Texas designer Charity Ridpath makes sculptural jewelry from clear, single-use plastics as remarkably diverse as bubblewrap and produce bags. Artist: Born in Lubbock, Ridpath grew up in Austin. As a kid, she was crafty, teaching herself embroidery, knitting and basket weaving. At Texas State University, where she earned a BFA in studio arts/metal in 2018,…
North Carolina jewelry artist Jason Janow describes his rustic yet refined designs as “precisely nature.” Artist: Growing up in Amherst, VA, Janow loved the outdoors and took an early interest in jewelry. Later, at age 30, he made a career change and enrolled in Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC, where he earned a degree in…
Tennessee jeweler and artist Brie Flora creates quirky cool pieces that are packed with personality. The artist: Born in Atlanta, but grew up in Wisconsin and then Massachusetts. Flora graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MASSART) in 2015, where she double majored in jewelry/metalsmithing and art education. After graduation, she taught intro/intermediate jewelry workshops…
Texas native Andi Terry makes sculptural jewelry and other pieces that are tied to themes in nature, including flowers and leaves. Even slugs. Artist: Born in Boston, Terry grew up in Victoria, TX. She graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio with a BA degree in international relations, but was drawn to the arts.…
Richmond-based textile designer Annabel Wrigley likes her color-happy, textured quilts to have a painterly quality. Artist: Born in Australia, Wrigley grew up in Sydney. In 2001, she moved to Virginia and earned a nursing degree. After her first child was born, Wrigley began sewing — initially just for fun, making children’s clothes and quilts. It…
North Carolina jewelry artist Jason Janow describes his rustic yet refined designs as “precisely natural.” ™ Artist: Growing up in Amherst, VA, Janow loved the outdoors and took an early interest in jewelry. Later, at age 30, he made a career change and enrolled in Haywood Community College in Clyde, NC, where he earned a degree…
In Virginia, engineer-turned-artist Wiwat Kamolpornwijit uses light-weight polymer clay in his contemporary jewelry designs. Artist: Kamolpornwijit grew up in Thailand, where he attended an engineering college. He moved to the United States to attend graduate school at New Jersey Institute of Technology and worked as a postgraduate research associate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in…
A self-taught polymer clay artist, Baltimore’s Amy Blair designs playful, patterned jewelry inspired by her travels and a curiosity about different cultures. The artist: Born in Seoul, South Korea, and adopted when she was three months old, Blair grew up in Baltimore. She studied jewelry and metals for a few years at Towson University before…
In her architecturally inspired jewelry, Maryland metalsmith Hilary Hachey uses clean lines and striking designs. The artist: Born outside of Philadelphia, Hachey became interested in jewelry making when her high school art teacher nominated her for a summer scholarship program for high schoolers at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. She learned jewelry making and metalsmithing…
Virginia metalsmith Cindy Liebel balances elements both classic and modern in her understated jewelry designs. The company/studio: Cindy Liebel Jewelry, based in Fredericksburg went full-time in 2014. The self-taught metalsmith designs and fabricates her work in a backyard home studio. The artist: Born in Virginia, Liebel grew up in a military family, living and traveling in the…