Sculpture

For reasons he can’t remember, Jeffrey once visited a slate quarry in Poultney, VT. While there he loaded up his pick-up truck with all the slabs he could carry safely and drove home. Thus began a series of sculptural garden art incorporating wood and stone that is also useful furnishings.

Unrelated to that, when Jeffrey and his wife Abby adopted their daughter Nicole, Abby said “Why not make something for kids?” That led to the first animal chair, and he has now made well over 100 of these.

In his recreational life Jeffrey and Abby are avid hikers, with a strong connection to the outdoors in New England. They also love to travel to experience other cultures, and that’s now Jeffrey became enamored by the work of Antonio Gaudi which they saw in Barcelona.

Put that together with the experiences you can read about on the Biography page of this website, shake and bake, and you will get an idea of Jeffrey’s artistic inspiration.

Take some time to browse these sculptural projects and garden art pieces. If you like what you see don’t hesitate to contact Jeffrey to let him know, to join his mailing list, or to commission something for yourself.

Madonna 4 Orangutan

My newest animal chair This one particularly meaningful as an art piece because in making it I am thinking about endangered species and rainforest habitat protection. Besides supporting Rainforest Action Network I can do this to help promote awareness of the situation.

Spider Barbecue Table

which is a commemoration of a recent engagement! A table for the barbecue pit at the same property as the Spider bedroom set. Andrew’s nephew has recently proposed to Clare, who said Yes. This occurred by an older, abandoned barbecue pit on the property that now has a tree growing out of it. The figures… Read More »

Small World

a Covid inspired sculpture A small piece of cherry wood, about 3 1/2 x 4 x 5 inches had been hanging around Cooper’s woodshop for years, a leftover from some project of other. One day he had an inspiration, to make it into a globe, with the idea of reconnecting amidst a global pandemic. Though… Read More »

Connected at the Hippos

and other animal benches The manatee bench is below the arch at the Jan K Platt library in Tampa, to see it [click here] You can also see a set of whale, hippo and bear at the Portsmouth  NH Library, to see it [click here] To see a black bear bench work in progress [click… Read More »

Man with a Staff

Years ago the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC held a Primitive Art exhibit. On display was Picasso’s Mademoiselles de Avignon. After seeing this Jeffrey went to his studio and created Man with a Staff, his first wood and stone piece.

Bronco chair

and other animal carved chairs see also More from the Menagerie, in the Furniture gallery Walnut Seat height is 13 ¼ inches for children’s size One of Coopers favorites, this animal chair was commissioned by a preschool in Tampa, Florida, whose mascot is a bronco. Cooper has made just about 120 of these over the… Read More »

Madonna

with Gorillas One day Cooper arrived at home to find a large chunk of cherry wood on his porch, about 28 inches tall and 15 wide, placed there anonymously. It weighted a ton, so he brought it to his shop and lived with it until it was dry enough to carve. Then, on a visit… Read More »

Pablo Sings

Teak, stone 20 x 28 x 36 tall Another Picasso inspired, sculptural seat or plant stand. The hat, shoes, pants and such are like the middle figure of The Three Musicians, and the face is very much like The Portrait of Dora Maar. I’ve made him a busker by adding a harmonica and a guitar… Read More »

Three Bears Mailbox

For the same property as the Affinity 2 bench Black locust, stone Accommodating all the Postal Service height and setback requirements and allowing for snowbanks and plows in wintertime. In this case the homeowner had a landscaper install the stone with a threaded rod epoxied in, and a concrete pad for the foot of the… Read More »

Three Graces

Another Picasso inspired piece Pearwood, black locust, walnut 7 x 18 x 21 inches tall When Jeffrey was in Malaga Spain he visited the Picasso Museum, where he encountered his 1923 painting Three Graces. It’s a popular Renaissance theme. In Picasso’s version the standing women were one in profile, one face view, and one ¾… Read More »

Benchasaurus 4

The most recent fantasy creature Black Locust, bluestone, epoxy glues to be outdoor suitable. 18 x 28 x 26 tall The design begins with the stone, a scale model of the stone and a scale model of a base for it, scaled up and built full size, with lots of improvisation as the structure is… Read More »

Affinity 2

Inspired by Affinity 1, but even taller Black locust, bluestone, acrylic paints A patron saw the Affinity bench and commissioned this one featuring carvings of animals seen at their newly purchase property where it sits, in the White Mountains of NH along the Kancamagus Highway, overlooking the Swift River. Their grandkids love it, crawling underneath… Read More »

Affinity

A garden bench for two, with a high seat back Teak, bluestone, acrylic paints 32 x 56 x 56, high, 21 inches at the seat Inspired by the work of Antonio Gaudi seen in Barcelona, for the incorporation of nature into the design, and some whimsical jokes hidden throughout. The back legs take the form… Read More »

Boy Holds Tiger

A fusion of African art forms with eastern mysticism Teak with stone, acrylic paints 20 x 28 x 34 inches high Boy Holds Tiger began with a stone that fascinated me. Beautiful lichens were growing on it and the surface sloped in two directions, suggesting duality. The faces are inspired by African masks, one pointing… Read More »

Fragrant Flow

A bench for a sweet corner of the garden Teak, bluestone, 20 x 48 long x 31 inches high Fragrant Flow provides seating for a quiet corner of your garden, where you can unwind and think about why we do what we do. It’s weather resistant, and has some thoughtful, carved surprises. Inscribed on the… Read More »

Ants Totem

Walnut harvested from a tree taken down in Rye, NH 21 x 14 x 59 inches tall A commemoration to a doomed ant colony fount in the but of the tree as it was being milled, using an off cut from the butt of the tree. Cooper set it in his studio for a year… Read More »