Yuri Kobayashi

Yuri Kobayashi is a mid-career sculptor and furniture maker based in Rockport, Maine. With deep roots in Japan, she studied architectural design at Musashino Art in Tokyo. Seeking a more hands-on outlet, Yuri enrolled in the woodworking program at Shinrin Takumi Juku in Takayama City. During her two years of learning and four years working as staff, she received rigorous hands-on training and discovered the boundless possibilities of wood as a creative medium.

Inspired to explore further, Yuri left Japan for San Diego State University, where she earned an M.F.A. in furniture design under the mentorship of Wendy Murayama. With over a decade of teaching experience at the Rhode Island School of Design, Yuri's work has been featured in exhibitions and publications, earning her prestigious residencies.

Currently serving as lead studio fellow at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Rockport, Yuri continues to share her expertise through informal mentoring. Her work seamlessly blends traditional woodworking techniques with a profound sense of wonder and emotion, manifesting in a diverse range of work from abstract sculptures to functional furniture.