Jere Osgood

Jere Osgood was born and raised in Staten Island, NY. Osgood was encouraged and taught how to use tools at a young age. He studied architecture at the University of Illinois but left after two years to pursue furniture design and fabrication. Thereafter, he enrolled at the School of American Craftsmen at Rochester Institute of Technology where he learned furniture making under Tage Frid. Osgood was also influenced by the work of Wharton Esherick. He completed the four-year program in about two years, receiving his B.F.A. in 1960. He supported himself while in school by fabricating and selling small wood objects of his own design. Osgood was interested in the modern furniture being made in Scandinavia and studied in Denmark in 1960-61.

• Born: 1936
• Died: 2023
• Hometown: Staten Island, NY
• Education: Rochester Institute of Technology

On his return the United States, Osgood established a studio in New Milford, Connecticut, where he made small objects. In the late 1960s he began to make large projects and explored different techniques of laminating wood. He published his explorations of lamination between 1977 and 1979 in Fine Woodworking. Osgood taught briefly at Philadelphia College of Art, then at Rochester Institute of Technology for three years. In 1975 he moved to Boston University where he worked with Dan Jackson and Alphonse Mattia to build the “Program in Artisanry”.

Up until his death, Jere Osgood resided in Wilton, New Hampshire, where he designed and built furniture in his own studio. He was a member of The Furniture Society (and a recipient of that organization’s Award of Distinction) and the New Hampshire Furniture Masters Association.

Osgood’s Artistry and Legacy

Osgood’s work was characterized by its meticulous attention to detail, elegant designs, and a keen understanding of wood as a medium. He often incorporated traditional joinery techniques with a modern aesthetic, creating furniture that was both functional and visually striking.

Throughout his career, Jere Osgood received numerous accolades for his contributions to the field of woodworking and furniture design. He was a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “genius grant,” in 1999. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries, and he has influenced generations of woodworkers through his teaching and mentorship.

Jere Osgood’s legacy lives on not only through his beautifully crafted furniture but also through the impact he had on the world of studio furniture and the broader field of woodworking.