Esther Forbyn LLC

Shout out to Somakosha School and Finn Jupiter in particular for teaching me how to scribe post to stone in the Japanese tradition. Life with Wood has been helping me advance my skills and provided this cool project to work on. Every day is a new adventure. Thanks for being along for the ride!

Scene Report: Megan, Evian, Cameron, and I all went to Japan to study carpentry Somakosha School and we want to tell you all about it! Come hang.

Since I got back from Japan I've spent all of my extra time helping Life with Wood cut a sick traditional Japanese style timber frame. Its big, complex, insane, and so rad. I know how lucky I am to be part of this build. I'm sharpening my skills and learning new ones with great people. Cameron is a smart and generous teacher and a bizerker builder. On some other timeline I'm following him into battle. In this world I get to help him cut and raise this frame. What a gift!

Meg Goldstein has been with us every step of the way. Her spirit, hard work, and wild skills have sparked my feral imagination with visions of all that we might build together. I'm beyond stoked to have a sister in the trades to scheme and build with. We are hatching plans. Look out! No, seriously keep your eye on us because we will invite you to come work with us soon.

This project has been an incredible learning experience so far! I am refuled with enthusiasm and unyeilding ambition. We will raise this frame, then another, and another...

Every day is a new adventure. Thank you Cameron and Megan!

I got to visit a traditional dye artisan who let me dye my saw and chisel rolls this lovely rust red. The dye is called Bangara as it originally came from Bangal India and was mined during the Edo period in this region. I told our host how I admired her traditional wooden soled shoes and she insisted on giving them to me which led to a cheerful sandal swap. I'm now clacking my way home in these cute wooden shoes. See you soon PDX! I miss you already Japan!