jenifer thoem

With her hand-built ceramic sculptures, Georgia’s Jenifer Thoem can take a wall from wanting to wow. The artist: The Georgia native grew up on a farm in Rome, GA, where her desire to create and build things began and was encouraged by her parents. At Georgia Southern University, she discovered clay and earned a BFA…

rebecca myers design

Nearly 20 years ago, Baltimore jewelry designer Rebecca Myers traveled to Costa Rica. The beauty she saw there changed the direction of her work. The artist: Born in Philadelphia, Myers grew up on the West end of Allentown and Philadelphia PA. She attended the Baum School of Art at an early age and later graduated…

morgan gilbreath

Virginia’s Morgan Gilbreath uses reclaimed and often unconventional materials in her glass and mixed media art to bring the past and present together in exciting ways. The artist: Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Gilbreath earned a BFA in glass, a BA in art history and a certification in community arts from Temple University’s Tyler School of…

marco bogazzi

Georgia-based Marco Bogazzi designs and fabricates solid hardwood furniture with clean, modern lines. The artist: Born and raised in New Jersey by Italian immigrants, Bogazzi earned an undergraduate and graduate degrees in industrial design from the Pratt Institute School of Art and Design (NY). After college, he worked in the corporate world, designing products for…

cheryl smith

On walks, Cheryl Mackey Smith takes time to notice the seemingly endless patterns and random occurrences in nature. The North Carolina ceramics artist then transforms them into elegantly textured wall art. The artist: Born in Schenectady, Smith grew up in Scotia, NY, with parents who encouraged her interest in art. At age 17, she moved with…

kay vinson

As a former flight attendant, Birmingham’s Kay Vinson frequently flew to Japan and other parts of Asia. Her years of travel, and interest in Eastern culture, influence her abstract paintings. The artist: Though her family moved frequently when she was a child, Vinson considers Birmingham home. After high school, she attended University of Alabama, but…

laritza garcia

Laritza Garcia is mad about metal. And it shows in her colorful contemporary jewelry. The artist: Originally from the border area of Reynosa, Mexico and McAllen, TX, Garcia earned a BFA from Texas State University (TSU) in 2008. She is also a graduate of East Carolina University, where she received her MFA degree in 2012.…

deana goldsmith

Mississippi’s Deana Goldsmith is known for her playful pastel drawings. Her colorful still-life works reflect a love of books, thrift-store finds and nature. The artist: Born and raised on the Oklahoma side of the Red River (aka Texhoma) Goldsmith discovered at an early age she had a knack for doodling. After raising four children and…

linwood

Lin Babb doesn’t use a pattern for his heirloom-quality cutting boards. The self-taught Louisiana craftsman lets the wood dictate the size and shape of each stand-apart piece.  The artist: Born in Lecompte, Babb grew up in Alexandria and graduated from LSU. He received a master’s degree at Northwestern State University. Afterward, he taught physical education…

tracey beale

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,…