Atlanta’s Jim Wise blurs the lines between fantasy and reality in his large, dreamlike paintings. The artist: Wise grew up in Raleigh, NC, and graduated with a BS degree in visual design from North Carolina State University. After graduation, Wise moved to Atlanta to pursue a design career. His first job was work at John H.…
Nashville’s Tim Hooper (aka Mr. Hooper) uses animals and inanimate objects as characters to tell stories in his colorful, surreal paintings. The artist: Born in Nashville, Tim Hooper started drawing the Sunday comic strips at an early age and continued to teach himself to draw. In high school, he discovered underground comic books and thought being…
The abstract forms in Texas artist Meredith Pardue’s paintings resemble organisms you might see under a microscope or floating on the water’s surface. The artist: The Louisiana native grew up in Monroe, LA, and earned a BFA in painting in 1998 from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In 2003, Pardue received an MFA in…
South Carolina’s Laura Dargan uses fresh color combinations and irregular shapes to create visual energy in her abstract paintings. The artist: Born in Columbia, SC, Dargan grew up painting and drawing. But it wasn’t until after graduation from College of Charleston that she began to focus on art as a career. Dargan opened an art…
In her abstract paintings, South Carolina’s Katie Walker draws on memories of places and people she has encountered. The artist: Born in Pensacola, Walker grew up in Greenville, SC. She earned an art degree from Furman University and an MFA degree in painting/drawing from the University of Georgia. She also studied and taught in Cortona,…
Virginia’s Kiki Slaughter pours, scrapes and layers paint on canvas to create her bold, richly textured abstract works. The artist: The Virginia native grew up in Charlottesville with a love of art. She earned art degrees from the University of Virginia (UVA) and Sotheby’s Institute in London. In 2005, after college, she started painting professionally.…
In her jewelry designs, Florida’s Hannah Long balances bold and delicate while adding keenly observed details and touches. The artist: Long grew up in St. Louis and studied sculpture at Portland State University. She lived in Atlanta, Detroit and New York before moving to Florida. In 2014, after taking a metalsmithing class at the Boca…
Jason Horton’s close-up paintings of birds and other wildlife are big, bold and beautiful. With their mesmerizing colors and details, the paintings easily anchor a wall or room. But the creatures also appear to be keeping an eye on you. The artist: Born in Brandon, MS. Horton grew up in a creative family. His mother…
In her color-rich abstract paintings, Kit Porter takes cues from palettes, patterns and shapes in a changing environment. The artist: Porter grew up in Wilmington, NC, and graduated with a degree in fine art from the University of the South (TN) in 2005. After graduation, she worked in art-related jobs in Columbia and Charleston, SC,…
Using silhouetted forms of leaves, flowers and other plants, Mississippi artist Carlyle Wolfe Lee marks time and seasonal changes in her abstract and representational paintings. The artist: Born in Gainesville, FL, she grew up in Canton, MS. She earned a BFA in painting from the University of Mississippi and a master’s degree in painting and…