maria white

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

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…

ellie richards

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…

angelique tassistro ceramics

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:…

francis sills

In a recent series of paintings, South Carolina’s Francis Sills was influenced by the landscape in and around his Low Country home.  The artist: Sills grew up in central New Jersey where he was exposed to art and nature as a child, hiking and fishing in the woods, ponds and creeks near his home. He…

roxane hollosi

Atlanta’s Roxane Hollosi calls her multi-layered art a visual document of the energies she feels – and those around her. The artist: Born in North Dakota, she grew up in southern Minnesota and Iowa.  She earned a BFA from ISU College of Design in Ames, IA, and received additional training at the School of the…

sunny mullarkey

In her vibrant, geometric prints, South Carolina’s Sunny Mullarkey reveals her fascination with repetition of patterns: Both in nature and man made. The artist: Born in San Diego, Mullarkey grew up in a Navy family who eventually settled in Beaufort, SC. She studied fine art and media art at Anderson University and the University of South…

martha clippinger

Martha Clippinger, a North Carolina painter and textile designer, is always exploring the relationships of color, and often off-kilter geometrics, in her many works. The artist: Clippinger grew up in Columbus, GA, and headed After high school, she headed to New York to study art history. She received a BA from Fordham University in 2005 and…

mitchell bat co.

When Nashville’s Jeremy Mitchell started his company, the longtime baseball fan hoped to hit a homerun with his heritage-inspired, hand-painted baseball bats. He has. The artist: The Tennessee native grew up in Hendersonville and studied sports marketing at Western Kentucky University. After college, Mitchell worked in advertising for 10 years before starting his company in Nashville,…

david c. robinson

In his visually complex sculptures, Atlanta ceramic artist David Robinson is inspired by the natural world and “the residue of the human experience.” The artist: Robinson grew up in Greenville, MS, and graduated from Delta State University in Cleveland, MS. He also earned a master’s degree in instructional design from Georgia State University (GSU). While working…