In her contemporary jewelry designs, Maryland’s Tracey Beale adds meaning and tells a story. The artist: A Baltimore native, Beale graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she studied fine arts and literature. A few years after graduating, she took a metalsmithing class at MICA and worked for a time with Stephen Page,…
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…
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.…
In Asheville, dancer turned jewelry designer Laura Wood thoughtfully engineers her sculptural work to fit and flatter the body. The artist: Born in Milledgeville, GA, Wood earned a BFA in jewelry at the University of Georgia and later an MFA in metal design from East Carolina University (ECU). She has lived and worked as a…
In his carved wood jewelry, Louisiana’s Daniel DiCaprio hopes to create biological forms, like orchids, that are weird yet beautiful. The artist: Born in Albany, DiCaprio grew up in the Hudson River Valley of upstate New York. He graduated with a degree in art education from Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, and later earned his…
Georgia’s Ashley Buchanan draws on historical images when designing her contemporary, powder-coated brass jewelry. The artist: An Atlanta native, Buchanan, graduated from the University of Georgia in 2009 with a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing. For seven years she lived in Tennessee, where she started her business, before moving back to Georgia. The company: Ashley Buchanan…
Architecture and environment play a part in Kat Cole’s graphic, enamel-on-steel jewelry and sculpture. The artist: The Georgia native, who grew up in Lithia Springs, received her BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MFA from East Carolina University. Since then, she has worked as a visiting professor in metals/jewelry at Western Michigan University, taught workshops…
Raleigh’s Sarah Tector treats jewelry as small-scale sculpture. Her pieces catch the eye when on the body. Or not. The company/studio: S. Tector Metals is in Raleigh, where Tector works out of her home studio. A metalsmith for 28 years, she has focused solidly on her business for the last 11 years. The artist: Born in…
Widely known for her metal mesh designs, Alabama’s Sarah Cavender handcrafts high-style jewelry and accessories that are wearable works of art. The company: Sarah Cavender Metalworks is in an historic area of Oxford, AL. The company’s building has production space in the back and upstairs. There is a little shop open to the public. She…