Every now and then I come across something where it’s hard to adequately appreciate the object’s simple perfection (no need to remind me about how subjective that might be). The best of those times are occasionally when it’s something I’ve made, but really it can be anything; A perfect leather jacket or a 100 year old wooden table usually fit the bill for me. I relish those moments when the thing is just perfect, and looking at it or holding it is wholly satisfying.
So many things leave my busy mind wondering what could be done to improve them, smooth an edge, sharpen a corner, a little tweak that might go a long way. But I’m on about the other side of that coin right now, the sigh of pleasure and slightly up-turned corners of your mouth when something is exactly right. For me it’s great when you not only rely upon the simple correctness of an object but you continually appreciate it as it stays with you. That’s the high-water mark for everything that leaves my foundry. Not that it’s always hit, but after all these years it still catches me by surprise how much pleasure the simple things bring me. I’ll paraphrase a man much smarter than I who said anything worth doing is worth doing like a professional.
