In support of blinders:

[John Tisdale]

Soon to be 75-yo and believing happiness may be good health and a short memory, I still can't rid myself of the darndest quotes. I've carried this one by Igor Stravinsky for years and thought you might enjoy - I believe it confirms some of us, is critical of most of us, and speaks to all of us:

"My freedom will be so much the greater and more meaningful the more narrowly I limit my field of action and the more I surround myself with obstacles. Whatever diminishes constraint diminishes strength. The more constraints one imposes, the more one frees one's self of the chains that shackle the spirit."

 

[Odie]

In that quote, I think I can see it's application to the pursuit of excellence......It is a struggle that only the individual it applies to, can comprehend the breadth of that effort.

good one!

-----odie-----

 

[Clifton C]

This quote almost seems counter intuitive, however, I have witnessed how "adding constraint" can spark creativity.
I know each line is helping to define the other lines, however, I'm still trying to form a better understanding of the second line.
Thank you for this thought provoking quote.
c
Ps I also like the title of your post...

 

[R Henrickson]

Limitations or constraints help provide focus. Particularly with the more complex things I turn -- such as multiple spindle constructions and various sorts of multiaxis things -- I have a number of 'rules' I've developed which structure how I proceed. They may be arbitrary, but I continue to find new ideas to explore within those limits. Indeed, I have far more ideas than time to carry them out.

 

[Russ Braun]

Focus is constraint, it yields to excellence in details!! Constraint is a good thing to occasionally shrug off as it yields to freedom of ........ everything! To come up for air is to refresh yourself!!

 

[hockenbery]

Another twist is that every action we take as a woodturner adds a constraint.

chain saw cuts, band saw cuts, mounting choice, roughing cuts......
and as above they focus your attention on what’s left as well as a note to self on what might have been possible next time choosing different constraints.

 

[Brian Horais]

I like to think of constraints as part of the techniques and safe practices I employ. I tend to think and create new ideas very freely (without constraints) but then I limit my creative ideas by the physical constraints of my tools and techniques. Occasionally these constraints force me to create new techniques, but then this is the real challenge and joy in woodturning.

 

[R Henrickson]

I like to think of constraints as part of the techniques and safe practices I employ. I tend to think and create new ideas very freely (without constraints) but then I limit my creative ideas by the physical constraints of my tools and techniques. Occasionally these constraints force me to create new techniques, but then this is the real challenge and joy in woodturning.

Exactly!! It's the problem solving which is one of the big attractions for me.

 

[Odie]

Exactly!! It's the problem solving which is one of the big attractions for me.

.....and every single bowl has it's own unique problems to solve.

This sort of reminds me of the quote from Albert Einstein:

"Logic will get you from A to B, and imagination will take you everywhere!"

 

[Mike Zip Hamilton]

Huh? I think Igor got into some wacky weed!

 

[Rick Crawford]

My favorite quote is from Ambrose Bierce:
"Patience (noun): A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue."