Artisan | Woodturner: Hodsdon Kokeshi

About👤

Year of Birth: 1973 Lisa | Ob.

Place of Birth: Myrtle Beach South Carolina, USA

Year of Birth: 1979 Jacob | Ob.

Place of Birth: Syracuse, New York, USA

Location: Syracute NY, USA

Master: Self-taught

Apprentice:

Workshop: Hodsdon Kokeshi | Naomi Gallery

Kokeshi Style: Sōsaku | 創作こけし

Lisa Holt-Hodsdon is a Japanese-American artist specializing in painting and design. Her mother hails from Hachinohe, Japan, and her father from Boise, Idaho. Influenced by both American and Japanese cultures, as well as years of travel, Lisa’s work reflects a harmonious blend of tradition, modernity, and personal growth as an artist.

Jacob Hodsdon is an experienced woodturner and carver who finds inspiration in the natural beauty of wood. His approach to crafting Kokeshi focuses on revealing the balance between the wood’s raw, organic exterior and its polished inner beauty.

Together, Lisa and Jacob collaborate in perfect harmony to create one-of-a-kind Kokeshi dolls. Their burl wood Kokeshi, in particular, have garnered attention for their distinctive character and craftsmanship. Constantly innovating, the duo is known for introducing fresh designs that surprise and delight collectors. Based in Ithaca, New York, they travel across the United States showcasing their work.

Awards🏅

2014 - Professional Excellence Award, AAW Saratoga Springs
Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen, Master Artisans
2019 - Benchmark Award, PA Guild of Craftsmen

Exhibitions🖼️

American Craft Show, American Craft Council
Art Expo, NYC
Smithsonian Craft Show, May 2024, Creating Peace
Ann Marie Sculpture Garden exhibition 2024

Publications 📰

Turned and Sculpted, Wood Symphony
Art Doll Quarterly Magazine 2018
American Woodturner, feature article 2018
Kokeshi Trends Online Journal 2018
Japanese Kokeshi Dolls, Manami Okazaki
Sway Gallery London-Kokeshi exhibition
vprcomm
Masters of Contemporary Wood Art, Volume 1, 2, 3, 4

Broadcasting 🎥

TV Asahi, Nationwide Japan 2019

Other📑

Community gallery: Link

Soulportals gallery: Link

Known signatures: Link

Sources📰

Molina, M. (2025, February). Folk art: Celebrating Women Artisan 2 (Special Issue No. 6, 24 pp.). Kokeshi Trends Journal. Edited by Jill Holmgren.

Manami Okazaki. (2020). JAPANESE KOKESHI DOLLS : the culture and craft of japan’s iconic wooden dolls. (First Edition, pp. 168 Pages). Tuttle Publishing.