[Joel Teel]

Hey Mark,
I'll veer off of the beaten path of replies, and venture down the road less traveled...
This natural scenery is magnificent. I can see where, with a stroll through your natural surroundings, you can return to the shop energized and filled with creative ideas. Even though a guitar is an engineering marvel, requiring technical perfection in order to produce a desired tone, and also withstand the immense forces placed on it.....it is also an organic and natural wonder. A luthier must wear the hats of both Engineer and Artist, being proficient at both. It's easy to imagine, seeing the natural beauty that you are surrounded by, that the artistic flame inside of you is continually fanned. Nature has always been the most influential instructor to my creative endeavors...especially when I slow down, become aware, and allows it to encompass all of my senses.

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

We made the move from NJ to Peterborough NH a little over 3 years now and I thought I'd show some reasons why we moved. I thought I'd start by showing some of the trees in the forest behind my shop. I hike back in there quite a bit and here are a couple pictures of one of the Red Spruce stands;



Some of them get quite large but, it's easy to see why ADI has so many knots;



As you get a little more altitude the stand becomes almost pure Red Spruce;



Here is a little better perspective;



As a guitar builder I find the experience of walking among the spruce very inspirational!

Thanks for viewing.
Mark