The carpenter is a craftsman. He creates useful objects, so that he can fill the stomachs of himself and his family. The woodcarver is an artist. He creates attractive objects, so that he can fill the souls of himself and his brethren. Unfortunately, many carpenters lack insight, no matter what may grace their table, and many artists starve, despite their spiritual wealth.
The wood-wright, however, balances the two. Seeing the beauty of function as well as the function of beauty. By practicing both the art and the craft of his medium, he gains a far greater understanding of beauty, function, and his medium. The medium may change, be it wood, metal, silicon, people, data, emotion, or anything more simple or complex. All things indeed may be a medium to one with the proper skills and the proper tools.
* * *To master the craft and art of all things, then, is a worthy purpose for any who see themselves worthy of the purpose. To this end, this [writing] is being created for to be a wright of all things, one must understand the nature thereof. In these pages, I and others have, do, and will set into record thought on any and all things that occur to us.
This is by no means all inclusive! No volume now or ever could even hope to accomplish this. The point here is not to set down hard rules, as none could be devised that would be of use to this end; rules restrict, which is counter to the purpose. This exists to provoke, aid, and supplement thought of all forms! Do not allow it to restrict in any way!
* * *The wright manipulates his medium to any of an infinite number of ends. I say manipulate, no necessarily change. Often it is preferable not to change your medium. For example:
A wood-wright makes a box. He cuts the wood, revealing new surfaces; parts of the grain that were not visible before are now visible. When he joins the cut pieces to form the box, areas of the wood-grain that were visible before are concealed. He changes the shape of the wood to fit his purposes. It manifests a different form; it looks different, but it is still wood with all properties attributed thereto.
In this case, to change the wood might strengthen it, but it might simply weaken it.