Richmond-based artist Kiara Pelissier has long been fascinated by the magical and transformative nature of glass. The artist: Born in Mexico, Pelissier grew up in Connecticut in a multi-generational family of artists. She later graduated with a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and earned an MFA in Craft and Material Studies at Virginia…
In her abstract ceramic, metal and plaster sculptures, Birmingham-based artist Emily Meisler is inspired by natural elements. The artist: Meisler grew up in Birmingham, and graduated from the College of Charleston in 2015 with degrees in psychology and studio art with a concentration in sculpture. After graduation, she took a year off before grad school and…
In his colorful tree-branch art, Georgia’s Tom Chambers brings the outdoors in. The artist: Chambers’ interest in art began in an Orlando high school, where his first art class was taught by his football and track team coach. At the University of Tampa, where he attended college on a football scholarship, Chambers studied sculpture, drawing…
From pink clouds to her glowy lemons, color is key in the landscape and still-life paintings of South Carolina’s Jessica Fields. The artist: Born in Louisiana, Fields was raised mostly in The Woodlands, TX. She headed north to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, where she graduated with a degree in painting. She returned…
After being reintroduced to ceramics three years ago, Georgia artist Kate Couch found that her watercolor designs, patterns and imagery translate seamlessly onto functional, clay surfaces. The artist: Born in Los Angeles, Couch grew up in Piedmont, CA, and Dunwoody, GA. She graduated with a BFA in art education from the University of Georgia and…
With a nod to often overlooked botanicals and an added touch of gold, Texas-based artist Marcy Palmer creates dreamlike, photo-based works. The artist: Palmer grew up in Saratoga Springs, NY, and received a BS in studio art from Skidmore College. She also earned an MFA in photography & related media from The School of Visual Arts…
Whether it is glass, bronze or printmaking, materials matter to interdisciplinary artist Amber Lelli of Nashville. The studio: Amber Lelli Art is based in Nashville. The artist has studio space in the basement of LeQuire Studio and Gallery, surrounded by remnants of many famous sculptures. The artist: Born in Queens, New York, Lelli spent her early years…
The ecosystems of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico influence the abstract, pastel-colored works of Alabama painter and mixed-media artist Elisabeth Hays. The artist: Born in Alexander City, AL, Hays grew up in Fairhope and still lives there with her husband and two children. After college at Auburn University, where she studied fine arts, she…
The strange and familiar meet in the quirky, contemporary portraits of Georgia painter Cameron Bliss. The artist: A Georgia native, Bliss grew up in Savannah and graduated with a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design. The studio: Her studio is in an old converted barn behind the family’s house in Winterville, GA. In the…
When Liv Antonecchia created her first ceramic donuts, the South Carolina artist didn’t think there would be an appetite for them. Though she makes other abstract and imaginative works, it’s her colorfully decorated donuts that are in demand. The artist: Grew up in Katonah, NY, just north of New York City, and graduated from Virginia…