George Nakashima

United States, 1905–1990

Place of BirthSpokane, Washington, United States

BiographyGeorge Nakashima was born in Spokane, Washington to Japanese parents. After studying forestry and architecture at several universities, Nakashima spent several years in Pondicherry, India. There, he learned about spirituality and community, lessons which he carried through to his work throughout his lifetime. Foremost in his designs was the idea that each piece of wood contained a certain spirit, and it was his job to allow this unique spirit to emerge in each of his pieces. Even when he was in his 80s, he still chose the raw logs for his designs and decided how each should be cut.
Education: University of Washington, Ecole Américaine des Beaux-Arts at Fontainebleau, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology