The Hands Will Follow The Vision

Nov

I was looking through some of my old notes and materials I’ve collected over the years from my dear friend and mentor Eugene Clark and came across the following quote that he made during an interview for the Guild Of American Luthiers in the Spring 2003 publication.

“It is what is in the mind’s eye and what is in the mind’s ear that the hands will produce! When as beginners we see our first crude productions we may think that what is lacking is skill. No. It is the vision that is lacking. It takes a lifetime to mature the vision. The hands will follow the vision.”- Eugene Clark

I originally studied with him to learn the art of French polishing which I currently use on all my guitars but ended up having my eyes opened to the deep richness of the craft of lutherie, the heritage of the Spanish guitar, and to the joy and reward of building guitars with simple hand tools and from simple natural materials.

Eugene is one of the few true masters alive today and has amassed an incredible wealth of knowledge and understanding about the art of guitar making. If you are looking for a true Flemenco guitar built in the style of the old Spanish Masters such as Santos Hernandez and Torres, then seek him out, you will be glad you did.

Posted on Sunday, November 29th, 2009 by tom

Fan Fret

Genesis G2n Fan Fret

Genesis G2n

About Me

I have been on my personal journey through the art of guitar making for over 10 years now. During this time I’ve grown through the various stages, from novice to intermediate, and on to whatever this stage is I am in now. In my experience, the early stages of lutherie are based on the honing and improvement of skill and the acquiring of knowledge. This type of growth can only take you to a certain point. At that level it has reached its limit, because the aforementioned facets of this craft are focused on my ability. Therefore they are limited to what I can do and what I can know, which might be pretty good by some standards but is certainly only a microscopic glimpse of what can be possible. As I’ve continued to grow as a luthier I’ve begun to understand that the leap from very good to mastery is not a leap of skill or knowledge as it is moving from stage to stage in the earlier developmental plateaus of this craft. It is the attitude of the heart. It’s the jump from the confines of the self to the limitlessness of the Creator.
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Services

Each piece of wood already has a voice within. A resonance and a life of its own placed there by Gods own hand. It’s my job to listen for it, and to hear and see its unique potential. Like a seed, this voice lies dormant, waiting for the nurturing touch of a sincere heart. It must be watered and cultivated even in its infancy were to the natural eye it doesn’t look like much. I am able to embark on this creative journey because I have the vision of its potential. I’ve heard the dream of its song in my heart.

You have a seed, a hope, an idea that you want to express through your music and your instrument. My job is to help you communicate that vision and to create an instrument that is as unique as you and the music that only you can create
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