Ralph Stanley: An Eye for Wood

Ralph Stanley is a musician, a genealogist, a historian and an acclaimed storyteller. But more than anything, this Mount Desert Island native is a master boat builder. In particular, Ralph has a special genius for constructing beautiful - yet durable -- wooden vessels, something for which he was won national acclaim and recognition. This captivating documentary tells the story of Ralph Stanley's life as a boat builder, from his childhood spent watching ships in the harbor to his work with his son Richard to make sure his knowledge is passed on to future generations of craftsmen. Told with candid interviews and scores of rare archival photographs, "Ralph Stanley: An Eye for Wood" is an intimate portrait of one man and his mastery of an almost forgotten art form.

• biography
• documentary
• interest
• special