Shape, Refine – Documentary Review
What’s it All About
With a calm composure and unassuming confidence befitting an adroit craftsman, Pete transitions from digital design in the office back to his roots, working with his hands in the wood shop. ‘Shape, Refine’ documents that journey.
My Opinion
Pete’s smile betrayed the secret of his passion, which I perceived to be the authentic demonstration of being fulfilled in carrying out the full process of bringing his rocking horse creations into being. Contrast this with the typical impatience many individuals experience on a daily basis of plodding through a task joylessly to get to an anticipated goal, which, at times, seems empty once achieved. Pete conveyed that the journey was the destination.
Even with what many may consider as the mundane recounting of the sequence of steps in constructing his rocking horses, I could tell that each step was of critical importance to Pete, as he thoughtfully narrated it like the unfolding plot of a novel.
Pete also demonstrated a belonging, one which is missing in so many individuals and families in our society. I could tell that this hobby of his, which turned into his life’s work, was also a means of his being connected to the brotherhood of traditional crafts and past craftsmen, a family of sorts that brought more meaning and value into his life.
In a throwaway society, that gives little thought to discarding things after a single use, I found myself envying Pete, who had discovered that planned obsolescence and easy replacements were the antithesis of his worldview, and that permanence and the longevity of his rocking horses brought him truer satisfaction, knowing that his creations had the potential to span generations. They also contained the power to spark play and imagination, largely missing from this generation’s children, who seem shackled to passive screen-watching.
Pete had also allowed himself to test and try things (even without completing all of them) as a prelude to a grander design. While many of us wish to accomplish something flawlessly, the first time, this eliminates precious preparation, and stifles innovation that we might have had through prior experimentation.
Final Verdict
Who can say what their life would be like were they to be like Pete, who, every morning, opens the door to his wood shop, and loves the smells, sounds, and texture of his work space? ‘Shape, Refine’ is not just a short documentary, it is a magnificent peak into happiness made simple, and a life fulfilled.
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