The upper sign is the one from which this post takes its title and it reads, "IF YOU WORK WITH YOUR HANDS, YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART.....YOU ARE A CRAFTSMAN". I think most model builders would readily speak about how they work with their hands to create their miniature worlds and the trains that run through them. Most would even speak about the thought process behind their modeling. But for a few, maybe more than I realize, the real core of what motivates them to model is what lives in their heart.
There's a balance in each of us who consider ourselves craftsmen* between hands, head and heart, and that looks different for each. The technician may focus on the tools and mastery of their use while the historian or operations-guru digs deep into the minutiae behind the model. But for us model builders who seek to improve our skills, that is, strive to be better craftsmen, I think it is a good idea to examine what is the role of the 'heart' for each of us.
Somewhere in the creation of each model we build is a moment of imagination, or a scent of memory, or the simple joy of creation that comes from the heart. I suspect that for some who lose interest in a particular model or facet of the hobby or the hobby itself, there is a point at which the heart is no longer in it. Or it may be a fear, (a corollary of love that takes up residence in the heart sometimes) perhaps of making a mistake or failing to meet an unrealistic expectation, that stops us.
When I get right down to the heart of the matter (no pun intended), I find personally that I am invigorated by imagination and the story of the scene I'm creating, or the joy of overcoming a challenge or learning a new skill. My happiest times as a model builder have been when my hands and head and heart have all been working together. When I read this sign I immediately took a photo and knew it would be the subject of a blog post, because it resonated instantly and deeply within this craftsman's heart.
*I'm not trying to be gender exclusive, but there really isn't a better term in general use. Craftsperson is awkward and adding 'ship' to the end makes it doubly so. I get 'Flight Attendants' and 'Servers' instead of 'Stewardesses' and 'Waitresses', but those also have male counterparts as 'Stewards' and 'Waiters'. 'Craftswomen' may be correct as a counterpart, but I've never heard it used. 'Potter', 'Glassblower' and 'Blacksmith', like 'Model Railroader', all function without assigning a gender, so the problem (if there is one) may be in finding an alternative to the general group. Perhaps this is what the 'Maker' moniker is trying to be? Leave your thoughts in the comments below on this or the article in general.
