The tree as a symbol of tradition and sustainability in Japanese and Irish Woodcraft

<p dir="ltr">Focusing on contemporary woodworkers in Japan and Ireland, this thesis explores how the tree symbolises a connection to nature, tradition, and sustainability, highlighting the efforts made to preserve age old practices in a modern world that is overcome with industrialisation and consumerism. For this research paper I will investigate the philosophies of David Pye, William Morris, George Nakashima, Mihaly Csikszentsmihalyi, and more. This will be to help contextualise key concepts such as the Workmanship of Risk/Certainty, The Revival of Handicrafts, The Soul of the Tree, and Flow Theory, how these are linked in the world of craft across the world.</p><p dir="ltr">To explore this further I will centre the tree as both a material and a metaphor of sorts, with the aim of this study being to highlight the relevance of traditional craft in the face of industrialisation and mass production. The end goal of this thesis research is to answer why, in an age where efficiency often takes preference over preservation, that certain people choose to honour old traditions and the soul of the materials they work with.</p><p dir="ltr">I will use case studies and conduct interviews where possible of contemporary artisans from cultures who are both different but quite similar all the same. This will illustrate how woodworking artists can act as a bridge between the past and the future, framing and informing us of more sustainable practices and the instinctive human desire to create with intention and respect.</p>