When you admire one of Jim Shores great nativities, you may be surprised to learn that Jim Shore studied engineering in college , not art. He grew up in rural South Carolina and I guess he realized that he needed a technical degree to make enough money to support his family. He initially did that and worked on his art in his spare time.

He did come from some artistic roots, though. His mother was a very prolific quilter and he learned to appreciate the time and effort it took to make those designs. You can easily see the quilting influence in his designs today. I grew up in a rural area of Virgina and I remember my own grandmother having "quilting parties". She would invite a few ladies from the area to come over and they would sit around a huge table frame and had the quilt stretched over it. They would all be working on a different section at the same time. I loved those quilts and apparently so did Jim Shore.

As he honed his skills as an artist, it became increasingly apparent that he needed to devote his efforts to his passion. He founded a company called Designs America and quickly grew it to 350 employees. This did not go over too well though, because he had to devote so much time to running the company, he could not enjoy his art. Jim began to search for a partner that could do the marketing side for him. This is when he found Enesco. He joined with them and has been ever since.

Jim's designs are very much like the quilts he watched his mother make back in South Carolina. His designs are both interesting and diverse. Within a Nativity Set you will find both those elements. It is easy to find a small piece of a quilt design on many of his sculptures.

I hope you enjoy Jim Shore designs as much as I do. We have them throughout our home and each one brings a smile to my face when I get close and inspect the work of this great artist.

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco From Beauty and theBeast Figurine 6.25 IN List Price: $38.50 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Description Part of the Jim Shore Couples collection, Belle and her princely Beast are together representing a love as old as time.

Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4016554 Tigger Personality Pose Figurine 4-3/4-Inch List Price: $21.99 Sale Price: $14.43 You save: $7.56 (34%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4016554 Tigger Personality Pose 4-3/4-inch Figurine

Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4007992 Snow White Fairy Tale Endings Figurine 9-3/4-Inch List Price: $52.99 Sale Price: $29.95 You save: $23.04 (43%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4007992 Snow White Fairy Tale Endings 9-3/4 -inch Figurine

Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4009261 Black and White Mickey Mouse Steambat Willie Figurine 7-Inch List Price: $43.99 Sale Price: $30.99 You save: $13.00 (30%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Disney Traditions by Jim Shore 4009261 Black and White Mickey Mouse Steambat Willie7-inch Figurine

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco Cheshire Cat Figurine 4 IN List Price: $22.00 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Description Designed by Jim Shore for Disney Traditions. Cheshire Cat shows he's full of purrsonality.

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco Jiminy Cricket Electric Candle Figurine 7 IN List Price: $29.95 Sale Price: $28.99 You save: $0.96 (3%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Description Let jiminy cricket guide your way with this functional electric candle.

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco Jasmine Sonata Figurine 6.25 IN List Price: $39.00 Sale Price: $31.95 You save: $7.05 (18%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Place jasmine on the princess sonata musical base (4020794 sold separately) to hear jasmine's tune, "a whole new world.

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco Peter Pan Figurine 4 IN List Price: $22.00 Sale Price: Too low to display   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Description A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, peter pan makes his debut as part of personality poses collection. Designed by Jim Shore for Disney traditions.

Disney Traditions designed by Jim Shore for Enesco Ariel Figurine 4.25 IN List Price: $22.00 Sale Price: $19.41 You save: $2.59 (12%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Designed by Jim Shore for Disney traditions, Ariel makes her debut as part of the Disney traditions personality poses collection. Collect all Disney personality poses.

Enesco Disney Traditions by Jim Shore Goofy 80th Anniversary Figurine, 6-3/4-Inch List Price: $60.50 Sale Price: $55.70 You save: $4.80 (8%)   Eligible for free shipping! Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Description Aww shucks. Commemorate Goofy's 80th Anniversary with this "then and now" figurine designed by renowned folk artist Jim Shore which presents an early vintage black and white Goofy shaking hands with his modern day full color incarnation...