Joseph Francis was alone in Greenport during the winter of 2022 when he painted the iconic movie poster image of the shark in Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” onto a knife sheath — and realized he might have stumbled onto something.
The longtime chef, newly sober, had rediscovered his childhood love of art. Now he was looking at an ordinary knife cover in an entirely new way.
It was a canvas.
“This could be a business,” he thought.
Four years later, Francis, 47, is the owner of Mojo Studio, an eclectic new venture tucked away on the second floor of a building in an alley off Front Street in Greenport. Mojo is an imaginative mix of knife shop, art gallery and classroom, reflecting Francis’ lifelong interests in cooking, knives and modern art.
Bold, eye-catching paintings and prints line the studio walls, many incorporating actual chef’s knives. Elegant glass cases display premium kitchen blades with elaborately decorated sheaths featuring everything from Japanese-inspired designs to Anthony Bourdain, tarot cards and comic-book characters.
Francis sharpens knives, sells them and teaches customers how to care for them. He also offers culinary workshops, drawing on nearly three decades of experience in restaurant kitchens.
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Read the whole thing at https://northforksun.com/a-cut-above-inside-mojo-studio-greenports-colorful-new-knife-shop-and-art-studio/