Shireen

This trip was part of Sabbatical where I am going on several VAWAA experiences. For all my VAWAA trips my main goal has been to experience the life of an artist living in a different culture from my own. And I definitely got that on this trip. Learning what it means to be a luthier is fascinating, as is the world in which Paul and his family live!

I certainly leave with a great respect for the work that goes into instrument making. And like with all the VAWAAs I have taken, I am learning so much about the steady process of making a piece of art. I think such things are very transferable to everyday life where it is so easy to get overwhelmed by the things we need to do. But in so many artforms it is essential to break the work down into its component parts before it can come together as a whole. Process is everything! Also, I have this marvelous instrument!