Jamie Schell was born in 1973, and raised in Rollingstone, Minnesota. He spent most of his youth constructing and taking apart whatever he could get his hands on. He followed his natural affinity for craftsmanship into the professions of carpentry and machine tool and die. In 2002, he moved to the West Coast. His work afforded him travels to much of the Western United States and Canada. His dream, of becoming a fine furniture maker, led him to Hawaii. On the island of Maui, he apprenticed, and later became a partner, in a successful custom woodworking business. After starting a family, he chose to return to the driftless region of Southeastern Minnesota in 2011.
In his work, he plays with subtle curves to make subconscious connections with the natural world, such as the ever changing face of a wave, or a curving blade of grass. These forms and attention to detail can be discovered in his furniture and fine art. He is driven to explore various mediums – hoping to uncover their mysteries and have the courage to be guided by what he finds.
