sarah tew photography

I played violin growing up (for 13 years, actually!), and was, for a time, very into it, though I was neither really talented or disciplined enough to have ever pursued it as a carreer… I do love stringed instruments, though, and still play my violin on occasion– mostly just with my fiance for our band The Price of Ice…

I have walked by this shop so many times and kept meaning to drop in and ask if I might document the violin-makers… or the repairs, or… whatever they do in there! To my delight they were pleased to let me come in and watch and shoot a bit. I hope to go back and continue to document the process as they build a cello that looked to be in the initial stages–below you can see the owner shaping it’s back one chisel-stroke at a time… The interiors of places like this are so fascinating to me, I just love all the little details.

The shop is called Gradoux-Matt Rare Violins, and is on 28th street between Park and Madison. They do everything from repairing stringed instruments of extreme value and signifigance for some of the most famous musicians in New York … to renting starter violins to students like the young girl here– she was there with her mother to pick up her first violin, and boy she was excited to get her hands on it! It was a pleasure to see…here are my favorites, though I am noticing these blog versions are looking mighty dull and green for some reason- the originals are much warmer and prettier, I assure you 🙂

Over the holidays Keith and I visited my parents in Maine, it was wonderful, there was enough snow to go sledding!  One of my favorite things, however, was getting to visit my father’s new place of employment.  We grew up in Georgia (Savannah) where he worked for a paper company, but he’s always longed to get back to his original dream carreer– being a boatbuilder.  Once we kids were all out of the nest my parents moved back up to  Maine where they were married and living (very modestly, as my father was working as an apprentice to learn wooden sailboat building) when I was born.   Since moving up to Maine he’s gotten certified in all sorts of boat-fixing and maintenance, and sure enough got a great job where he is now building boats again!  I was so thrilled to see where he works as I can tell how happy it’s making him to be doing this work.  Here are some of my favorite shots:

Over the holidays Keith and I visited my parents in Maine, it was wonderful, there was enough snow to go sledding!  One of my favorite things, however, was getting to visit my father’s new place of employment.  We grew up in Georgia (Savannah) where he worked for a paper company, but he’s always longed to get back to his original dream carreer– being a boatbuilder.  Once we kids were all out of the nest my parents moved back up to  Maine where they were married and living (very modestly, as my father was working as an apprentice to learn wooden sailboat building) when I was born.   Since moving up to Maine he’s gotten certified in all sorts of boat-fixing and maintenance, and sure enough got a great job where he is now building boats again!  I was so thrilled to see where he works as I can tell how happy it’s making him to be doing this work.  Here are some of my favorite shots: