Jeffory has been an artist since childhood.
Having been raised by artistic parents - while other kids were drawing with crayons Jeffory was making designs with a chain saw while cutting firewood. He was always doodling something in a stump. "He created carvings from time to time with chisels and knives but as he said " I did not have the patience, it took to long to carve something.""When I learned more about carving with a chain saw it took the patience right out of it. I met a fellow, my mentor "Tim Art" watching him for a few days then I started creating sculptures and after two weeks I sold my first one a logger head turtle about 3 feet tall. They joke now Oh ! here comes Jeff Art, the one that learned to carve in two weeks. Tim had apprentices that had been with him for two years that had yet to pick up a chain saw."
Jeffory lives and creates his "Work Art" at his studio in Seven Springs, N.C. and was raised in Mt. Olive and Sleepy Creek, N.C. He is a single father of a son, Jaelyn and daughter Jamie. He travels from Florida, to the mountains of N.C. to as far north as Maryland pulling his mobile studio (critter wagon) with as many as a 100 sculptures, creating his art along the way at festivals, landscaping companies, art galleries, places where he has been invited to set up to create his sculptures. On occasions creating chain saw art in damaged trees for folks in their yards and gardens. "I am always looking for a good location to set up, my mobile studio has sleeping quarters all I need is a place to bathe and I’m set."
Jeffory has performed (he is performing artist) and displayed his art at many events and festivals such as the following:
The Maryland Seafood Festival 2002,
Sandy Point State Park, Md.
(Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
The Ocean City Convention Center, Easter Shows 2 years
Home and Garden 1 year.
(Performing Chain Saw Art, Display and Sell)
Burlington Carousel Festival, Burlington N.C. 3 years
(Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
Merlefest, Wilksboro N.C. 3 years
( Display and sell only)
Official N.C. July the 4th Celebration, Southport N.C. 1 year
( Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
Festival By The Sea (Oct.) and Blessing of the Fleet (spring)
Holden Beach, N.C. 3 years
( Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art )
Oyster Festival, Ocean Isle N.C. 1 year
(create, display .sell)
Holiday Flotilla, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 2 years
(Performing Chain, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
Fall Festival Of Folklife, Newport News, Va. 2 years
( Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
Avenue of the Arts, Charlotte, N.C.1 year
(Display and Sell Chain Saw Art )
Festival In The Park, Charlotte, N.C. 1 year
(Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art)
Lake Eden Arts Festival, Black Mountain, N.C. 1 year
(Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art )
Mum Fest, New Bern N.C. 1 year
(Performing, Display and Sell Chain Saw Art )
White Marlin Open, The Reel Inn, Ocean City Md.
(Display and Sell )
Home and Garden Show, Down Town Berlin Md.
(performing chain, display and sell chain saw art )
Artsplousure, Raleigh, N.C. 2 years
(display and sell )
Places I have set up, creating, displaying and selling chain saw art
Landscaping companies and galleries
Planted Pleasures, Racetrack Rd. ( Rt. 589) Berlin Md.
Spring 2 weeks, Summer 5 to 7 weeks
( creating, displaying, selling)
Back in the Daze, Ocean City Md.
(display and sell)
The Stone Garden, Wilmington, N C. Spring, Summer and Fall
(Creating, Displaying Selling)
LaGrange Sports Shop, Hwy 70 East LaGrange, N.C. off and on all year
(creating, display and sell )
The Wooden Feather Gallery Hwy 117 North, Goldsboro, N.C. Christmas and Spring
(creating, display and sell )
Various Galleries, Coco Beach, Fl. Winter
(create, display, sell )
Various Galleries and roadside vending Tampa, Fl. Winter
(create, display, sell )
The Raleigh Flea Market (Fair Grounds) Nov. Dec.
(display, sell)
Have appeared on TV Home and Garden Shows, also News programs
Events, Festivals, Galleries and
Other Locations Set Up Information
I’d be interested in exploring the idea of performing at your event, festival, gallery or business. I set up an area of about 20 x 20 to display my sculptures and I have a construction net to use to surround the demonstration area (8x8 ). I am very flexible as to the area needed. I lay a tarp on the ground to catch the sawdust. Sometimes I am a small distance from the main event area and set the sculptures around the area for folks to view. It adds a nice touch (ambiance) to the event. It is nice to have a natural barrier to one side, the back area is the best, such as a tree line, wall, fence. In Berlin Md.. I set up in the middle of the street with my carving area beside a gallery. with the gallery’s side wall making up one side of my demo area. I bring logs to work with, sometimes a time is set for me to carve like 10, 12, 2, and 4 or twice a day. A lot of this depends on the event, sometimes I’ll carve a sculpture, then I use a grinder to remove the chain saw marks (if electricity is available) and then I’ll paint the sculpture. I have done requests at such events.
I create flamingos, parrots, palm trees, wizards, santas, bottle nose dolphins, dolphin fish, blue marlins, Indians, shore birds, wall mount fish and just about any thing people desire. Some of my sculptures are from cedar logs which I fine sand and coat with clear sealers to leave the natural beauty of the wood exposed. I tell folks that I’ll attempt anything. I have a 22 ft trailer with cabin that I use as my mobile Studio, which if space is available I incorporate into the setup area. I have over 30 to 100 sculptures to display ranging from a 11 foot Blue Marlin to a 18 inch flamingo. The average size is 5 ft and about 120 lbs.
At these events, festivals and a business displaying my sculptures add a great ambiance to the area, which should be considered as a plus and for businesses they add ambiance and when I am running the chain saw it is a great attention getter ! Which all this should be considered when it comes to compensation. At these events I’m compensated for by performance and/or trade for space. In the case of a business or Gallery an arrangement is struck normally 10% of my sells It takes about 5 hours to unload and set up about the same to pack up. A place to bath and restroom facilities are provided for me. I will clean up the area I work in as far as the scrapes of wood and saw dust are concerned providing that trash barrels are provided by my host. It is the host’s responsibility to dispose of such materials, not that I would assist if necessary. I look forward to hearing from you and will be excited to perform at your event. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me.
Thanks,
Mitakuye Oyasin Jeffory Lee
8028 Hwy 55 west
Seven Spring, N.C. 28578
252-569 -8261
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