Kenton Jeske

Woodworker: Designer & craftsman of original handcrafted furniture

Kenton Jeske is a woodworker; designer & craftsman of original handcrafted furniture. His work can be found in the homes of private patrons, places of worship, restaurants, retail spaces and galleries. A furniture maker for over a decade Kenton has developed a vernacular to his work that speaks to the integrity of materials, craftsmanship and finish.

In the fall of 2006, while traversing the Scottish and English countryside, Kenton Jeske experienced a clarity of vision to return home, marry Amy and learn to build furniture. That vision has remained his defining resolve. Attending the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (2007) Kenton was shown the foundations of furniture making and woodworking. Hardwood furniture construction and the introduction to furniture makers such as Wharton Esherick, George Nakashima and Sam Maloof exposed him to craftsmanship, tradition and a particular path of meaningful work previously alluding him. This expansion – physically, philosophically and spiritually fulfilled a purpose toward work that would create an agreement between his head, heart and hands.

Kenton set his sights on becoming a studio furniture maker of original designs with an aim to distinguish his work in a personal vernacular. Early support opened up opportunities to identify and cultivate his craftsmanship and aesthetic vision. Each year built upon a foundation that began to form through mentorship, accumulation of knowledge and skill development. Cultivating a shop atmosphere of vulnerability for creative and singular expression formed the development of his process and design, as it does to this day.

A gallery exhibition designed by Kenton Jeske titled: Ceremony: Exploring Craft through Furniture, opened at the Alberta Craft Council (Edmonton) in the spring of 2017. This exhibition exposed the Alberta craft and design community to Kenton’s furniture process and philosophy. Crafting this body of work to his particular standards over a concentrated period of time, due to grant funding awarded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, resulted in an expansion of his catalogue, as well as a refinement to his craftsmanship. The response has brought forth a steady growth of Kenton Jeske woodworker furniture that now resides in the homes of private patrons, sacred spaces, restaurants, retail spaces, galleries and most recently for luxury brand Louis Vuitton. Kenton continues to develop what he does as a craftsman and new avenues in the visual arts are expanding his portfolio. Kenton Jeske works to commission at his home studio shop in Edmonton, Alberta, where he lives with Amy and their daughters, designing and making the work that he has generously been given.

For more information or to contact this artist for a commission, please contact [email protected].