rebecca zweibel

When Florida ceramic artist Rebecca Zweibel creates her hand-built abstract forms she never knows what the final work of art will look like. And she’s fine with that. “I love the unexpectedness of not knowing exactly what shape I’ll be making until it actually comes to life,” said Zweibel. Artist: The Connecticut native was born…

lori lejeune

Georgia mixed-media artist Lori Lejeune is known for her uplifting “Flight” series and her signature, constellation-style wall installations.  Artist: Born and raised in New Orleans, LA, Lejeune’s drawings and creativity were encouraged by her school teachers. It paid off early. In fourth grade, Lejeune won $20 for a poster she drew. After graduating with a…

rEN dillard

In his “dreamscapes” rEN Dillard combines paint, collage and precious metals, like gold leaf and silver, to explore themes of memory, belonging and the anticipation of a better future. “The reflective surfaces act as mirrors, inviting viewers to see themselves within the work,” said Dillard, a Georgia native. “And to consider their own process of…

lorena angulo

Texas jewelry designer Lorena Angulo draws on her Mexican heritage and culture in her work. “My jewelry designs are a representation of who I am and where I come from,” said Angulo. Artist: Born in Mexico, where Angulo grew up traveling and living in various states. Her native country exposed her to different folk art…

rory linn

New Orleans artist Rory Linn explores the boundaries of paint and sculpture in her monochromatic carved paintings. Artist: Born in Denver, CO, Linn grew up in South Texas. She spent 15 years in Oregon, where she graduated with a BS in printmaking from Portland State University. Linn also has an AA in photography she earned…

anatoly tsiris

With help from his custom lathe, North Carolina woodturner Anatoly Tsiris shapes whole tree trunks into large-scale sculptures and vessels. Artist: Tsiris was born into a family of schoolteachers in the small Ukrainian town of Kmelnitsky. He planned to carry on the family tradition by graduating from college with a teaching degree in math and…

patricia l. cooke

In her latest installation works, Miami fiber sculptor Patricia L. Cooke uses material with saturated “girly” colors and layers of detail to imitate wood carving in antique furniture and interior architecture. Artist: Born and raised in Greensboro, NC, Cooke earned her BFA in studio art in 2011 from Appalachian State University. In 2018 she received an…

erica stankwytch bailey

For North Carolina metalsmith Erica Stankwytch Bailey, it’s the smallest details that count, whether in nature or in her architectural jewelry deigns. Artist: Born and grew up in Fayetteville, NC, where she knew early on that she wanted to become a maker. Bailey graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and…

marie dutka brix

Drawn to the fingerprint as a symbol of identity and a clue to a unique existence, Alabama’s Marie Dutka Brix explores the marks we leave behind in her abstract typewriter ribbon collages and paintings. Artist:  Born in Merced, CA, she grew up in Aurora, IL. Brix earned her BFA, with a minor in French, from…

gwen wong

Using a combination of oil paint and gold leaf in her contemporary works, Georgia artist Gwen Wong features hummingbirds in detailed and dynamic poses, capturing their delicate beauty. Artist: A fourth-generation Chinese American, Wong was born and raised in Augusta, GA. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in scientific illustration. She also…