kate furman

South Carolina designer Kate Furman describes her “perfectly imperfect” jewelry as rustic with a refined feel. Artist: Born and raised in Greenville, SC, Furman graduated with a BFA from the University of Georgia in Jewelry and Metalworking. She went on to earn an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. Between…

matthew smith

In his jewelry work, North Carolina’s Matthew Smith draws on his background in graphic design and his appreciation of mid-century modern style. Artist: Born and raised in Columbus, OH, Smith graduated with a BFA from Wake Forest University, where he focused on printmaking and sculpture. For 20 years, he worked as a freelance graphic designer, but…

katie kameen

South Carolina’s Katie Kameen takes secondhand objects, like plastic plates and children’s toys, and playfully reinvents them as wearable sculptures. Artist: The Illinois native was born and grew up in Peoria. She earned a BFA in 3-D studio art at Eastern Illinois University (EIU) and her MFA in metalsmithing and jewelry design from Indiana University (IU).…

lisa heller

Lisa Heller, an Atlanta lawyer turned jewelry designer, calls her work Modern Artifacts. That is because she likes to take moments from history and reinterpret them into modern pieces of jewelry. Artist: Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Heller’s family moved to Stuart, FL, when she was nine.  In Stuart, her dad was mayor and her mother…

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…

brandi couvillion

Inspired by historic maps and architectural details, New Orleans native Brandi Couvillion tells stories in her historically inspired jewelry. Artist: A New Orleans native, Couvillion graduated from Tulane University. To explore her creative side, she took workshops at Penland School of Craft (NC) and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. A few serendipitous classes at New…

emily zawislak

New Orleans jewelry designer Emily Zawislak uses traditional metalsmithing techniques to make striking, minimalist pieces, integrating faceted gemstones and the elegant luster of gold accents. Artist: Born in Houston, Zawislak’s family moved around the country many times before they settled in New Orleans when she was a teenager. After high school, she went to the…

tara locklear

North Carolina native Tara Locklear designs geometric and playful jewelry using broken and discarded skateboards. Artist: A North Carolina native, Locklear was born and raised in Fayetteville. After high school, she headed to East Carolina University (ECU), but left to go to work. Locklear spent 11 years in the corporate world of event planning and…

alice colin

Charleston-based painter Alice Colin aims to express emotions and thoughts through colors and patterns.  Artist: Born and raised in Bordeaux, France, Colin left in her early 20’s to study, live and work in several other cities/countries, including Rome, London, Barcelona and New Delhi. Along the way, she earned a master’s degree in psychology and another…

linda azar

Architect turned jewelry designer Linda Azar has heard it said that silver collects and stores moonlight. The North Carolina metalsmith tries to capture that feeling in her work. Artist: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Fl., Azar earned a BS in architecture  from University of Florida. In 2001, after graduating, she moved to Asheville, NC,…