New story: "The Sculptor vs. The Robots"
As automation spreads into the art world, American sculptor Fred X. Brownstein proudly fights off the incursion, even using the same Italian marble once favored by Michelangelo.
Dear Friends,
We’ve been saving the best for last in this issue, and today, we are proud to bring you this in-depth profile of Fred X. Brownstein, one of the last remaining masters of Classical figurative marble-carving. This story, which has been many months in the making, focuses on Brownstein’s fight to preserve stone sculpting’s centuries-old traditions, as robotics and other automated tools take hold even in the world of fine arts.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading our newest feature, “The Sculptor vs. The Robots,” written by Thomas Cooper.
This story concludes our Winter issue — but if you missed a story or two, the entire issue will remain accessible in our free, online Archives. Next week our Spring issue begins, in which we’ll highlight how and where the artisans of the future are learning their crafts and trades. Each Friday, we’ll release a feature story, short article, mini-documentary, photo essay, or podcast that relates to our mission — to “create a world built to last.” Along with stories that speak to each issue’s theme, we always have works on other topics, so please, stay tuned.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read, watch, or listen to within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause when you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Be well,
Todd Oppenheimer
Editor & Publisher, Craftsmanship Quarterly
Winter 2023: The New Stone Age
When humans first embarked on their incessant quest for innovations, they began tinkering with little more than the rocks and stones at their feet. The Stone Age endured for more than 2 million years, and the stonework remains of ancient civilizations — from the Megalithic Temples of Malta to Stonehenge to the Great Pyramids — continue to awe and fascinate us today. Throughout the world, stone is still quarried for use in grand monuments, memorials, and much more. In this issue, along with other topics, we highlight some modern-day devotees of this timeless, prehistoric material.