A Labor of Love
Saturday, September 1, 2012 at 7:42AM | Neill Archer Roan | Permalink tagged Adam Davidson, Chuck Stanion, George Dibos, Greg Pease, Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine, Tad Gage | in Artisan, Artisanal Pipes, Community, Information, News 
Thursday, advance copies of the Fall issue of Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine arrived at my doorstep from the magazine’s printing facilities in the midwest. Coincidentally, just minutes before I received a text message from Adam Davidson with a picture of the copy he had just been handed by Sykes Wilford at Smokingpipes.com.
This issue features one of my favorite pipemakers and people: Adam Davidson. I wrote the cover story about him and created the story’s and cover image, as well. The project has been a labor of love that began about a year ago with a call from the magazine’s editor, Chuck Stanion, inquiring if I would take on the assignment. I could hardly get “yes” out of my mouth fast enough. Since I met Adam and started collecting his work five years ago, my respect and affection for him have grown steadily.
I confess I struggled a bit writing this story. Adam is more than the subject of an article to me. He is a friend whose story I have watched unfold within which I have been a bit player. There were more than a few days where I found myself sitting and staring at a blank computer screen, immobilized by writer’s block.
