SCULPTOR OUT OF PORTSMOUTH CREATES ONE-OF-A-KIND PIECES, NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEY EACH HAVE A STORY TO TELL.
HERE IS KAREN MEYERS.
♪ KAREN: YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW FROM THE UNIQUE ARTISTRY DISPLAYED IN THESE HANDS SCULPTED FINE FURNITURE PIECES THAT JEFFREY COOPER FELL UPON HIS CRAFT BY
ACCIDENT.
JEFFREY: I DID NOT EVEN KNOW I SIGNED UP FOR, I JUST SIGNED UP FOR A CLASS.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE CHAINSAW CARVING.
I THOUGHT "I’M NOT WANT TO DO THIS." KAREN: A FAR CRY FROM AN ENGINEERING DEGREE.
NEVERTHELESS, A NEW CAREER WAS MADE.
JEFFREY HAD APPRENTICED UNDER A CABINET MAKER.
ONCE BACK HOME, HE LEARNED WOODWORKING FROM SOME OF NEW HAMPSHIRE’S BEST.
HIS ENGINEERING BACKGROUND HANDY.
JEFFREY: THERE IS A LOT OF ENGINEERING THAT GOES ON WITH FURNITURE MAKING, BECAUSE YOU DO NOT REALLY SEE, BECAUSE TO BUILD SOMETHING, YOU NEED TO GET THE STEPS IN THE RIGHT ORDER.
KAREN: HIS PIECES, WHIMSICAL AND FOLKSY, ARE DESIGNED TO STIMULATE YOUR IMAGINATION, ENGAGE YOU IN WAYS REALISM CANNOT.
JEFFREY: I AM ALWAYS SAYING TO MYSELF I AM NOT CARVING A GIRAFFE, I AM NOT CARVING A DOG, I AM NOT CARVING A HORSE, I AM CARVING AN INTERPRETATION OF THE GIRAFFE, AN INTERPRETATION OF
THIS DOG.
AN INTERPRETATION OF IT.
KAREN: EACH WORK WITH A STORY TO TELL.
JEFFREY: THIS IS CALLED LADY’S DRESSING TABLE, WITH FLOWERS AND BIRDS, INSPIRED BY SHAKESPEARE.
KAREN: FLOWERS JEFFREY CARVED INTO THE PIECE.
JEFFREY: I KIND OF LIKE TO HIDE LITTLE SURPRISES, WHICH IS WHY THERE IS A LITTLE BIT DOWN HERE ON THE FOOT.
♪ KAREN: T WOOD MOSTLY LUMBERYARD STOCK, MAPLE, CHERRY, BIRCH, AND WALNUT, THE EXCEPTION THIS GIANT PIECE OF PEAR WOOD.
THIS IS SPECIAL, FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JERRY OSGOOD, WHO TAUGHT SEVERAL OF THE STATE’S GREAT WHAT WORKS.
JEFFREY WAITING FOR INSPIRATION BEFORE HE TAKES THE SLICE.
JEFFREY: IT HAS TO BE WORTHY OF HIS LEGACY AND THE WOOD, WHICH ARE JUST INCREDIBLE PIECES OF WOOD.
I WILL SEEK MY CHAIR, AND I WILL STARE AT THE BOARDS FOR A WHILE.
KARE ONE DAY, HUH?
JEFFREY: ONE DAY.
KAREN: JEFFREY IS WORKING ON A FLOOR LAMP.
JEFFREY: I HAVE TO DO FRONT SIGHT AND BACKSIDE, SO THIS IS THE BACKSIDE WHERE EVERYTHING IS REVERSED.
KAREN: HE CONTROLS THE TEXTURE AND SHAPE WITH VARYING CARVING TOOLS.
JEFFRE I THINK ABOUT FIRST WHAT WILL I AM GOING TO USE BECAUSE MAYBE I WOULD BE USING THIS TOOL, WHICH IS EVEN TIGHTER.
KAREN: BUT HE ALWAYS STARTS BIG.
JEFFREY: BUT IN THE BEGINNING, YOU ARE ALWAYS BLOCKING IT OUT.
ONCE YOU FIND THE GENERAL SPACE, YOU FIND IT.
YOU START WITH YOUR MORE LARGER, CRUDER TOOLS AND GO TO YOUR FINER TOOLS.
KARE SPEC PIECES, LIKE THE LAMP, MAKE UP 40% OF HIS WORK.
MOST OF HIS PIECES ARE COMMISSIONED PIECES.
A CUSTOMER IN WINNIPESAUKEE REQUESTED A SPIDER BED.
JEFFRE HE CALLED ME UP AND SAID "CAN YOU MAKE A BED ABOUT SPIDERS?" I SAID "OF COURSE I CAN," IN THAT I LOST SLEEP.
IT IS INSPIRED BY HIM AND HIS CHILDREN, AND THEY WERE BACKING THE BOAT, AND A SPIDER WAS ON THE DOCK.
IT IS REALLY ABOUT HIS LOVE OF THE PROPERTY.
KAREN: KIDS ENJOY HIS ANIMAL BENCHES AT THE PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY.
HE HAS PIECES THAT MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, AND SYNAGOGUES.
WITH ALL OF HIS SUCCESS, JEFFREY STRIVES FOR THE ONE THING HE SAYS ALLUDES HIM.
JEFFREY: I CALL IT THE PICASSO EFFECT.
WHAT YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS GET A COLLECTIBLE, AND YOU HAVE THIS OR THAT INFLUENTIAL PERSON, AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THE PERSON IN THE COLLECTION.
SO WE ARE ALL STRIVING FOR THE.
-- FOR THAT.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE ALSO.
NOBODY -- A CPICASSO.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE VAN GOGH.
IF YOU CAN BRING JOY TO SOMEBODY’S LIFE, THEN I HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
♪