For more than 30 years, Georgia’s Kipley A. Meyer has worked in wood. Originally, the self-taught artist made furniture. But 10 years ago, Meyer turned to wood wall sculpture in a style he calls organic contemporary. The artist: Meyer grew up in Decatur, GA, and attended DeKalb Community College. He first studied music, then business.…
Elegant design and details that make a difference are hallmarks of the porcelain pieces made by Elizabeth Borowsky in South Carolina. The artist: Borowsky grew up in Acton, MA, and graduated from Clemson University in 2000 with a fine arts degree and an emphasis on sculpture. In 2012, when her youngest of five children turned…
Thousands of hand-cut papers go into constructing the stunning and highly structured wigs and masks by Paper-Cut-Project. Talk about wow factor! The company: Paper-Cut-Project, founded in 2009, is based in Atlanta and Chicago. The creators: Nikki Nye and Amy Flurry. Born in Rhode Island, Nye grew up in the Chicago suburbs and earned a degree…
Tennessee woodturner Kimberly Winkle hand draws dots, lines and other patterns on her quirky-cool painted furniture and wood objects. The artist: An Oklahoma native, Winkle earned degrees from University of Oklahoma (ceramics) and San Diego State University (SDSU) in furniture design. She has also completed woodworking workshops at: Penland School of Arts and Crafts, Haystack Mountain…
Many of Virginia Scotchie’s mixed-media sculptures possess a visual quirkiness, with their fragmented forms, pop colors and worn, crusty surfaces. The artist: Born in Portsmouth, VA, where her father was in the Navy, Scotchie grew up in Asheville making art of all kinds. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and…
The first time she forged steel, Corrina Sephora knew she wanted to work with metal. Now the Atlanta metal artist, once called the Queen of Forge, is known for her one-of-a-kind sculptures and mixed media paintings. The artist: Born in New Hampshire, Sephora started welding at age five with her father. Her interest in art continued…
Virginia’s Jomo Tariku designs modern African-inspired furniture that some have called Afrofuturist. The company: Jomo Furniture, based in Springfield, VA, started in 2017. The artist/maker: Born in Nairobi, Kenya, to Ethiopian parents, Tariku grew up in Ethiopia. As a young boy, he was drawn to art, souvenirs and furniture pieces his father collected while traveling. During…
Georgia’s Eileen Braun made a name for herself as an award-winning ceramic artist. Then four years ago, she abruptly turned her talents in a completely different direction. The artist: Born in Boston, Braun grew up in the nearby suburb of Newton Center. She earned a degree in sculpture and art education from Indiana University. After…
From her popular ceramic wall pods to her sculptural tree totems, Alice Ballard’s work is always about nature. The artist: Born in Florence, SC, Ballard grew up in an Air Force family and lived all over the world. She earned degrees in painting at the University of Michigan, working as a scientific illustrator to put…
Who would’ve thought you could make a stunning dress out of bottle caps, roof shingles and soda pop cans. Chattanooga’s John Petrey did. The result is a sought-after collection of dress sculptures, all made from the most unexpected materials. The artist & background: Born in Southern California, Petrey earned degrees in graphic design and advertising…