Remembering Jon Balderston, artist, furniture maker, designer, carpenter

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jonathan Balderston, after a long battle with cancer. He died on Aug. 8, at the age of 66. Born and raised in Berkeley, Jon graduated from Berkeley High in 1977. He earned his B.S. in Resource Management with a minor in Art from UC Davis in 1983, where he studied ceramic sculpture with Robert Arneson. He then continued his studies in ceramics and sculpture with John Roloff at the San Francisco Art Institute. After his time at the San Francisco Art Institute, Jon worked as a carpenter and launched Derby Street Studios. He built his studio, the Hodgepodge Lodge, deliberately askew to match his aesthetic. He made painted art furniture, utilitarian and decorative wooden art and sculptures, using ceramic techniques to create his unique designs and color palettes. In earlier years, Jon exhibited his work in solo and group shows in the Bay Area and Los Angeles. More recently, he showed his photographs, abstract art pieces, and line drawings at smaller local venues. His attic studio was a creative sanctuary, shared with his collection of 1920s-1950s vintage toys, game boards, World’s Fair memorabilia and much more. Jon affectionately called it the Balderdash Museum. He built customized displays for his collection, spending countless hours in the attic, meticulously curating his collection that was, in itself, a work of art. Inspired by his trips abroad, Jon’s passion turned to photography and abstract art.  After a trip to Japan, Jon started taking photographs of sidewalks and other things that caught his eye on his daily dog walks, making the mundane look beautiful. Inspired, his friends started to do the same. Soon after a trip to Toronto, he started producing abstract painted wall pieces, using the same ceramic techniques he used for his painted furniture. Jon was a lifelong student of art, design, and pop culture. Jon’s creativity extended beyond art and furniture, into design—interior, architectural, garden, and graphic design, as well as storytelling and writing.  His creativity and unique aesthetic caught the attention of Quirky Berkeley author Tom Dalzell, who featured Jon in two Quirky Berkeley profiles in 2016 and 2019. He highlighted Jon’s life’s work — including his house, studio, garden, collection and work across art, furniture, and design — and crowned him “Quirky Berkeley Royalty.” Recently, with the help of his nephews Mark and Benjy, Mark’s partner Christine, and his siblings, Jon published “It’s Raining Cats and Dogs and Other Sayings.” The limited edition book is a collection of humorous drawings illustrating common idioms through a central character named “The Guy,” created as a fun puzzle for readers to solve. Beyond his artistic pursuits, Jon was passionate about his hometown of Berkeley. As an advocate for his Berkeley neighborhood, he was always engaged in Berkeley’s changing landscape, closely following new local developments, architectural designs and their impact on the city’s character. For decades, he supported Habitat for Humanity and its mission to build homes for people who otherwise couldn’t afford to own one. He also volunteered with the organization, diving into the work with determination and joy. When Jon worked as a carpenter, he was well-loved for his warm humor, carpenter’s eye and spirit of camaraderie — which occasionally included practical jokes, like playing “Jingle Bells” on his cordless drill. He loved projects when he could apply his design skills and find a clever solution that added beauty. Jon loved the outdoors and enjoyed long hikes, particularly in Tilden Park. As a child, he was a proud member of Tilden Junior Rangers and went on long backpacking trips with his family in the Sierras. As a young man, he worked on his family’s ranch in Loyalton with friends, and also spent a year and some months working for the California Nature Conservancy. Jon loved playing cribbage and racquetball, entertaining, traveling with his wife, Linda, and celebrating his birthday in a big way every year. Collaborating with his friend, Jim, who shared the same birthday and co-founded the exclusive “the February 17th Society,” Jon designed and created the legendary whimsical birthday invitation, using his own unique lettering, listing the minute-by-minute silly activities planned for the party. Growing up, punning was a regular occurrence at the family dinner table, driven by a shared love of language. Family and friends could always tell when one was coming — Jon would revel as the inspiration bubbled up. With a twinkle in his eyes, he would deliver the pun, grinning in satisfaction, while everyone would roar with laughter or give a big, collective groan. Beloved by a large circle of friends and known to his close friends and family as “Jonny,” Jon leaves behind lots of memories of fun and laughter. He was close to his siblings and cherished the times he spent with them and their families, and he, especially, loved being an uncle to his five nephews . His friends and family will not only remember Jon as a talented artist and designer, but his warm, charming personality, unforgettable sense of humor, creativity, storytelling, quick wit and and pun-tastic tendencies. He was one of a kind, in every way — and will be missed deeply. Jon is survived by his wife, Linda, Australian Shepherd Addie, siblings Dan, Sara (John) and Tom (Betsy), nephews Matt, Caleb, Benjy, Dave, and Mark, great-nephews and great-nieces Nate, Mimi, Jake, Judy, and Liza. He is predeceased by his parents Fred and Judy and pets Bowser, Lily, Joey, and Jacques. A memorial to celebrate Jon’s life is planned for early next year. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donation be made to the World Wildlife Fund , a local animal shelter, or Habitat for Humanity , in Jon’s memory. " * " indicates required fields Send a note to the editors. * Have a comment on this story? See an error that needs correcting? Have a tip, question or suggestion? Drop us a line. Email * Name Phone Would you like to be anonymous? No Yes If you reply "no," we may publish your comment in a story or newsletter under your name. Embed URL Submit Δ