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John Eric Byers

John Eric Byers

John Eric Byers is an artist, designer, and craftsman who creates geometrically inspired pieces that are minimal, emotional, and modernly refined. Mastering his uniquely original aesthetic for nearly four decades, John’s individually hand-made work is guided by purity in form, surface texture, structure, and respect for use of materials.

  • Born: 1959
  • Hometown: Rochester, NY
  • Education: State University of New York, Oswego

Heralded as a leading American artist working in wood, permanent collections include The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) and The Smithsonian American Art Museum. Numerous awards include The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award, The New York Foundation of The Arts Awards and inclusion in The Smithsonian’s Archives of American Arts.

9 Cubes Chest of Doors by John Eric Byers, 2017

John Eric Byers’ education and training at the Wendell Castle School in the 1980s were crucial in shaping his approach to furniture design and woodworking. Wendell Castle, a pioneer in the field of artistic furniture, is known for his innovative and sculptural pieces, which blur the lines between art and functionality. Byers’ time at the school allowed him to absorb these principles, focusing on large, geometric designs that challenge traditional notions of furniture.

Byers’ work is distinguished by its emphasis on texture, which he skillfully employs to add depth and emotion to his monochromatic pieces. This use of texture is not just aesthetic but serves to engage the viewer’s sense of touch and sight, making the experience of his furniture multi-sensory. His pieces feature meticulous hand-tooled surfaces, which showcase his dedication to craftsmanship and detail.

Byers’ creates pieces that are not only visually striking but also fully functional, demonstrating a deep understanding of the material and its possibilities. This balance is achieved through careful consideration of the wood’s properties, the functionality of the piece, and the visual impact of its design. His original designs and masterful execution place him among the leading contemporary American artists in wood. His work exemplifies the potential of wood as a medium for both artistic expression and practical utility, making him a vital figure in contemporary furniture design.

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia PA
Museum of Arts and Design, New York NY
Mint Museum of Craft + Design, Charlotte NC
Racine Art Museum, Racine WI
New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain CT
Fuller Museum of Craft, Brockton MA

AWARDS AND GRANTS

2019 Loewe Craft Prize Finalist
2011 Smithsonian Oral Archives of American Art
2005 Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award
2005 New York Foundation of the Arts Award
2002 Steinway & Sons Art Case Collection
1997 Oregon Arts Commission Visual Arts Grant
1993 Mid Atlantic / NEA Regional Visual Art Fellowship Award
1990 Pennsylvania Council of the Arts Award
1987 New York Foundation of the Arts Award

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2021 Twentieth, Los Angeles CA
2020 The New, Los Angeles CA
2019 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2015 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2011 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2010 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia,PA
2010 Posie Kviat Gallery, Hudson NY
2009 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2008 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2006 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2006 R. Duane Reed Gallery New York NY
2004 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2004 Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton MA
2004 John Elder Gallery, New York NY
2003 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2001 John Elder Gallery, New York NY
2001 Tercera Gallery, Los Gatos CA
2000 Clark Gallery, Lincoln MA
2000 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
1999 Tercera Gallery, Los Gatos CA
1999 John Elder Gallery, New York NY
1998 Margo Jacobsen Gallery, Portland OR
1998 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
1997 Tercera Gallery, Los Gatos CA
1997 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
1996 Tercera Gallery, Los Gatos CA
1995 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
1994 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
1993 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
1991 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA

SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023 Design Miami, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2023 Art Miami, Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2020 Design Miami, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2020 The Salon, Art & Design, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2019 Design Miami, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2019 The Salon, Art & Design, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2019 LOEWE Craft Prize, Sogetsu Foundation, Tokyo, Japan
2018 Design Miami, Moderne Gallery, Miami FL
2018 The Salon, Art & Design, Moderne Gallery, New York NY
2018 Living Spaces: KOOKU Design, Basel, Switzerland
2018 A New Breed, Piazza San Sepolcro, Milan, Italy
2017 The Salon, Art & Design NYC, Moderne Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2017 Heart of Darkness, Jeff Lincoln Art + Design, Southampton NY
2017 Unhurried Masterpiece, KOOKU Design, Bialystok, Poland
2017 40th Anniversary, Gallery NAGA, Boston,MA
2015 50 Years of Works, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2012 Sitting Pretty, Racine Art Museum, Racine WI
2012 Dialogue in Black, Oliver Sears Gallery, Dublin, Ireland
2010 For North Bennet, Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2010 Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia PA
2009 Duane Reed Gallery, St Louis MO
2008 Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2007 Pattern Black, Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2006 The Perfect Collection II, The Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton MA
2005 The Repetitive Mark, Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
2004 Right at Home, The Smithsonian, Washington D.C.
2002 Group Show, Margo Jacobsen Gallery, Portland OR
2000 Small Works, John Elder Gallery, New York NY
1999 Transformation, Society of Contemporary Crafts, Pittsburgh PA
1998 Living with Craft, Museum of Arts & Design, New York NY
1997 Inaugural Exhibition, John Elder Gallery, New York NY
1996 Focus on Design; American Art Furniture, Amarillo Art Museum TX
1995 Small Works, Donald Brecker Gallery, Miami Beach, FL
1993 The Next Wave, Gallery NAGA, Boston MA
1992 Two Person Show, Weinberg Gallery, Atlanta GA
1991 Mixed Media, Meredith Gallery, Baltimore MD
1990 Contemporary Philadelphia Artists, Philadelphia Museum of Arts, Philadelphia PA

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