keep making mistakes
blue ox millworks and historic park
(our venue for jason in eureka)
human-powered jigsaw! operated by eric hollenbeck, blue ox owner, creator, craftsman–
more human-powered machines–
plus, several printing presses! and many cases of type!–
(guess what??? i am learning how to set type!! we are going to try to make a letterpress poster for the play, and i am sorta taking the lead on that project. am pretty thrilled about it. more later.)
slice of 1400-year-old redwood logged 100 years ago–
the place is beautiful and rugged and dusty as heck. eric has led an incredibly full life, is full of stories, tells us about all the “mistakes” he’s made in his life, and says to us (something along the lines of) “i figure if i keep making mistakes, i’ll be all right.” lots of the machines he has he found in ditches or the woods, abandoned. he built his business out of what came to him, literally–these machines. the old-growth redwood he uses is all salvage, and he’s been involved in tons of home restoration projects (gorgeous intricate victorian detailing and the like). he also runs a school (for high schoolers) of traditional arts at blue ox–woodworking, blacksmithing, printing. it is a pretty exciting place to be. the air is full of sawdust and good vibes.
other than that–i am tired out. been listening to so many stories, some of which are not mine to tell here.
