Atlanta’s Trecy Bleich never thought about making jewelry until she wandered into a craft store. Now the self-taught designer’s own architectural and sculptural pieces can be found in museum shops and chic boutiques around the country. The artist: Bleich grew up in Summertown, Ga., and graduated from Savannah State University with a marketing degree. In…
Ben Ross has always enjoyed the woods and waterways of the South. So for his wedding 13 years ago, the South Carolina native decided to create a gift that reflected his appreciation of the outdoors. Ross, who grew up using feathers to tie fishing flies, crafted turkey feather bow ties for his groomsmen. The handsome…
The woodcut novels of Lynd Ward and Frans Masereel, as well as art movements from the 1920s to 1950s, inspired Florida’s Kreg Yingst to pivot from painting to printmaking. The artist: Yingst grew up in Libertyville, Ill. He earned an undergraduate degree in studio art from Trinity University (Texas) and a master’s degree in painting…
Mississippi painter and textile artist Coulter Fussell uses humble materials and an improvisational approach to design, stitching and patterns in her modern traditional quilts. The artist: Fussell was born and raised in Columbus, Ga. Her mother, who taught her to sew, is a master quilter. Her father has been art exhibit curator and consultant. After…
Atlanta-based Skylar Morgan Furniture blends natural and reclaimed materials to produce what it calls “American Made Modern” furniture. The founder: A Montana native, Skylar Morgan worked as an apprentice to master furniture maker Jeffrey Greene in Doylestown, Pa, for more than two years. In 2002, Morgan moved to Atlanta and opened his West Midtown design…
South Carolina’s Dorothy Shain creates contemporary artwork that reflects her love of travel and nature, but also color and pattern. The artist & background: Born in Greenville, SC, Shain graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she majored in studio art with a focus was painting. After college, she briefly worked as a wrangler…
Metalsmithing is rare art, but one that has brought national recognition to Tennessee metal sculptor Ben Caldwell. The artist: Caldwell grew up in Nashville and first trained as a painter and sculptor at Tufts University. After graduation, he furthered his training and studies at Harvard, the New York Studio School and the Boston Museum of…
Lindsay Oesterritter’s simple stoneware pieces are made for everyday use, but they feel and look like something special. The artist: A Louisville native, Oesterritter studied ceramics at the University of Louisville and Utah State University, where she earned a master’s degree in fine arts. The company: Lindsay Oesterritter Ceramics started in Manassas, Va., in 2015.…
Pilot turned designer Robert Porter can fashion a favorite baseball glove into a functional and stylish gift for your favorite MVP. The company: Vvego International started in 2008 in Birmingham, Ala. The founder: Robert Porter, a native of Birmingham, graduated from Birmingham Southern College and worked as a commercial pilot for 20 years. He started…
In college, Megan Clark had a passion for fashion. But after taking a metals class, she changed her mind. And her major. Now the North Carolina artist is well-known for her timeless and modern jewelry designs. The artist: Born in Guam, Clark spent most of her childhood in Durham, NC. After graduating from the Savannah…