Sam Maloof, one of nine children of Lebanese immigrants who settled in Chino, California, has died.  I knew of him from the Fine Woodworking magazines I subscribed to because I had some pretensions of being a fine woodworker.  I made puppets and built three dulcimers from kits, but that was about it.  I remember looking at the work of Sam Maloof printed in Fine Woodworking and wishing I had his gifts, his drive and his success in transforming wood BY HAND into works of art.

Sam Maloof's pieces are in museums, the White House and have been sought by the super rich who recognize one of a kind of genius - like painting by van Gogh, Raphael or one of a kind creations of other original artists.  Sam Maloof was an artist.

He gave workshops around the country and I was fortunate to have a friend who noticed the announcement of his appearance nearby and would I like to go with him.  It should have been the other way around for I was more of a worker in wood by hand than my friend.  So, we went and were awed by a man who could explain what he had in mind and then carrying it out by use of hand tools.  He showed how the product he produced was the result of much hand scrubbing, sanding and finishing off so that the final product was truly fine woodworking.

There was a difference in the kind of work I aspired to inspired by Maloof.  I would have liked to do what he did.  I had finally built up my workshop with tools and resolved to go and produce fine work in wood.  That never happened.  I made puppets and the final result of one of my marionettes (I made string puppets which are called marionettes) was sort of unfinished and rough.  This was explained away by the books on puppetry and association with other puppeteers that your puppet plays were never seen close up but from at least five feet away and the defects or unfinished look of the puppet would not be noticed.  I was not as patient as Sam Maloof who took his time and that time was reflected in the quality and price he received for his work.  And, remember, he worked by hand with hand tools.

I eventually stopped my subscription for Fine Woodworking, but now when I find a copy in the Library or somewhere, I avidly look through it for explanations of how to get that finished look, that Maloof quality which is unique and beautiful.  At 93 he lived a good and productive long life.  He made it possible for duffers like me to dream and sometimes try to do with wood what machines today produce in plastic.