Using gemstones and fossils, Nina Kawar’s copper electroformed jewelry balances sophistication with raw beauty. But the North Carolina designer’s jewelry is about more than aesthetics. Each piece is created with healing and personal transformation in mind. Artist: Originally from Appleton, WI, Kawar moved to California as a young adult and later began her creative journey…
For Lydia C. Thompson, “home” is more than a physical place. Through ceramic and mixed-media sculptures, the North Carolina artist combines architectural forms, embedded objects and layered storytelling to explore home as a place of memory, loss, and belonging. Her works become mementos of what has been lost – and what endures. Artist: Thompson was born…
Macie Rollins likes to take textiles somewhere unexpected. Using hand-tufting and other fiber techniques, the Virginia artist pushes beyond the expected wall and floor formats to create work that can be sculptural, functional, illuminated — or something in between. “A lot of my work starts from something that might traditionally belong to one category and…
What looks like feathers is actually recycled plastic. For North Carolina environmental artist Deborah Kruger, the transformation is intentional. Kruger uses one of the most ecologically destructive materials to create intricate feathered artworks honoring endangered birds, languages and cultures. Her art reflects the losses caused by climate change, habitat fragmentation and human consumption. Artist: Born…
After decades in advertising, Ken Womack knows the power of a memorable image. Today, the Texas painter and sculptor channels that experience into playful, pointed and often oversized mixed-media works that remix the symbols of American pop culture, inviting viewers to look beyond the familiar. Artist: Womack, who was born and grew up in Houston,…
Language is at the heart of Esteban Patino’s creative practice – even when the words themselves don’t exist. Using an invented alphabet of shapes and symbols, the Atlanta-based artist creates collages, paintings, and sculptures that explore how we communicate, interpret meaning and make connections. “I have always been captivated by how humans create and play with language,”…
For Jessica Beels, materials are more than a medium. They’re the starting point, and they often hold the message. Drawing on found objects and unexpected materials, the Kentucky artist creates sculptures and installations that invite viewers to reconsider their relationship with the objects they use, discard – and often overlook. Artist: Born in New York City,…
When Robyn Gibson first stepped into a boxing gym, she found more than a new workout. The Kentucky artist discovered a source of movement, confidence, and healing that now influences her charcoal drawings and ceramic sculptures. Through curvy, gestural female figures, Gibson explores the power of taking up space, a theme rooted in both her…
For Congolese-born Masela Nkolo, art is both a creative practice and a journey home. Through his mixed-media work, the artist, now based in Atlanta, explores identity, memory and culture, drawing on the artistic traditions of the Kongo to reconnect with his African heritage while creating something distinctly contemporary. Artist: Nkolo was born and grew up…
North Carolina’s Jason Lord rarely has a design or object in mind when he starts. Rather, the hyper-interdisciplinary artist begins with a question and “lets it bloom, through process, material exploration and iteration.” “I like to work with what is readily available,” said Lord. “If I wanted to be specific at the risk of sounding…