Brian Jackson, a native Californian born in 1951, is a man with many interests. As a young child, he always had the curiosity to try and figure out how things worked. That meant, many times, dismantling his toys, or his friends’ toys, and then attempting to re-assemble them. This was only the beginning of his creativeminded life journey. Later in life, Brian continued to enjoy working with his hands. In school he was always either in the wood shop or in the metal shop. Initially, he worked in a prosthetics factory further developing his woodworking skills. In 1973, he began his career in the finish carpentry industry. And, in 1991, he became a licensed contractor specializing in stair work until his retirement in 2009. Other hobbies of his include the turning of mineral spheres and the art of bonsai, which he practiced over 35 years.
Brian’s interest in wood peaked as he began his expressive venture in woodturning by taking basic woodturning classes at a local facility. He enjoyed it so much that he purchased his own lathe, set up shop, and began turning at home. Some of his first creations were boxes, bowls, and vases.
Brian was attracted to making thin vessels where light could pass through the wood, so it only seemed natural to make lamps with shades to be lit from within. Since his retirement, Brian has dedicated much of his time to the art of ornamental turning with a major emphasis on the rose engine lathe.