Lisa and Jake Hodsdon

Japanese American

The Hodsdons utilize the natural characteristics of wood to create unique dolls with individual personalities and spirits. Japanese American painter and designer Lisa Holt-Hodsdon draws inspiration from her dual background— her mother is from the Tohoku region of Japan, where kokeshi dolls originate, and her father is from Boise, Idaho. Her collaborator and husband, wood-turner Jacob Hodsdon, endeavors to bring out the innate beauty of wood. As the intersection of their talents, Hodsdon dolls are finely crafted, remarkable examples of the Japanese dolls said to bring joy, prosperity, and a sense of safety to any household that they occupy.