Jeff has a BFA from Washington University’s School of Fine Arts which naturally included courses in art history. It was his study of Asian art history with Dr. Nelson Wu that inspired Jeff to travel throughout Southeast Asia to see temples and shrines. While there, he was attracted to the handhewn folk and craft furnishings of everyday life and has tried to bring that approach to his own work. He still makes frequent trips to the library to see what is being done in the Pan-Pacific region.
Jeff uses driftwood and salvaged wood to construct what he calls his “functional furnishings.” While he works with traditional tools and designs, he tries his best to inject some element of humor or surprise into his pieces.
Jeff uses only hand-powered tools. He says, “That way, I am forced to slow down and look closely at each piece of wood. I am challenged by an assortment of odd driftwood pieces or rotten discarded lumber to pull the disparate elements together into a functional whole.”
Jeff and his wife Taylor live in Hilo.