Why Project Happy Life?

There is a fervency in my community for people to learn how to make, build, and repair things with their hands. This winter, I began teaching small woodworking classes in my basement shop for members of my community garden, and the response has been eye-openingly enthusiastic. My students want to learn to free themselves from the shackles of consumerism. They want to develop the skills necessary to maintain their current or future homes. They want to spend time in community with others and interact with the physical world. It is clear that now is the time to aim my career towards running a teaching-focused woodshop where I can design, build, and restore furniture, and pass these skills onto others.

Up to now, I have built my career in theatre, working in scenic construction and stage management for nearly 40 years. Throughout that time, I continually designed and built things—sometimes because I needed them, sometimes as gifts for friends and family. But my work wasn’t just for practical reasons. The experience of learning and making things with my hands was also good for my mind and body. I am sure you know what I mean.