NEW PALESTINE. When Harold Callan searches for a random piece of wood, he sees endless possibilities.
The experienced locksmith has built many things over the years and now shares his experience with others.
A new man from Palestine teaches students the art of woodworking in a 14-by-20-foot wooden workshop he built in his backyard.
“I really enjoy talking with children and helping them think through their projects. They seem to have really settled in,” he said.
Three years ago, Callan was inspired by Jamie Potter, whose three teenage sons took piano lessons at her home with Callan's wife, Jackie.
“One day he asked me if I would like to teach his children carpentry, and I said, “Why not,” he recalls.
Since then, Maddie, Drew and Jack Potter have been building whimsical wooden flowers and gift boxes that any high school carpentry teacher would be proud of.
“He did a great job with us. He is a great teacher and really cares about his students,” said Maddy, 18, who recently graduated from New Palestine High School.
Callan, 71, enjoys spending the years following his retirement doing what he loves.
For most of his career, he worked as a carpenter, first pastoring a church in Kansas City, Missouri.
Callan realized that the clergy was not for him, and in 1989 he took up carpentry. He was soon building furniture, renovating basements and kitchens, and for a time repairing yachts in New Orleans.
Having retired in 2016, he now spends his time teaching others the art of trading. It currently has about nine students, but more people of all ages and skill levels can be hired.
The floor of his bright yellow workshop is covered in a thin layer of sawdust left over from various projects his students have been working on over the past few days.
Most of his students start with a circular saw to cut a fancy flower out of wood and then move on to other tools.
“I teach safety first,” says Callan, who charges $15 an hour to learn his craft.
He was once the teacher of a teenager who created a transforming table that won a nationwide student craft competition.
“I could give him advice and teach him, and of course he worked, but he didn’t do the job,” recalls Callan.
He is also willing to talk to his friends about woodworking projects, such as building a simple entertainment center or removing and laying wooden floors.
"People say, 'Can you build it for me?' and I said, "I'll come and help you build," he said.
Callan's passion for woodworking was solidified during a trip to Berea, Kentucky, where he stumbled upon a roadside building where the state allows local artisans to display their products.
Callan was impressed with the quality of the woodwork he saw.
“When we got back on the road, I told my wife that I would like to raise my skills to this level,” he said.
She began looking for ways for her husband to pursue his passion and stumbled upon the Mark Adams Woodworking School, located 20 miles from Franklin.
Callan began taking classes there in 2005 and soon rose to the rank of assistant. In addition, he received a master's degree in carpentry from a prestigious school.
He also brings his skills to bear in his home, where he has completely remodeled the kitchen, bathroom and all fixtures, adding hickory wood accents to reflect the artist's style.
He has also made some fancy lamps and tables and is currently making a bookshelf for his wife.
Encourage those who have never worked with wood to give it a try.
“Many people underestimate the ability to do something,” the teacher says. "Many of them can do a lot more than they think."
So it was with Maddy, who no longer takes piano lessons, but still takes carpentry lessons from Callan when she can.
His experience in woodworking taught him to appreciate new things.
“I never thought I could make a (souvenir) box or a rose out of wood, but it was a wonderful experience,” she said.
