kristy bishop

Kristy Bishop’s work has had many iterations over the years. But the South Carolina weaver says the connective threads of color relations, texture and pattern are always present. The artist: Born in 1986 in Alexandria, VA, Bishop grew up in Charleston, SC, with her sights set on being an artist. She graduated with a BA…

courtney khail

Georgia-based artist Courtney Khail produces abstract floral watercolor paintings and murals using pools of bold color and layers of gestural lines. Artist: Originally from Augusta, Khail studied visual arts at John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School for eight years in her hometown. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2007 with a BFA in…

karli pendergraft

North Carolina ceramic sculptor Karli Pendergraft makes soft organic forms and vessels with abstracted elements from the natural world. Artist: The North Carolina native was born and grew up in Raleigh. In 2018, she received her BFA in studio art from Appalachian State University in Boone. Soon after graduation, she moved to Asheville. Studio: Since…

katarina tifft

Katarina Tifft’s sculptural work is a contemporary take on traditional seashell crafts. Company/studio: Katarina Tifft Art, which started in 2022, is based in Gainesville, FL. The artist, who started working with shells in 2020 during the pandemic, has a dedicated home studio. Artist: Born in Slovakia (the former Czechoslovakia) she grew up in the countryside…

patti quinn hill

To construct her elegant and intricate works, North Carolina weaver Patti Quinn Hill uses traditional basketry techniques and a non-traditional material: painted archival paper. Artist: Born in New Orleans, Hill grew up in nearby Metairie, where her mother and grandmother taught her needlework and sewing skills. Company/studio: Patti Quinn Hill is based in Weaverville, NC. The artist,…

anderson smith

Atlanta’s Anderson Smith combines photography, painting and imagery from pop culture in his abstract works. But Smith doesn’t just create art, he also displays it at the two galleries he owns. Artist: Born and grew up in Chicago. After high school, Smith went into the military and later graduated with a sociology degree from Barber-Scotia…

melissa sims

Atlanta-based artist Melissa Sims is known for her fun, pop-art paintings that look like glossy photographs. Artist: The Georgia native was born and grew up in Conyers, GA. After taking a photography class in high school, she wanted to learn more. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in photography and a…

keavy murphree

After starting a career in industrial design, Keavy Murphree migrated back to her first love: ceramics. The Nashville artist now makes decorative and functional clay works that are equal parts minimal and modern. Artist: Born in Chicago and raised north of the city, Murphree moved to Cape Coral, FL, halfway through high school. She headed back…

anne storie willson

Using an intricate random weave process, Raleigh’s Anne Storie Willson works with reed and other natural materials to create sculptural weavings of dresses, nests and pods. Artist: Born on a coastal sound near Wilmington, NC, Willson grew up and lived in Greensboro for many years. She earned three BA’s: communications, museum studies and art history…

nadia stieglitz

In South Carolina, self-taught sculptor Nadia Stieglitz says her abstract ceramic forms explore the intersection of art and nature, using themes of femininity, topography, dance and spatial philosophy. Artist: Born in France and raised in the Alps, Stieglitz has degrees in economics, languages and marketing. She lived and worked in Paris, then London for five…