What Science Says About Craft, Creativity, and Mental Health
For nearly 30 years, woodworking has provided Miles Boudreaux with purpose, connection, and a creative "fix." Now, science is catching up to what he’s learned from experience.
Dear Friends,
Whatever the craft or experience level, those who work with their hands have always felt that there’s something timeless, even healing, about the endeavor. Now, a growing body of research confirms what professional artisans and hobbyists have sensed all along: Creative labor not only sharpens our skills, it’s good for our brains.
Miles Boudreaux, who co-leads the woodworking department at The Crucible in Oakland, CA, has known for decades that meaning, community, and lifelong health benefits can be found in the humblest of places: the workbench. This week’s story explores some of the science that proves it’s not just “in his head.”
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What Science Says About Craft, Creativity, and Mental Health
Story by
Miles Boudreaux doesn’t need science to tell him woodworking is good for his mental health. His vocation—which is also his hobby—has given him daily respite for almost 30 years.
Boudreaux, 53, co-leads the woodworking department at The Crucible, an industrial arts space in Oakland, CA, where he teaches his craft to small groups of adults and school-aged kids.
Boudreaux started out as a carpenter in residential construction. He now teaches woodworking full-time, in addition to making custom-built furniture on commission. He’s so hooked on the feeling of wood in his hands that even after a full day of classes, he’ll relish the extra hour he can squeeze in after putting his 10-year-old daughter to bed, using the time to work on a new wooden container or a customized bench.
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