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…
New Orleans native Gogo Borgerding says her personal style is more vintage, but the colorful metal jewelry she makes is decidedly modern. The artist: After graduating in 2000 from Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in metals and jewelry design, Borgerding returned to New Orleans and got to work. In 2006, she…
Trained as a traditional metalsmith, Maryland designer Jowita Allen uses recycled plastic bottles, nylon and other ordinary materials to make her modern and often playful jewelry. The artist: Allen began making jewelry and wearable objects as a teenager while growing up in Poland. In 2005, she moved to the United States and settled in Washington,…
Nearly 20 years ago, Baltimore jewelry designer Rebecca Myers traveled to Costa Rica. The beauty she saw there changed the direction of her work. The artist: Born in Philadelphia, Myers grew up on the West end of Allentown and Philadelphia PA. She attended the Baum School of Art at an early age and later graduated…
Laritza Garcia is mad about metal. And it shows in her colorful contemporary jewelry. The artist: Originally from the border area of Reynosa, Mexico and McAllen, TX, Garcia earned a BFA from Texas State University (TSU) in 2008. She is also a graduate of East Carolina University, where she received her MFA degree in 2012.…
Kaminer Haislip wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she creates stunning silver spoons and more in her South Carolina studio. The artist: Haislip grew up in Aiken, SC, and worked in high school at her family’s True Value hardware and appliance store, cutting keys and working around lots of tools and…
When Virginia’s Liz Hanson couldn’t find jewelry she wanted to wear, she came up with her own minimal and modern designs. The artist: Born in Norfolk, VA, Hanson grew up in Charlottesville, where she still lives. She earned a BA in art history from Ithaca College (NY) and continues to perfect her metalsmithing and fine…
In her polished and playful jewelry work, Florida’s Samantha Freeman strives to push the boundaries of design, materials and technique. The artist: Born in England, Freeman moved with her parents to Ohio at age nine. In high school art classes, she started making jewelry and small sculptures. She earned a BFA from Parsons School of…
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,…
In her striking and sculptural jewelry designs, Baltimore native Shana Kroiz blends metalsmithing and experimental enamel techniques. The artist: A Baltimore native, Kroiz started creating art in high school at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She later earned a BFA from Parsons School of Design and an MFA from Towson University, where she studied jewelry.…