rushton waltchack

Alabama native Rushton Waltchack uses alcohol inks in her abstract flower paintings and butterfly collages. Artist: Waltchack was born and grew up in Birmingham. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in mass communications and spent a year in China before returning home. Company/studio: Rushton Art is based in Birmingham. The self-taught artist, who…

jason kimes

Mississippi artist Jason Kimes tediously welds as many as 18,000 pieces of weather-resistant steel together to make his large-scale, outdoor sculptures. Artist: Born in Panama City, Panama, Kimes moved as a baby to southern Mississippi, where he grew up. He earned a BFA in sculpture from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and an…

stephanie rosendorf

Atlanta ceramic artist Stephanie Rosendorf makes richly textured porcelain sculptures inspired by the natural world. Artist: Born and grew up in New Orleans. She graduated from the University of New Orleans. In late 2006, after Hurricane Katrina, she moved to Atlanta, where she worked in print and online publishing. In 2008, Rosendorf started taking ceramics…

marc maiorana

Using time-tested blacksmithing techniques and modern practices, Virginia-based metalsmith Marc Maiorana creates unique projects, such as ribbon-like steel benches, for clients across the country. Artist: Born in Greenfield, MA, Maiorana grew up in Montague, NJ, just down the road from the NY, NJ, PA Tri-state marker. Maiorana was introduced to metal working at a young age. His…

blackwing metals by lisa cimino

Whether it is black birds on sterling branches or dragonflies on bracelets, Baltimore designer Lisa Cimino creates unique jewelry interpretations of land, sea and sky. Artist: Born and raised in Baltimore, Cimino studied jewelry at Maryland Institute College of Art, where she experimented with a variety of jewelry making techniques. Ultimately, it was lost wax casting,…

brian thibodeaux

In his black and white figurative art, Louisiana native Brian Thibodeaux likes to paint on unusual surfaces. Current choices include cereal boxes and paper box lids. Artist: Thibodeaux was born and grew up in Rayne, a small town in south Louisiana. He began to draw as early as age five, and with the validation from…

jonathan imafidor

An eco-conscious artist, Atlanta-based sculptor Jonathan Imafidor uses scrap or found metal objects to build his large or larger-than-life animal and human works. Artist: Born in Nigeria, Imafidor grew up in a small rural community of Uneme Nekhua, exploring the wonders of his environment and creating art using natural materials. Imafidor received a BA in…

sarah west

The latticework of bridges and electric towers inspire the 3-D sculptural jewelry designs of North Carolina’s Sarah West. Artist: Born in Seattle, West grew up in the greater Boston area. She earned a two-year bench jewelry certificate from the North Bennet Street School in Boston. In her 20s, after working as a bench jeweler, West…

Signe & Genna Grushovenko

South Carolina artists Signe and Genna Grushovenko create contemporary oil paintings inspired by vintage-found photographs. Artists: Signe: Born in Michigan and was raised in a creative home in Washington, GA. She earned a BFA from LaGrange College, where she studied drawing and painting. Genna: Born and raised in Ukraine. Growing up in the Soviet Union,…

courtney n. ryan

Georgia artist Courtney N. Ryan envisions her ceramic sculptures as organic natural seed pods that travel from place to place in the natural world. Artist: Born in Fort Bragg, NC, in 1991 into a long line of Army service members. Her family moved soon after she was born to Fort Benning, GA, where her father was…