The life a stonemason… part 3
Eventually all those carpenter bees leave and peace once again returns to the mason’s life as he returns to his stonework.
And they all lived happily ever after.
The end.
Originally posted 2015-04-15 11:13:17.
The life of a stonemason… part 3
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I’m actually considering becoming a stonemason after I graduate. I really this three part post that you have shared. It has motivated and excited me about this type of work. Thanks for sharing this.
Kyler, thank you for the kind words about the post… it was just a few simple words, but it came from the heart… and years of experience.
Stone masonry is tough on the back, so work carefully or you will have to give up this career far too soon.
In order to make a good living at it you will need to either get really good… or get big.
Either way you will need to not only learn the craft, but become a businessman, and a marketer.
Getting big often creates money, and often robs one of the joy in the work. So if you seek satisfaction… go for being the best.
Study the work of old, spend years copying the best of yesterday. Get a reputation in doing this.
After a decade or so, you can slowly start to add some of your own artistic flare to it.
The real challenge ahead of you is not the craft, you can learn it through practice and become the best. Your challenge will be in finding people to pay you for it. You need to find an affluent area where people appreciate good stonework and are willing to pay for it. It’s a great idea to work in a small artistic stone company to learn the craft and pay attention to how the business operates… work at a place that mirrors what you want your future business to be.
Beware of companies that do stone veneer on huge projects… you will become a machine. Strive to become an artist.
Noah
It’s sad to be under-affluent…like me. Longing to live in and appreciate yesterday’s craft even moreso than an affluent person. Seems men have traded the ‘value’ of a home or barn such as these for their own personal worth (as you suggest…) which has created the manufactured dilemma we have today. Greed has been replaced by sound judgement, honor, dignity and the non-monetary value of a finished product. I have been left out of the loop with my Grandfathers’ humble trade as a builder such as yourself. He was on the roof well into his eighties, stout and strong, known for his loyalty to make things right on a handshake, but never was he affluent nor placed himself in that realm. He didn’t finish school past the sixth grade but he was brilliant beyond today’s mental and physical prison man has made for himself. He taught me by watching and doing…pounding out used nails and witnessing him hammer them straight. He came from a time of scarcity, nothing went to waste, but obtained a sense of peace when a job was well done. My inheritance is not money…but the wisdom and memories of my Grandpa/father is. I come here because of him. Thank you.
Hi Dee,
Thank you for sharing!
How fortunate you are to have had a grandfather to set an example and… to share his skills. I too am so thankful for all those who shared their skills with me through example.
The path in house building, from what once was, to where we are today, has taken decades… valued features have ever so slowly been phased out at a pace as to almost be imperceptible. For example, every home once had a masonry fireplace… and then they became fabricated… and now even those are considered a frivolous feature. I could go on an on… a lot has been cheapened. I’m not certain how much of this has been as a result of greed (but you might be right)… to me it’s been more of a trade off… a focus on having more space, and more comfort, today… while sacrificing value, durability, freedom, soul-satisfying craftsmanship, and consideration for future generations. We have all paid a great price for it (but very few are aware of it… yet).
Perhaps the greatest tragedy in all of this is the disconnect in a generational connection of these skills and the importance of them being practiced and passed on. It doesn’t take long before it’s lost. Your grandfather’s simple act of straightening a nail will be foreign to most.
It’s up to all of us, you and I… to pass it on.
I have built many homes for affluent clients. Most of them wonderful people… only one two nut cases (lol). I am appreciative to each one of them that have enabled me to practice my craft and feed my family. The homes I have built for them all would have been out of my financial reach if I had to hire someone else to build for me. But the wonderful thing about knowing how to build empowers all of us to create wonderful homes for ourselves.
With your skills… your passion and drive… and your talent with words… I am sure you will find a way to achieve your dream home… If I can do it… you can as well.
Noah