To explore color and pattern, North Carolina’s Shane Fero takes a painterly approach to his sculptural glass birds and vessels. Artist: Born in Chicago, Fero’s family moved to Winter Haven, FL, in 1967. About a half-mile from his home, was the flameworking shop of Bob and Marie Howell, part of a well-known itinerant family of…
In North Carolina, Ben Strear sculpts and carves wood sculptures that feature detailed patterns inspired by ancient artifacts and structures. Artist: Colorado native who was born and grew up in Longmont. He graduated with a BFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design. “The furniture design program was great for me because…
Atlanta’s Robert Chamberlin draws on cake-decorating techniques for his lavishly decorated porcelain work. With frosting-like piping, his campy art looks good enough to eat. Artist: Born in Landstuhl, Germany, where his dad was in the Air Force, Chamberlin grew up in various states, from California to Georgia, as his military family moved around. In 2010,…
Douglas Miller’s drawings and paintings of wildlife may appear unfinished. But that is exactly the Kentucky artist’s style and intention. Artist: Born and grew up in a family of teachers in Evansville, IN, until he moved to Florida to attend Ringling College of Art for two years. In 2001, after a stint in Seattle, Miller…
Georgia-based artist Courtney Khail produces abstract floral watercolor paintings and murals using pools of bold color and layers of gestural lines. Artist: Originally from Augusta, Khail studied visual arts at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School for eight years in her hometown. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2007 with a BFA in…
Kristy Bishop’s work has had many iterations over the years. But the South Carolina weaver says the connective threads of color relations, texture and pattern are always present. The artist: Born in 1986 in Alexandria, VA, Bishop grew up in Charleston, SC, with her sights set on being an artist. She graduated with a BA…
Lisa Heller, an Atlanta lawyer turned jewelry designer, calls her work Modern Artifacts. That is because she likes to take moments from history and reinterpret them into modern pieces of jewelry. Artist: Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Heller’s family moved to Stuart, FL, when she was nine. In Stuart, her dad was mayor and her mother…
Using a combination of digital painting and photo manipulation techniques, Birmingham native Beth Conklin creates work she describes as recycled dreamscapes. Artist: The Alabama native was born and raised in Birmingham. She graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in mechanical engineering and worked as an environmental engineer for ExxonMobil for 13 years. Conklin…
In her abstract and representational encaustic paintings, Atlanta mixed-media artist Deborah Llewellyn draws on her 20-plus years as a professional photographer. Artist: Born in Montreal, raised in Connecticut, Llewellyn attended SUNY Purchase in New York as a dance major. After a semester at SUNY, she received a full scholarship to the Alvin Ailey School (Dance…
Tennessee sculptor Raymond Padron carves hyper-realistic wood wall reliefs of familiar and often meaningful items from your past. Artist: Born in Maryland, Padron grew up in the North Virginia suburbs of DC. He graduated with a BA in art from Messiah College in Grantham, PA, and moved to Chattanooga, TN. In 2011, Padron received his…