When paleolithic humans discovered iron ore in their campfires it presented new challenges and opportunities for innovation. Every object and shelter made by human hands has been dictated by the materials that are regionally available. Whether artisans formed clay from the earth or wood from a tree, each contributed toward the technological development of today.  Embracing the resources around us is an innate human desire, and working with material is to know the laws and limitations of that aspiration. This intimate knowledge of a material's qualities inform the maker; the movement of wood and relative strength of alloys are foundational concerns for a craftsperson. These raw elements are a starting point, a focal point, and a catalyst for what we make.