Alan Wilkinson came to Hawai`i in 1963 to surf for a while and ended up staying. He attended the University of Hawaii in a Bachelor of Fine Arts program, majoring in sculpture with a minor in Asian art history. Financial reality changed his career course, starting with a job in a local shipyard working on large wooden vessels. In 1968, that job ended and Wilkinson Koa Furniture began.
Over time, Alan has built custom pieces for many high-end clients. Over 20 years ago, a client commissioned Wilkinson to build a “high chair for a little prince.” Now we know that little prince as Prince William. The high chair sits in the Permanent Collection of the Royal Family of England.
Besides Alan’s love for koa and woodcraft, he is an avid fan of the University of Hawaii sports program. When Alan is not hard at work in his Pearl City shop, you can find him rooting for the UH football, women’s volleyball, men’s volleyball, baseball, women’s basketball, or men’s basketball team. He’s been a proud season ticket holder for UH football for more than 20 years, cheering the team on from the nose-bleed section of Aloha Stadium.