Collections & Awards
Selected Shows & Exhibits
George Nakashima Studio -- New Hope, Pennsylvania, 1980-81
Craft Courtyard -- Oregon State Fair, 1979, 80, 81
From Tree and Plant Show
Craftsman Gallery, Scarsdale, New York, 1981
Art Quake Exhibition -- Portland, Oregon, 1981. 83
Philadelphia Craft Show -- 1982, 84, 85, 86, 89
Furniture Makers
Juried Exhibit Forestry Center, Portland, Oregon, 1982
Zen Show -- New York, 1982, 83
Craftsman Gallery -- Explorations in Glass and Michael Elkan, 1982
The Real Mother Goose -- Portland Oregon
"A Touch of Wood", 1983
"Michael Elkan and Friends". 1989
"Cycles of Nature and Affairs of Man",1993
Spectrum Gallery -- "Out of the Woodwork", Brewster, Massachusetts, 1983
National Juried Invitational at St. Louis Craft Alliance, 1983
"Works in Wood" -- Oregon's Finest Woodworkers, 1983
Gallery Fair
Western States Invitational Wood Show, Mendocino, California
1983, 84, 85, 86
Nakashima -- Show at Full Circle, Alexandria, Virginia, 1983
American Craft Council
Baltimore, Maryland, 1982 through 89
West Springfield, Massachusetts, 1984 through 89
San Francisco, California, 1984, 1985, 1989
Jack Larson and the American Craft Museum -- "Art for the Table", 1984
American Craft Museum
(Opening Benefit Limited Edition Boxes)
selected to supply gifts for all volunteers, Elkan Studio
Contemporary Furniture Masterpieces
Gallery Fair, Mendocino, California, 1987
Northwest Gallery of Fine Wood Working
Form Function Furniture, Seattle, 1987, 88, 89
Guild of Oregon Woodworkers, 1987, 88, 89
Collectors & Collections
Gertrude Boyle, Portland, Oregon
Susan Burmeister
George Bush Sr.
Judy Dow, Dow Chemical Company
Scott & Pam Gibson, Portland, Oregon
Peerce Lake, Baltimore, Maryland
Val Kilmer
Mark Parker, Nike
Robert Plant, Led Zeppelin
Dan Rather, CBS
Fred Rubenstein, New York City
Carly Simon
Simpson Investment, Seattle, Washington
Steven Swering & Toni Oliver, Portland, Oregon
Collection of Nathan Ancell, Ethan Allen Company
Edward and Plum Gee Collection, International Paper Company
Collection of Judy and Al Goldman, St. Louis
Collection of Allen Greenfield, Philadelphia
Collection of G. David Jones, North Miami
Collection of Jack Lenor Larson
Collection of Nancy and Wes Lematta, Camas, Washington
Collection of Steven and Navine Michaan, New York
Permanent Collection, Warm Springs Museum, Oregon
Publications
Reading the Wood: Techniques & Projects from a Master Woodworker by Michael Elkan -- 1990
Oregon Magazine -- Christmas 1982
Fine Wood Working Magazine -- March/April 1983
American Crafts, A Source Book for the Home -- Pearson, 1983
Fine Wood Working -- Biennial Design Book, 1987, 89, 91
Art of Making Elegant Wood Boxes -- Tony Lydgate
Creative Designs in Furniture -- Kraus, Sikes Inc.
American Crafts -- A Source Book
Special Awards
Philadelphia Craft Show -- Best in Show -- Wood
Coconut Grove Art Show -- Best in Show -- Wood
Chronology
| 1942 | Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 1949-61 | Worked in family children's clothing store |
| 1962-67 | Sold children's clothing, wholesale, on the road; worked in a Jobbers warehouse |
| 1968 | Forum Sportswear, warehouse to designer (credits: GQ, Esquire, NY Times, Menswear Daily) |
| 1973 | Moved to Oregon |
| 1975, 1978-9 | Faded Glory, Designer (credits: GQ, Esquire, NY Times, Menswear Daily) |
| 1980 | Started Silver Splinter, selling furniture & sculptural boxes; later changed to Michael Elkan Studio |
| 1980 | George Nakashima buys work to sell in his studio |
| 1993 | Furniture for the Native American Museum at Warm Springs, Oregon |
| 1995 | Wrote the book Reading the Wood: Techniques & Projects from a Master Woodworker |
| 2002 | Closed Studio to explore other artistic endeavors, such as architecture, cement & cement furniture, & garden design; still doing a limited amount of art furniture |
