What's the point of trudging through an avalanche debris field just to take the piece of wood home and make it into a vase that doesn't really do anything other than sit there? WELL LEMME TELL YA ALL ABOUT IT. #woodworking #lathe #trees
Justin, I wanted to let you know that my university sent out a campus wide email that they received a grant and had “left-over” money for the students to vote on what they would like to be added to campus. I know, kinda weird, but I’ll get to the point. You’ve inspired me to create a proposal for the university to create a creative workshop for students to decompress. Like you’ve mentioned previously, as humans we all have an innate desire to create and the satisfaction from making something of your own is unmatched. All this to say, you’ve inspired me to create, so I hope that I can pass this along to others. Wish me the best!
@@fallschannel4331I would look for “beginner woodworking tools” on youtube and there a numerous videos on what tools are needed to get started with different budgets. The machine that he uses in his video is called a lathe. Hope this helps!
You never need to apologize for making something that you want to make. I would stop watching if you only made things that were "important" A huge part of the draw of this channel is that you're just relaxing and enjoying the creative process. It seems obvious to me that even if you weren't filming, you would still be making these things just because you enjoy it, and that makes it all the more enjoyable for me that you choose to share your love of this craft and the knowledge you've accumulated with us.
"Functionless and fantastic" is maybe one of my favorite ways to sum up what you were talking about here. To create, just for the sake of creating, is such an important and beautiful expression of existence. We are here, and we can bring into being that which was not before. And I love how you expressed that! Thank you for always making such thoughtful and enjoyable content, and may those who most need to hear what you've said here find your channel and your videos. And everyone else too. Lol.
While watching this, I was working on a creative piece of my own that I have been struggling with because I have no purpose for it. It is not a gift for someone like my previous projects nor is it something particularly decorative. I started it simply because I wanted to, and it was bothering me to not have an end goal. Your beautiful ramble gave me the peace of mind and confidence I have been trying to build and have encouraged me to continue creating in the future if only because I enjoy it. Thank you for your videos and your art. You have been a source of genuine inspiration for me.
If it has no particular function but it still looks nice and you enjoy the piece, I would call it decorative. You can put it on a shelf or a ledge or the wall and just look at it. That's what being a decoration is
I feel this. Like, even something like sewing, my step-dad was like "what's the point of doing it yourself if it just ends up more expensive than if you just bought it?" And I get it, our time is so valuable, and it's very easy to see making something "useless" as a waste of time and thus a waste of money (on top of the money from materials and stuff). It's so hard to break out of that mindset.
The thing about making one's own clothes, I'm finding (as someone who is curvy and plus sized), is that whatever you make will A) fit you far far better (and more flatteringly) than anything you buy, and B) be far far more durable than many purchasable articles of clothing due to the fast fashion trends where some clothes will start to fall apart after only a handful of washes these days. That, to me is a greater waste of money than paying the extra for making my own clothes that have the potential to last me for years.
@@MissingRaptoralso, the feeling of having made something yourself is simply incredible. I recently made a hoodie, and even drew a decal which I was able to screen print onto it. I can't help but feel very proud whenever I wear it.
Why make a quilt when you can by a blanket at the store? Same question, different project. Because it looks better, feels better, has the emotions of "I made this", is tailored specifically to your tastes, and comes with bragging rights. Also, when it comes to clothes, you CAN'T always just buy it.
Ngl your "long and rambling rant" was the best part of the video imo. Honestly really inspiring stuff and as someone with depression was something I think I needed to hear. Tysm for doing what you do! :)
I too was drawn in and confused by the “uselessness “ of your vases but after seeing to apply oil and bring out the true colors and textures of the wood, it was clear that the vases were works of art. Thanks for making them!
Thank you so much for this reminder Justin, and all of your wonderful videos. As an artist & creator of many mediums, as well as someone who makes things to sell online, it’s difficult not to feel like every moment needs to be spent making things to sell, or that everything I create MUST have value and be desirable. But that takes out much of the wholesome joy and fulfillment of creation. Today I’m going to make something for no reason at all, maybe a gift for a friend or myself. Thanks :)
Honestly, I love what you do.. you let the art of the wood shine through with how simple you make your vases. Also, you have amazing wood facts and recipes on how to use edible parts of trees. As well as show how you can scavenge and sustainably do your passion! You're like a breath of fresh air in this consumer world!
im honestly super happy to see creators like you who make things for the sake of making it. as cool as it is seeing woodworkers making complicated cool tables or turning the most intricate vase in the history of man and whatever, its very imposing to watch as someone who is interested in the craft but very much unskilled. its great to have a reminder like this, that the stuff you make does not need to have any purpose, does not need to be good enough to be sold or even looked at. great video justin, lookin forward to the next already!
The way you talk about trees makes me actually want to learn more about some of the local ones in my area. Never thought hearing about resin deposits would be interesting to me before!
Hi Justin, I know I'm late to the party, but I'm a contemporary painter (getting a degree in fine arts and all that bs), and you have no idea how much your discourse about functionality is reasoning with me. I had to stop posting my paintings online for the sheer amount of people telling me how "they couldve done it better" or that it looked like a kid made it, that it was meaningless because it wasn't figurative and they couldn't immediately see the amout of study and technique behind it (most of my works take up to 4 months to make)... So thank you for spreading this message, and thank you for pushing people to not conform to beauty standards and thinking out of the box!
I’m gonna be honest, I don’t always like the things you turn or make. A lot of the time I just would’ve done it differently. But I’m not the one making it… everything you make is always uniquely yours and that’s what keeps me coming back for every video. You’re the main reason I got into woodworking and researching trees native to my area. Thank you Justin.
Hello Justin! I hope that I am not one of a few - but one of a majority, who understands and appreciates things that are not functional in a traditional sense. If it pleases your eye and/or your heart… that is not a useless thing. If it does something else nifty - that’s a bonus! I really like the things that you share about the wood, the beauty of each wood that you work with. Thank you for making these videos! Bright Blessings
My family has been woodworking for like 2 generations now and they mainly made decorative items that some are in museums now so keep doing what you’re doing because if not the world your family will remember and cherish it
I would absolutely love a vase series, the needy people that ask you to make something functional clearly miss that sometimes things can just be things, make stuff just to make stuff because its fun! Thanks for another great video!
That "rant" was such a good reminder that we are not meant to produce non-stop. Especially in today's world, making something for the sheer joy of creation is absolutely necessary. Thanks for the great videos, and please keep them coming. Some of us do love longer format RU-vid videos.
Not only do I love seeing what you make, but I thought your bit about "functional absolutists" and the preamble about all the things you personally enjoy about the woodworking you do was really fascinating! As a fellow artist (because you definitely ARE an artist!) the way you talk about your enjoyment of the trees and their wood really spoke to me. I think that curiosity and desire for exploration is why a lot of us are drawn to make things and I'm happy to hear you encouraging people to try it out. It's FUN! ❤ Also this vase is really gorgeous 🤩
I love the sentiment in this video. I make things a lot... crochet, wire-working, and cooking tends to be a way to keep my hands busy and show other people I love them. Never made it a serious side hustle or money-maker. Most of the reason I have any of it up for sale is just that I get weird about making a ton of stuff that ends up collecting dust in my house-- that clutter-free, proto-minimalist life some folks grew up with. As one maker to another, I'm with you. Function can be as simple as "it gave me something to do" or "it appeals to my eyes". Keep making, dude. :)
I grew up in a very crafty family, and this is one of the lessons I learned that I try to pass on to anyone I can. You can just make things for the joy of making them. They don't have to be up to even your own standards; you don't have to keep them. The second lesson is that you are the harshest critic of the things you make. You spend the longest time staring at them in detail, and you are the only one who has the image of what you were trying to make in your head. I give away most of my crafts, either to friends and family, or to a thrift store.
Gorgeous vase and you’re so right. We seldom do things just for the fun of it. Thank you for reminding me, I’ll be doing more stuff just to do them for my self. The road to a finished product is more fun that way too
I love the vases so much. I am a very nostalgic and object based person. I love my thrifted shirts like friends, I pick up pretty rocks everywhere I go, I save doodles my friends have done, just so in 5 years I can remember my life. The vases are so pretty, and each one does tell a story, and I will always watch them. You are my favorite content creator. Keep doing what you love.
Justin I just want you to know I went from watching your videos for entertainment to actually using them as tutorials for wood turning. I've always liked woodworking but my school's woodshop recently got a lathe and I've fallen in love with wood turning. Thank you for inspiring me
I love watching your long videos, no matter what you make Also your talk about creating just to create reminds me of how I've become comfortable with just drawing for myself and not strangers who will probably never see it anyways
I gravitate to your videos because I’m like you. I don’t have creative endeavors mapped out and follow a predetermined path. Sometimes I wonder where what I’m doing will lead. It’s unsettling so much of the time that I just know I’m doing it wrong. But watching your content helps me realize how much of the process is just being in the moment and enjoying the task, whether it leads to something or not. The most amazing endeavors in my life were once a fun experiment and only later became something big, I’ve never done anything remarkable when I had an outline from the beginning. Thank you.
I have so many logs sitting around to do just this, see how the wood looks after I turn it into a vase. I love watching all of your vase video's, it inspires me to get out on my lathe and see what I can make. I have yet to do a long skinny neck vase I think that might have to be one of my next try's. This vase turned out great! Keep up the awesome videos!
I enjoy watching anything and everything you make, and I think the reason I, and others, love your videos so much is the joy that we see in your face and hear in your voice. Your joy is contagious! To your “rant”, I wholeheartedly agree. I believe that God created all of the beauty in the world for us to enjoy. We are supposed to use our talents to create. This age of social media has ruined so much of the sheer joy in simple things. Thank you for ranting, and thank you for continuing to make and to inspire. 😊
I found you making pinecone donuts and now I'm in trouble for using all my wife's sugar and filling the back of the pantry with mason jars of potential mugolio and I couldn't be happier. Thank you for the awesome content and introducing me to some new fun cooking ideas.
I appreciate for you putting that out there for everyone. I know I get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and I choose not to do things simply because there isn’t some sort of functionality to it, however I desire to do things for the sheer enjoyment of seeing something I created and not have any greater purpose than that. So with that being said I will be getting back to the things that I enjoy in my spare time that serve me only so much as I enjoy them.
personally i love carvin little trinkets and things, but by far watchin you turn vases has been the most fun. Screw those people who want you to stop doin somethin you like doin, just for their entertainment! its so cool to see the ways the grain plays on simple shapes more often than on an elaborately carved sculpture. thats the beauty of art and woodworkin in general, you can choose what aspects you want to work on and shape your piece around that! all of us here LOVE your videos! keep doin what you love and we'll all be along for the ride, ready and eager to support!!
Usually I don't comment but I wanted to say that I really loved to hear about your rant. I resonate with the idea of making art to make art. Even for no one but you. Plus the vase is really pretty looking! I love all the contrast of the wood. So cool how it's all in one tree.
I watch a lot of creative hobbies channels like this one many of them being crazy wood working or sculpturing channels, but I ALWAYS prioritize these videos over anyone else's. Justin, you bring a level of meditative optimism, humor, and knowledge to this field that is captivating in its own right, not even to mention your impressive skill and love for wood working
Justin, I really enjoy your content (both long form and short as dictated by attention deficit prewiring). Most of all, the draw is in its conformity to an Arthur Ashe quote: “Start where you are, Use what you have, Do what you can”
To me the draw of your videos isn't necessarily what you are making but more of what you are talking about. I love learning about trees from you and the different recipes you share. The things you make are more of a bonus and I find wood working really satisfying. So no matter what you are making I will always tune in to see what I can learn. ❤
I always love how inclusive you are and how approachable you make your work. At the same time, you manage to make truly beautiful art. Very impressive balance
Two thing: 1. Beautiful vase as always! I love how you took a piece of wood many would consider trash and turned it into art. 2. I appreciate your rant so much. You put into words what I have tried to explain to so many people for years yet never could seem to help them understand. Creating to create is a habit people seem to have lost. With the ever increasing pressure to sell yourself, the joy of making art has dwindled and been replaced with a checklist. I can’t even deny that I’ve fallen into that soul draining trap before. I hope everyone gives themselves a chance to create for the sake of finding the freedom of art.
Your rembling was such a good thing to hear. It validates the things I like to do even if they're "useless". Whether it be stopping on the side of the street to pick up a rock, branch or leaf just to look at it for a few seconds or to do some collage. The things you do don't need to have a practical use for anyone. Thank you for this reminder ! Love your videos, they're really relaxing ! 🥰
i love your comments during this video. even before you mentioned this specifically, i was thinking about how i have this exact problem. i often want to create things, then i do, and i get stuck in my head about it not being "useful" or "practical". logically i know it doesn't have to be, but it's so great to hear it from another person. it's also something that i really enjoy about your channel - you clearly make stuff that you just think is fun, and that's the most fun part as a viewer too!
I agree with all the compliments...i had just started picking up wood carving due to the urge of making something with wood and i stumbled on your Channel that ive been bringing ever since....keep doing what you do, those who love your channel understand perfectly what it's about, I for one I'm greatful...
Justin, I live in Oklahoma. I love wood-related anything. I like to build tables and I whittle. You’ve inspired me to get into woodturning. I could get on here and watch you make a vase every day and it not get old.
Well, they are unique and amazingly created, he did it!!!! he likes it, we’re just the viewers, watching what he loves to do!😊❤ and we should appreciate it
Justin, you’re videos are an amazing testament to human creativity whether or not they are functional and I, and many others I’m sure, enjoy them to a great degree. Whatever project you wind up working on will be cool and fun so long as you are passionate about it. Thank you for your videos and epic knowledge of trees!
That's why I love these videos. Even though your skills are not ones I fully possess, it's along the same lines of what I do. I go out into the garage, see what materials I have, that combined with whatever I've been looking at online/found inspiration from determines what creative effort I will be diving into. It is one of the few ways I maintain sanity, and it doesn't matter if there's value or function for anybody else, because it already served a purpose for me even if it's a total failure in the end.
Thanks for rambling. You said it perfectly. I agree. That's why I watch you: beauty from your hands from tossed away wood. Beauty for my eyes. Thank you. Do not get discouraged by the naysayers. There must be more of us than them! Love , hugs from Grandma Judy
This reminded me to A: check on how my spruce beer tastes (after starting it after your slish video) and B: I have a knife blank that i started and should go work on, even if it doesn't turn out right. Because you gotta start somewhere, and sometimes learning through doing is more helpful than a million youtube videos. Thanks Justin. You making things is incredible, and you, as an artist and human deserve to make whatever you want however you want to. Its incredible, you're incredible, thanks.
NEVER APOLOGIZE for adding beauty to the world, or even just your home. I have followed you from TikTok and the US map of the State Trees. You do BEAUTIFUL work. If some people don't "get it" or think it is "Non-functional" or "useless", that is on them. It is their loss, that they do not see the beauty in what you find in those wood piles. Keep the videos coming, Justin. We, the enlightened, love them. 🥰😊
Loved your rant bro, your spot on. I’ll carve spoons or make a bowl and give it away or just throw it in a pile, doesn’t need to be the latest and greatest work of art that functions for some crazy purpose, just making something with your hands and passing the time is all we need sometimes 🤙🏽
that rant about creativity is honestly one of my most important life philosphies; something doesn't need to be inherently Useful to inherently Important. so many people leave art by the wayside as somethin useless, that enjoyment of creation is a waste of time, but the act of creatin art is one of the most important things for the human psyche! so often do i wish we could all return to the mental state of our childhoods, when we'd draw without worry that it might not be perfect, or wonderin if it'll serve any purpose or further our careers. i think the world would be a better place if we all had the freedom to sit down n make something just because we enjoy doin it
I WANT more videos like this. You inspire me to keep making rings and bowls out of wood. btw I still a kid so teaching how to make things would help a lot!!!!
I found your "rant" to be very inspiring. And I really liked the bottle. To me, it looked like there were several "dog faces" on the bottle - and when you placed it in front of your dog, I laughed. I'm sure you saw them, too, and did that on purpose. Thanks for sharing.
i often hear talk of “making for the sake of making” or “creating for your own sake” but your expansion of those thoughts presented here really got through to me, and i actually feel for once that i deserve to make things just for them to exist. thankyou sincerely :)
Putting words to what I've been thinking about for a while! Screw the cult of productivity! Let things just exist! Really digging the marks on that vase! Look like some silly little dogs!
Creating for the sake of creating is so important, and it can make one feel so good in so many ways. I'm glad you talked about it, because I think more people need to hear it.
thank you so much for putting subtitles on this video. not a lot of youtubers take the time to do so, but it means a lot to those of us who need them, it really is appreciated. they make the video much more enjoyable
Justin, your commentary brought to mind my days (years, in total) playing piano, creating music noone else will hear or buy. A creatibe outlet, music or woodworking, whatever, i feel is a necessity in human survival. Thanks for sharing your work with us
I love taking random pieces of wood and seeing what i can make out of it. The most fulfilling projects are the ones you enjoyed the most. Ignore the haters. I for one love what youre doing.
Justin, your "rant" is so exactly perfect for these times that I was rewinding parts to hear it again. Let me introduce you to a wonderful word long used by craftfolk and artists: vessel. It's come to mean something that looks like a container but isn't functional entirely. Or rather, its function is to be a 'non-container', or a utilitarian piece raised to the art level, celebrating the making and the material and its properties. We need pieces like this, to see the mark of the human hand in making slow pieces, not identical nearly perfect things churned out by factories. I love that you said we don't need permission to make stuff, just do it and the joy you experience will show through in the work.
Every lathe channel I have ever watched videos from only made decorative items, most didn't even talk about what they were making let alone the trees the wood came from. I love that you not only make things like bowls and spoons and food, but also talk about where the wood comes from. I have no problem with you also making purely decorative items.
Wow Justin! Thank you for what you've said about creation not having to be functional but just something you make for the sake of making. It's really important to get these kinds of reminders from time to time. I actually graduated in june from a creative cursus with design and glass working and even then, I sometimes forgot that I wanted to create things for myself before doing so for anyone else. So thank you very much and thank you for these non-short format videos that people tend to forget even though they are so great. Also, great vase 😊👌
I'd argue that that vase isn't functionless, it is decorative at the very least, art is never functionless, personally I find a wooden vase like that not only beautiful, but also meditative, and calming.
Justin, i would watch you make 20,000 more vases. I have never loved trees more than after I started watching your videos, and I hope you never stop making
Your "rant" is more important than most people may realize. Enjoying what you do just for the pure enjoyment, is life's greatest joys making it the ultimate goal
Hello Justin, lots of greetings from Germany! I am a carpenter myself and very used to creating things with a purpose (and a deadline) Since becoming a mother I rediscovered my love for crafting. And I literally mean crafting (cutting things out, gluing them together, meshing colours together, painting, decorating) and I realised it’s one of the few things I do with ALL my attention. It makes my feel like I am a kid again and I enjoy it so much. I really stay away from anything to related with wood because it always triggers the perfectionist and carpenter in me. Many people (my husband included) ask my why I don’t buy old furniture, make them beautiful again and sell them. A I just don’t want to. It’s just not fun for me anymore when I have the pressure of selling (or showing). Lots of paintings and other things I end up throwing away if I’m not in love with them and that’s perfectly fine. Because I just made them for me and for the purpose of making them. This is my first ever comment on a RU-vid video because what you said gave my little heart a really good feeling. I’m looking forward to more full length videos of you. Michelle
You pulled out a very nice piece of wood there, and demonstrated something that some folk don't necessarily understand, which is that ALL pieces of wood have a function, no matter what happens to them. If you had not selected that piece of broken tree, its function would have been to provide food for fungi and insects, or maybe fuel for a fire. Instead, you turned it into a chunk of wood that catches the human eye, and either stimulates discussion/comment, or, in my case, gives simple visual pleasure. Thanks!!
11 месяцев назад
Absolutely loved the rant! As someone who's main hobby is crochet, i've heard a lot of people saying I should sell pieces and though It's a lovely compliment, I will not monetise that hobby as I feel it would totally take the joy out of it. You keep doing your un-hollowed vases, they're awesome 🤩
Your videos are wonderfully relaxing, and I don't come here for a wildly competent wood worker who makes ultra functional pieces. I come for a guy who loves trees and foraging and stuff. And you definitely deliver, it's great!
I have learned so much from you, and I've really enjoyed watching you work on your craft and see your creativity bloom!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful art and knowledge, and please never apologize for following your passion!!
"Make things just because you feel like it" is such a nice moral to hear again, for anxious creatives like me... It's really easy to just, lose sight of the simple little fact that, you should do things for you.
I really appreciate your message of creating things just to create and not for any pne else or to sell. One of my favorite hobbies my entire life has been drawing. I've never sold a single picture, but there is something so peaceful and enjoyable about just sitting down with my sketchbook and drawing something random for funsies
I needed this video and your voice over. I'm disabled and reconnecting with art after extreme burn out. You inspire me to slow down, to have fun, to dig into my interests and draw from there, from me and what makes me happy. Thank you, and also, I love your content. Its good for my brain and I love learning more about trees!!!
It’s my birthday today and hearing this advice is the best way to start it. Art’s function is to communicate. It’s mean to be an extension of the artist and their mind manifested into some form of artistic expression. It’s function is to bring ourselves together in joy, either by yourself or with others. It’s the beauty of the human mind on display for the world to see
The timing of this video couldnt have been more perfect. I had just began to think how little progress or effort into making photography a career for myself. This video reminded me that I need to enjoy the art of photography itself. Thank you. I look forward to the next video as usual!
Love watching your videos! And its always fun when my imagination kicks in during the video by looking for figures in the wood your turning. Like this one, where my brain goes "Oh! I see a bear!". Just love it❤
The Way you love trees makes me think of the way I love the one who made the trees, and I am so glad you love what the "Tree of Life" has made and I enjoy seeing what you make from His Creations. God Bless!!
You're absolutely right in your rant!! Totally & utterly!! My theory is that mankind has had to make, by hand, everything s/he wanted and needed from the time humans became humans. Thus there's a really strong need in each of us to *make*. It doesn't matter what it is, it's the doing, the making, that counts. Obviously some will go on to be competent in their craft, some may even go on to be outstanding, but the majority of us should put no pressure on ourselves and make for the sake of making. It's fun and yes, very beneficial, maybe even necessary to one's mental health. So well done, you, for saying it, and for doing it 🎉🎉🎉! K from Kent, UK
Thank you so much for your long rambling rant! I love creating, but it's gotten hard recently because of the subconscious thought that if the thing I'm creating can't be used for something, is it worth my time to create it? It's been taking my joy of creating away. So, thank you so much for making this video and verbalizing that it's ok to make for the sake of making. I have a long way to go to correct my thinking, but your video is a helpful step in the right direction! Thanks!
You make what you want, you started this as something as a passion for yourself. Many people enjoy watching whatever you post, to watch the process of whatever it may be and for your stories and commentary. Just because some people aren’t happy with your content, doesn’t mean you should have to bend to their complaints. You do you, and we’ll be here watching
I’ve made 3 dry flower wood vases since I started watching your channel. One today. All vases were from a maple tree I cut down years ago from my yard. Thanks for the inspiration. One of my first projects was making a candle boat from an Aspen log from my back yard. Now I’m looking for interesting wood when I’m out fly fishing. Art and beauty don’t need a function. But woodworking is important to my mental health. Making something helps with overwhelm and grief.
This video sums it up so beautiful. We forgot to make without purpose, and not to do anything at all, just be. Because we have been wired in this society to work hard, be active, be useful and functional all the time, we forget it's ok just to be as we are, be creative, be lazy, rest, enjoy, be kind, be silly without having to perform constantly. Neoliberal capitalism, hm. I learned a lot since my burn out a few years ago. Thank you SO SO MUCH Justin, your words resonate with me. Not only is what you say so valuable, the way you point it out is "een pareltje". Greetings from Antwerp, Belgium
