Like a lot of makers, a significant portion of my time involves working in solitude, or at least in focused isolation on the task at hand. My best work results when I enjoy this part, but I’ve learned how to trick my way into the appropriate attitude to just get the job done if need be (see ‘Craftitude’). One of the reasons I enjoy making studios visits and interviews with fellow makers is to learn about their mental strategies- what constitutes the ‘work behind the work’, so to speak; what is the relationship between their inner dialogue and its outward expression in object form? As I prepare for a sequence of demanding projects in the woodshop, I’m thankful to be reminded by my recent studio visit with Angelina DeAntonis how important it is to keep the focus on beginnings.