Jerry & Deborah Kermode

Jerry Kermode is a full time artist and artisan working out of his studio in Sebastopol, California with his partner and wife, Deborah.

Jerry developed an early fascination with form and function watching and riding the waves in Huntington Beach, California. During childhood summers he built small boats to skim tidal flats and surf small waves. Since then he has shaped surfboards, boats, world-class sailboard centerboards and houses, consistently bringing forms from the sea to his work.



In 1964 Deborah met Jerry in her hometown of Laguna Beach, California. They married in 1967 while Jerry was serving in the Navy, and in 1970 shared the perfect first business, managing a surf shop on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. With a strong background in theatre and an equal love of the sea, Deborah contributed creativity in her approach to life. They have been working together ever since.

Each bowl is first turned while the wood is still wet, then properly cured before the finish turning, burnishing and waxing. Jerry personally signs the bottom, including the type of wood and the date of completion. “I have a love affair with trees; their continued growth is as important as the joy of turning. I search out recycled trees and logs from sustainable harvesting operations. The bowl begins with the study of telltale signs in each log or burl that may reveal hidden beauty. From this I unwrap one of nature’s most enchanting gifts and the tree is allowed to extend itself beyond its rooted existence, through my hands into yours.”



Jerry enjoys great success as a teacher, holding regular classes at his studio in Sebastopol. He teaches and practices “the art of non-violent woodturning,” helping people to understand the subtler nuances of cutting wood without fear or trepidation.