Art... methinks is an endeavor few can really attain. Today of course who defines what "art" is = another can of worms.

In NO way wheelbuilding is an art.. not by miles. A craft.. probably.. and the "craftsmen" doing such vary in quality a good deal. Even a newbie can build a perfectly sound long lasting wheel first time out.. with patience and understanding the basics. So art it ain't. Don't misunderstand.. not picking on YOU.. just this boring litany of nonsense about some online books gets old. Yes a reasonable starting point.. but being underwritten by a spoke manufacturer means the resultant heavy reference to their product... which are fine. Just one can build same quality with other components... which might well be much more cost effective.