Jim Kelso – artist/craftsman
Curriculum Vitae
AWARDS AND GRANTS
Freeman Foundation-Grant for metalworking study and exhibition in Japan 2008
New England Foundation for the Arts—Grant for metalworking study in Japan 1997
Philadelphia Museum Craft Show—Best of Show Award, 1995, 2nd Place Overall Award 1996
Paris Custom Knife Exhibition—First Prize: Coup de Coeur 1992
East Coast Custom Knife Show—Meadowlands, NJ—Best Art Knife 1990, 1991
Vermont Arts Council—Individual Fellowship 1989, 1991
Asian Cultural Council—Japan-US Arts Exchange Fellow: 1988, wood & metal working study
Knifemaker’s Guild Show, Dallas, TX—W.W. Cronk Memorial Award 1986 for best of show
NOTED COLLECTIONS AND COMMISSIONS
Her Imperial Highness, Princess Takamado, Japan
Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museums, Washington, D.C.
Kiyomizu Sannenzaka Museum, Kyoto, Japan
Joseph Ali, Fleur Bresler, Eugene & Shirley Cordes, David Crosby, Thomas Edson, Daniel Favano, Shoji Fukuda,
Robert Kinsey, Eric Van Lustbader, David Mamet, Laurence & Marlene Marton, Darrell Rudd, Valter Somaschini, Sylvester Stallone, Ann Yonemura
Commissioned by Japanese sword collector Shoji Fukuda to fully mount a traditional blade forged by Yoshindo Yoshihara, master Japanese swordsmith. 1993
EXHIBITIONS OF NOTE
Shoami Katsuyoshi & Unno Shomin: Japanese Ornamental Art That produced Art Nouveau, Kiyomizu-Sannenzaka Museum, Kyoto, Japan, 2008-9
Contemporary Netsuke: Masterful Miniatures; Museum of Art & Design NYC 2007
Masters of Fire; International Exhibition of Contemporary Bladesmiths, Macau Museum of Art, Macau, 2005
Celebrating Nature: Craft Traditions/Contemporary Expressions, Craft & Folk Art Museum,Los Angeles, CA 2004
Jewels and Gems: Highlights from the Permanent Collection, Renwick Gallery of the
Smithsonian American Art Museums, Washington, DC 2003
The Art of Gold, Exhibits U.S.A. traveling exhibit in 5 US museums, 2002-2005
Contemporary Netsuke: The Kinsey Collection, Chiba City Museum of Art, Japan 2001
Chadogu: Aesthetics & Function, Judith Dowling Gallery, Boston, MA 1999
Contemporary Netsuke: Miniature Sculpture from Japan & Beyond, Bowers Museum, CA 1997
International Netsuke Kenkyukai Conventions, 1987, 1991-2001 San Francisco, Chicago, Miami, Boston
Jim Kelso and Peter Miller, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Washington, D.C. 1996
Treasured Miniatures: Contemporary Netsuke from Japanese Collections, 1994 L.A. County Museum, CA
Vermont Fellowship Recipients, Brattleboro Museum and Art Center, VT 1994
VT Arts Council Fellowship Grantees Exhibit, Governor’s Corridor, Montpelier, VT 1991
American Work in Metal, Pritam and Eames Gallery, Easthampton, NY 1989-1992
FINE CRAFT SHOWS:
Smithsonian Craft Shows, Washington, D.C. 1995-2009
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, Philadelphia, PA 1993-2001
American Craft Exposition, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 1999-2003
Crafts America Shows, N.Y. & Washington, D.C. 1995 – 2005
American Crafts at the Armory, American Craft Enterprises, New York, NY 1990
CUSTOM KNIFE SHOWS
Art Knife Invitationals, bi-annual exhibitions, CA 1984-2003
Bern International Knife Show, Bern, Switzerland 1987
Knifemaker’s Guild Show, annual exhibition, Dallas, Kansas City, and Orlando 1983-1995
The Paris Custom Knife Exhibit, Paris, France 1991, 1992
New England Bladesmith’s Conference, Ashokan, NY 1985-2012
LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS
Opening To Numinous Nature: Imagination In the Creative Process – New England Bladesmiths’ Conference, Ashokan, NY 2017, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 2018
Unno Shomin & Shoami Katsuyoshi: Turning Toward the Source, Colorado Metalsmiths Association Convention, 2010
The Flowering Chisel: An Homage to the Ecstatic Naturalism of Japanese Traditional Metal Arts, Colorado Metalsmiths Association Convention 2008
Revisioning Reality: International Japonisme-The Influence of Japan on the Visual Arts, N.Y. University, New York, NY 2005
Painting with Metal: Uncovering the Path of Japanese Soft Metalwork 1997-2006:
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Freer Gallery of Art/Smithsonian Institution,
Society of N. American Goldsmiths Conference, New York University, Helen Day Art Center,
International Netsuke Society Conventions, University of Vermont-Fleming Museum
Metalworking demonstrations: 1986-present: Colorado Metalsmiths Annual Convention, International Netsuke Kenkyukai Conventions; Helen Day Art Center, Stowe, VT
George Walter Vincent Smith Museum, Springfield, MA, Portland Museum of Fine Arts, OR
N.E. Bladesmith’s Conferences, Ashokan, NY: techniques & design of knife hafting 1985-1995
Vermont Public Schools: demonstrations/presentations in metal & woodworking 1986-present
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Osaka University Lectures, HIH Princess Takamado, 2010
Masters of Gold: Major Works Done by Leading Artists, Marthe LeVan, 2009
Daruma Magazine #65, Unno Shomin, Shoami Katsuyoshi & the Metalwork Legacy of Ecstatic
Naturalism, a study by Jim Kelso, Winter 2009
Crafts Report, “10 Years later with Artist Jim Kelso”, March 2005
Art Jewelry Today, & Wood Art Today, Dona Meilach, 2003
American Craft Magazine, “Contemporary Netsuke” June/July 2000, Craftworld feature 1998
Arts of Asia Magazine: “Metalworking in Japan” March/April 1990, by Jim Kelso
Netsuke Kenkyukai Study Journal, author: “Netsuke and Metalworking Survey in Japan Winter
1990, article on 1987 convention Fall 1987
The Book of Colt Engraving, R.L. Wilson 1980
American Engravers, C. Roger Bliele 1979
