2015 Governor's Arts Awards

Lotte Jacobi Living Treasure
Award Recipient: Jere Osgood, Studio Furniture Artist, Wilton, NH

Wilton, New Hampshire resident Jere Osgood is a pre-eminent figure in the world of studio furniture. Jere is also a respected and influential teacher of woodworking whose contributions to the field are recognized far beyond the borders of the Granite State. In his 1986 book Contemporary American Woodworkers, Michael Stone identified Jere as one of the 10 most influential woodworkers of the American Craft Movement. In 1993, he was named a Fellow of the American Craft Council and in 2002 was presented with The Furniture Society’s prestigious Award of Distinction. He has also received several grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Jere’s furniture is found in distinguished collections around the world, including the Currier Museum of Art. He has been a major contributor to the arts in New Hampshire and has helped refocus attention on the state’s centuries-old tradition of fine furniture making. Jere helped form the Guild of NH Woodworkers, guided the development of the League of NH Craftsmen’s jury process, and served as a founding member of the NH Furniture Masters Association. He was also instrumental in developing the Furniture Masters’ Studio-Based Learning Program. At age 79, Jere Osgood remains a potent force in the American Craft Movement and a significant figure in New Hampshire’s arts community.

‘Spring Desk’ by Jere Osgood, 1996
Photo by Gary Samson

Last updated: October 11, 2016