Born and raised in a midwestern landscape of tallgrass prairie and oak savanna, Shaffer was surrounded by the ever-present prairie, which inspired him to study architecture, landscape architecture, land planning, horticulture, and fine art. “For the creation of artwork, design of landscape, a building, a piece of furniture, anything… extracting the context is what inspires my creative process.” Many of his pieces blend elements of nature with fabricated used materials—a combination that is signature to his work. He seeks a minimalist approach that is honest in the details and partnered with naturally rich materials. Kevin prefers to join art media and sustainable built environments to inspire ways of living, create environmental awareness, and reduce maintenance. “I am interested in creating a dialogue between ecology and human culture in a way that geomorphology can produce a construction detail. I believe what we learn from the un-built environment is the future of our built world.”