At some level, all endeavors, not just those labeled "art", may call upon our creative instincts.<\/p>\n
The experienced practitioner has the good sense to listen to and respect the muscle memory and intuition born of years of practice, as described here by custom builder Mark Ellison:<\/p>\n
\u201cYour body just knows how to do it,\u201d he said. \u201cIt understands weight and leverage and space in a way that your brain would take forever to figure out.\u201d It was the same sense that told Ellison where to set a chisel or if another millimetre of wood had to come off. \u201cI know this carpenter named Steve Allen,\u201d he said. \u201cHe turned to me one day and he said, \u2018I don\u2019t get it. When I do this work, I have to concentrate, and you\u2019re just talking your fool head off all day long.\u2019 The secret is, I don\u2019t think. I figure something out and then I\u2019m done thinking. I don\u2019t bother with my brain anymore."<\/em><\/p>\n
![\"Builder](\"https:\/\/www.mohonkimages.com\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6a01156f6c1fc1970b0263e97aee97200b-500wi.jpg\" "\\"Builder")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"