Educational Media Reviews Online

Crafted Over Time, a documentary about artists whose use of materials, tools, and techniques harkens back to an earlier age, is itself as beautifully wrought as any of the artifacts it features. As befits its time-intensive subject, the film quietly focuses in turn on each of eleven artists, giving them space in which to work and muse on their respective crafts. Artists include makers of stone sculpture, iron work, books, paper, prints, glass, stained glass, musical instruments, and primitive tools. Despite differences of intent and perspective, these artists share a simple reverence for time-honored ways of working with elemental materials, preserving ancient wisdom—and the rare satisfaction, these days, that comes with making beautiful things that will long outlast the here and now.

A slideshow feature further details the craft process with sensuous stills of glass, stone, paper, wood, tools, hands, faces, and appropriately, an occasional glimpse of the filmmaking process. To complete the package, the case and the DVD itself are their own small works of art.

Crafted Over Time is highly recommended for libraries and programs with collections in art and art history.