In her sculptural jewelry, North Carolina metalsmith Anna Johnson balances raw and refined, edgy and elegant. The artist: Born in Charlotte, NC, Johnson grew up interested in nature and jewelry making. She graduated with a degree in studio art with a focus on metalsmithing from Appalachian State University. She lives and works in Asheville. The…
Brandi Couvillion tells a story of New Orleans in her contemporary and historically inspired jewelry. The artist: A New Orleans native, Couvillion graduated from Tulane University and studied woodworking and jewelry at the Penland (NC) School of Craft and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. Later, while working as the CFO for a New Orleans…
Self-taught jeweler Julie Cohn describes her work as primitive modern, juxtaposing rough with refined. The company: Julie Cohn Design, based in Dallas, started in 2010. It is the name of Cohn’s jewelry collection but also encompasses collaborative projects with other artists, architects and designers. The artist: Cohn grew up in Tulsa and was educated as…
Atlanta’s Trecy Bleich never thought about making jewelry until she wandered into a craft store. Now the self-taught designer’s own architectural and sculptural pieces can be found in museum shops and chic boutiques around the country. The artist: Bleich grew up in Summertown, Ga., and graduated from Savannah State University with a marketing degree. In…
Ben Ross has always enjoyed the woods and waterways of the South. So for his wedding 13 years ago, the South Carolina native decided to create a gift that reflected his appreciation of the outdoors. Ross, who grew up using feathers to tie fishing flies, crafted turkey feather bow ties for his groomsmen. The handsome…
In college, Megan Clark had a passion for fashion. But after taking a metals class, she changed her mind. And her major. Now the North Carolina artist is well-known for her timeless and modern jewelry designs. The artist: Born in Guam, Clark spent most of her childhood in Durham, NC. After graduating from the Savannah…
A lifelong interest in the natural world’s colors, forms and textures influences Kate Rothra Fleming’s glass jewelry designs. Background: Grew up in Miami, and as a child traveled around to remote areas of wild Florida with her father and mother, a nature writer. Fleming earned degrees from University of Florida and Rochester Institute of Technology.…
When Jennifer J. Matchett couldn’t find a pair of tortoiseshell earrings that suited her, Matchett first designed some for herself. Then launched a modern, eco-chic jewelry line. The designer: Matchett, originally from Maine, grew up in south Florida and graduated with an art history degree from Santa Fe College. She started making earrings using acetate…