The Delta landscape often influences the blown, cast and fused sculptures of noted Alabama glass artist Rene Culler. The artist: Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Culler began to work in glass in high school, learning how to sandblast. At the Cleveland Institute of Art, where she earned a BFA in glass, Culler learned about color and form,…
A sustainable artist, South Carolina’s Flavia Lovatelli creates contemporary paper sculptures from old books, recycled magazines — and more. The artist: Born in Lima, Peru, she moved back to northern Italy as a young child. In high school, she won numerous prizes and awards for her art. In 1979, Lovatelli moved to the United States…
In Houston, self-taught ceramicist Jodi Walsh specializes in “oritatami nendo,” the art of folding clay. The artist: Born in Toronto, Ontario, Walsh left Canada in 1967. Since then, she has lived and traveled to more than 25 countries, including Bangladesh, Africa, Taiwan and England. In 1980, she moved to the United States and now lives…
South Carolina’s Charles Clary often incorporates drywall, found frames and old VHS boxes in his intricate and layered, hand-cut paper sculptures. The artist: Born and raised in Morristown, TN, Clary received his BFA in painting from Middle Tennessee State University and an MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design. A professional…
Joel Scilley, founder of New Orleans-based Audiowood, artfully blends technology and organic forms in his novel audio designs. The artist: Scilley grew up in Florida and after high school, headed for New York, where he received his undergraduate degree from Hobart & William Smith College. He then earned an MA from Carnegie Mellon and a…
Georgia’s Robert Patterson makes elegantly austere wood objects with little concern for utility. The artist: Born in Baton Rouge, LA, Patterson grew up in North Carolina. Both his father and grandfather who were woodworkers. At college, he focused on drawing and painting. Patterson earned a BFA from the University of North Carolina and an MFA…
South Carolina ceramic artist Maria White strives to create work that enhances a space and is useful in daily ritual. The artist: Born in Las Vegas, White grew up in Summerville, SC, in a creative household. While both parents painted, her father was a graphic designer and her mother also designed and made clothing. White discovered clay…
Mark Leputa has been spellbound by glass since he discovered it on a post-college trip. The Alabama-based glass sculptor found the material seductive and inspiring. He still does. The artist: Leputa grew up in the Scranton, PA, area and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. After college, he took a backpacking trip to New Zealand…
North Carolina designer and sculptor Ellie Richards explores the intersection of work and play in her eclectic creations. The artist: Born in Greenbelt, MD, Richards grew up outside of Erie, PA in the small lakeside town of Girard. She received a BFA from University of Dayton (Ohio) in studio art and art education and an…
North Carolina’s Angelique Tassistro makes festive dishes with fresh colors and designs that make everyday meals feel like a celebration. The artist: Tassistro grew up in Baton Rouge, LA, and received two BFA’s from Louisiana State University: One in photography, the other in ceramics. She moved to Asheville in 2003 to pursue ceramics. The company/studio:…