Biography


Jaydan was born into a family of fourth-generation tombstone makers in California.
Most of his childhood was largely spent at the family business, which doubled as a
rental storage space; he would rummage through other people’s objects, and listen to
family members making burial arrangements for their loved ones. These experiences
made him value the heirlooms and objects we choose to use as markers for significant
moments.
His career began as an undergraduate at California College of the Arts, in Oakland, CA.
He received his MFA and MA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jaydan’s work
is in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, the Carnegie Museum
of Art (PA), Museum of Fine Arts-Houston (TX), Dallas Museum of Art (TX), and
Honolulu Museum of Art (HI). His work has been exhibited at Design/Miami (FL), Basel
(SUI) Museum of Fine Arts-Boston (MA), the Cheongju Craft Biennale(KOR), the
Museum of Art and Design (NY), and the R & Company Gallery. He has furthered his
career through generous opportunities as an artist in residence at Penland School of
Crafts, Kohler Arts/Industry Program, the Fountainhead Fellowship at Virginia
Commonwealth University Craft/Material Studies Program, and Houston Center for
Contemporary Craft. He has received grants and awards through the Virginia A. Groot
Foundation, the American Craft Council’s Emerging Voices Program, the North
Carolina Arts Fellowship, and the Peter S. Reed Foundation. Jaydan has held teaching
opponents at Rhode Island School of Design (RI), Virginia Commonwealth University
(VA), University of Georgia (GA), Penland School of Crafts (NC), and Haystack
Mountain School of Craft (ME).

Works
Exhibitions