Some craftsmanship seen at Winter Count 2014.  Moving a little closer to a hand-made life, one skill at a time.

Ceramics by Roger Dorr, Woodwork by Mick Robins.

Hand made pottery made by artisans who collect the raw clays, slips, and paints make for greatly loved cookware and cups.  Wood turned on a foot-powered lathe from cleared alder trees make for intimate dinnerware.

The wares of just one of the many great craftspeople associated with Backtracks and the Society of Primitive Technology.

Many cultures are represented at the gatherings but in the Southwest, the black-on-white ceramics dominate the fancy wares.

Packbasket

Packbaskets are found worldwide but only in small sectors of the western population.  This one is particularly beautiful.

Making a bowl by burning and scraping.  Delicious ducks roasting in the background.

Even a simple bowl can be a satisfying accomplishment when it holds it’s first meal.

Fresh deer skins being turned into buckskin.

A lot of time and labor goes into dressing a fresh deer hide but the payoff is immense.  Buckskin clothing will last for many many years.

Perfectly tanned hides by “Digger”.

Skilled artisans and craftsmen can make the best customers as they know and understand the care and effort that goes into a handcrafted project.

The talent doesn’t end with the crafting of artifacts.  People who “Make” have skills that reach far beyond the world of modern consumption.  The primitive technology crowd brims over with artists and musicians of many types and genres.

More making, less taking.