage of the full scope of the grain. And we share the same thoughts on solid wood use over plys and veneer. Even with the extremely high prices solid wood has advanced too.. I still prefer and try to use solid wood in the majority of cases.

Again.. thanks for bringing up the subject as I have intended to read the book for over two years now. Intentions are not action and it motivated me to take the time to implement action. Now I can scratch it off the list of "must do's" and add it to the list of "well worth the efforts"!

Regards...

Sarge..

[Tyler Purcell]

Neat article, Jim! I did not know that Nakashima had so much going on in Bucks County, my very home!

[Jim Becker]

Neat article, Jim! I did not know that Nakashima had so much going on in Bucks County, my very home!

Tyler, you MUST do that tour I mentioned. If you or your family are members of the James Mitchner Art Museum, they the cost is also discounted.