Lessons About Mugs From a Master Craftsman
Besides writing, people-observing and doodling, I recently took up Māori weaving. I'm learning to weave baskets but one of the traditional Māori weaving techniques that I admire is Tukutuku.
Tukutuku are woven panels that are created by two people. One person stands at the front and passes a weaving strip through to a person standing at the back of the panel.
The person at the front is responsible for making sure the pattern is right while the person at the back is responsible for knotting the weaving strips properly so they don't come undone.
My father learned tukutuku as an apprentice carver when he was 17 and went on to create many artworks incorporating tukutuku over 70 years that followed. He taught my sisters how to weave tukutuku.
In the photo above, my sister Veranoa is at the back of the Tukutuku panel.
And pictured below: Veranoa's husband Sam at the front of the panel setting the design.
Veranoa tells how our father would inspect the front and the back of the Tukutuku panels and if he found a mistake at the back, no matter how much work had been done, he would get a Stanley knife and cut every single knot. The weavers would then have to start again.
My Dad would say, "the back should be as good as the front".
It sounds harsh now, but Dad wasn't really teaching tukutuku. He was teaching standards.
It is this lesson that I remembered when I began thinking about the mugs.
My answer to the challenge to make the back as good as the front is to include a story, or insider truth or joke about a particular hobby.
For instance, the back of the "I'd rather be Baking!" mug was inspired by Veranoa who loves to bake and often says "remember to add a cup of love!" I think all bakers will understand that, along with the people who get to enjoy what they bake.
So on the back of each 'I'd Rather Be' mug you will find a little something to make you smile or nod your head knowingly. If the "I'd Rather Be . . ." happens to be your hobby or the hobby of someone you know - it's likely you'll 'get it'.
The one thing that is a departure from my Dad's high standard is that the doodles aren't perfect. Deliberately so.
The doodles actually reflect how we hobbyists are with our hobbies - we start as novices. Our form, or pace or line or shape of what we do may not be perfect, but we tend not to judge ourselves too much. We forgive ourselves for the imperfections because - well, when it comes to hobbies, pastimes and passions - that's half the fun!
Share Your Mug Story
I'd love to hear the story behind your mug.
Why did you choose it?
What does it mean to you?
Is there a hobby, passion, dream, memory, or person behind it?
Some stories may be featured in the I'd Rather Be Journal (with your permission).
