Tänusõnadega Meelis Kihulase vastselt ilmunud raamatule / To Kihulane and his book, with gratitude

Abstract

Estonian traditional woodwork varies widely in its technical and design aspects, but for recent generations this amazing wealth has been accessible only via museum displays. Fortunately, there are people who have dedicated themselves
to bringing heritage crafts back to life. Sooner or later the practitioners of traditional crafts arrive at an understanding that technical knowledge is not enough: at least half the quality of the final result depends on finding suitable material
to work with, and on how this material has been collected, stored, and prepared. The choice of good and appropriate tools is also key. As the author states in the introduction to this book, a good working knowlege of each tree species’ wood
characteristics is the basis for all subsequent work.

Estonian traditional crafts have undergone a revival during the past decades. Meelis Kihulane is one of the guiding stars of this process, being skilled at making bentwood objects, one of the most complex areas of traditional crafts. Even more importantly he has now completed a book. This book is accompanied with videos which, with their easy-to-follow instructions, provide information for each stage of the work process of a kind that could not be conveyed by merely verbal descriptions.

This enables his fans and followers to embark upon making their own bentwood objects, guided through the most difficult phases of the work by the master’s peacefully narrated instructions. Some people may be more inclined to woodworking than others, but perhaps the trees themselves have taught master Kihulane such a meditative, yet very efficient, way of working and teaching.