American furniture designer Dakota Jackson is headed to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to mentor students from the university’s undergraduate and graduate furniture design programs as part of his two-year appointment.
“Viewing the historical, cultural, market and technological landscape of design from different vantage points, in addition to developing essential skill sets, is critical to making informed career decisions,” said Jackson. “Partnering with SCAD, given our shared educational interests, is the perfect forum.”
Jackson will continue his professional design work in New York while helping SCAD’s School of Building Arts administration advance the strategic vision and leadership of the furniture design program. In addition to mentoring students in the classroom as they master technical skills and develop a unique design aesthetic, Jackson will enhance the program’s emphasis on the business of design.
“Dakota Jackson is the ultimate name in furniture design,” said Paula Wallace, SCAD president and co-founder. “SCAD students are fortunate to learn from an artist of Dakota’s caliber, and his impact on our university community will surely resonate for decades to come.”
Jackson has produced furniture over four decades, with work ranging from early prototypes to one-of-a-kind pieces produced for international clientele to large-scale productions. His firm has grown to include factories in New York and international locations.
He has earned commissions for Yoko Ono and John Lennon, Madison Avenue boutiques, piano manufacturer Steinway and Sons, luxury hotels worldwide, cruise ships, and public and university libraries including the San Francisco Public Library and Harvard University Law Library. Jackson’s commission for Temple Jeremiah of Winnetka, Illinois, earned him and his collaborator, architect H. Gary Frank, an American Institute of Architects Religious Art and Architecture Design Award.
SCAD is planning a retrospective exhibition of Jackson’s work to be exhibited at the SCAD Museum of Art during his tenure as honorary chair of furniture design. For more information, visit the website.
