author
W. Ben (Walter Ben) Hunt
1888–1970
An outdoorsman, artist, and practical teacher, he wrote lively how-to books that helped generations of readers learn craft skills, camp knowledge, and traditional techniques. His work ranged from woodcraft and whittling to Native American arts and performance, always with a hands-on spirit.
1 Audiobook
Kachina Dolls
by W. Ben (Walter Ben) Hunt
About the author
Born in 1888, W. Ben Hunt was an American artist, outdoor educator, and author whose writing brought craft and frontier-style skills to a wide audience. He is especially remembered for books and articles on woodworking, whittling, scoutcraft, pioneering, jewelry making, metalworking, calligraphy, and Native American arts and performance.
Hunt grew up in Wisconsin, and that background fed the practical, back-to-the-land feeling of his work. Rather than writing in an abstract way, he focused on showing readers how things were made and used, which helped make his books both approachable and enduring.
Archival records at Marquette University also show the breadth of his interests: his collection includes material connected to Native American arts and crafts, and notes that he visited and photographed notable performers, including Nicholas Black Elk. He died in 1970, but his books remain well known among readers interested in traditional craft, outdoor life, and American folk skills.