Artistic Process

“Allowing intention to dictate the outcome. That is, in its simplest form. Choices can be small but meaningful when there is a story behind them.” – Jeffrey Kushon

BIO

Working as a Set Decorator/Art Director in film and television has been one of my lifelong passions. For close to 20 years, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the greatest craftsmen, artists and actors in this very unique and wonderful profession. Each project presents its own set of circumstances and challenges that push us to the limits of that which we perceive. The end result being a journey that is often a creative collaboration of cinematic beauty, which unfolds into a story that can only be told through the eyes of our own imagination.

THE ARTIST

Jeffrey’s work draws a parallel to his many passions and yet emulates moods and emotions each unique to themselves. With more than 25 years in the Motion Picture Industry as an Art Director / Set Decorator, he has created his unique style from his travels to various locations around the world.

Spending much of his life in and around ocean-side communities, nature and its colors have provided a foundation for his organic style. “I allow the surfaces and the colors to blend freely. I rarely go back and correct or plan my brush strokes. In essence I simply go with the flow.”

With an extensive background in Fine Arts, Jeffrey has found the balance between color and texture. Though his creative approach at times can be "against the grain", in the end his “ paintings on wood find harmony in the grains, thus allowing the chemistry of the woods natural oils to blend with the paint, this can become a surreal dance in a spectrum of color and rich textures"

He currently has works on display at Quixote Studios in Hollywood, Larrabee Sound Studio in North Hollywood, and private homes throughout California and Hawaii. He has also done many custom art pieces for such shows as "Dexter", “Modern Family”, “Trust Me”, “Miami Medical”, “Traffic Light” to name but a few.

TESTIMONIALS

Jessica Kender

On more than one occasion, I have seen Jeffrey pull from his own house to add the finishing touches to a set: a fireplace cover, a set of his grandmother’s glass grapes for the top of a TV set, his own mail. When creating the apartment of a Ukrainian bartender, I walked onto the set as it was being dressed to hear Ukrainian music playing, just to get the dressers in the right frame of mind. These unique nuances make his sets not only look amazing, but on a deeper, richer layer, contribute to making the characters come alive on screen.

There are two critical components that I value in a set decorator, a keen artistic eye and an ability to collaborate. Jeffrey not only possesses these qualities, but also brings an incredible passion and love for his work to the table. On a business level, Jeffrey comes in consistently on budget and is able to work within the parameters of a one hour show without compromising on design. The fact that Jeffrey is also an eternal optimist makes him incredibly easy to work with, a sentiment echoed by each and every department involved in the production of the show.

I hope to work with him again and again, and would recommend him to anyone who asked.

Jess Kender

Production Designer – Dexter

Jessica Kender has been working in dramatic television for the past ten years after coming from the world of theatrical set design. Her most recent design for Showtime’s Dexter was set in the high-rises, warehouses and basements of steamy Miami. Previous to Dexter, she spent a season on ABC’s October Road and designed The Amazing Mrs. Novak pilot for Lifetime. Both took place in the warm, rich tones of a New England fall and were shot entirely in LA. The design of Shonda Rhimes’ pilot, Inside The Box, was centered around the busy, 2-story newsroom of CNS News Washington. Additionally, for 3 seasons of NBC’s Emmy award winning Medium, Jessica crafted the dream worlds of Alison Dubois. There she had the opportunity to create everything from underground caves and airplane crashes, to a 1960s sitcom and purely animated sets.

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon with a degree in Theatre Design, Jessica began her career as a scenic artist, painting for shows on and off Broadway. Moving cross-country to Los Angeles in 1999, Jessica began art directing and set designing on such shows as The Shield, Monk, and Skin. Through this experience, Jessica knew she had found her passion, designing for the small screen. In 2005, she was recognized for her design work in the Hollywood Reporter’s “2005 Crafts Next Generation” as one of the top 35 craftsmen under 35.
She currently resides in beautiful downtown Burbank with her husband, set designer, Sam Page, their daughter Madeline, and son Maxwell, her best designs to date.

Richard Berg

Having worked with Jeffrey on upwards of 10 different projects ranging from commercials through pilots and television series, I have come to know him in as both a passionate and trusted collaborator as well as a sensitive and caring friend.

On a professional level, Jeffrey ranks exceptionally high in his visual acuity. he is knowledgeable of the history of art & design, and has a great agility in his pairing items together in such a way as to bring harmony and realism to a space. Our shorthand together has become so efficient that he often has shopped key pieces for our sets before a discussion had even taken place. His attention to detail is the best I have ever seen from any decorator I have worked with. On our last series (Dallas), Jeffrey had a small brass plate made with an inscription to go on a fireplace mantel. In 1000 years it would never be seen on camera, but to Jeffrey it was as important as the painting that lived above it. His sense of place, and his ability to achieve it, is comparable to that of an artist working on a canvas. I can say this with the utmost confidence, as many of his canvas’ that he painted specifically for my sets, remain as permanent fixtures many seasons later. I believe there are three or four of his works still on the walls in the Modern Family sets.

Jeffrey is also a nice guy. He is funny and completely at ease with both himself and others, and has very good relationships with his vendors that seems to benefit any production he is on. In short, and staying clear of canonizing him, I would recommend Jeffrey as a solid decorating force and a person that you will really enjoy having on your team.

–Richard Berg

Production Designer – “Dallas”

Richard Berg was born in Toronto where he attended York University acquiring in 1984, a B.F.A. degree majoring in Art History and Design. In 1991 he graduated from University of Toronto with a degree in Architecture. In 1992 he moved to Los Angeles. He has designed music videos for such artists as Madonna, Janet Jackson, Jewel, No Doubt, Mariah Carey, Ricky Martin, Lenny Kravitz, Toni Braxton and the Dave Mathews Band. In addition, he has designed numerous commercials, most notably for L’Oreal Paris. In 2000, he began designing the T.V, Series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as well as designing the pilot and permanent sets for CSI: Miami. In 2006 Berg began designing in long format with his entry film “Cleaner” directed by Renny Harlin. He is currently designing Season 2 of the hit series “Dallas” on TNT in which he brought back to life the new and improved infamous “Southfork Ranch”.

Mindy Affrime

Jeffrey is one of the most creative designers I know. There is nothing he can not build,design or create. He is truly a pleasure to work with.

-Mindy Affirme

Mindy is a notable producer whose works include the critically acclaimed film “Golf in the Kingdom” Directed by Susan Streitfeld. Based on the best selling novel by Michael Murphy. It stars Mason Gamble and David O’Hara.
Her other films include “Female Perversions”, “Wrestling With Alligators” and “Tell Me A Riddle”.

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