jeff mead

Georgia sculptor Jeff Mead turns salvaged wood into shapely textured works. Artist: The Georgia native grew up in Acworth. At age 18, Mead moved to a small town in northern Massachusetts to work in the tree care business with family. In pursuit of other passions, he packed up and headed to the north woods of Wisconsin…

kirsten stingle

As a Georgia artist and a storyteller, Kirsten Stingle hopes her expressive hand-built porcelain figures encourage viewers to be curious, understanding and open to other points of view. Artist: Born in Washington D.C., Stingle grew up primarily in Northern Virginia. She earned a BFA in theater at Ohio University and a master’s degree in public…

helen dorion

Known for her fresh and often bold designs, Texas metalsmith artist Helen Dorion believes jewelry is art and your body is the gallery. Artist: Originally from the North West of England, Dorion received her undergraduate degree in Fashion and Textile Design from the Sir John Moores University in Liverpool in 1987. After meeting and eventually…

dana brown

Dana Brown was a watercolor painter for more than 20 years before she decided to try a new medium: encaustic. In late night sessions, she experimented with wax on various surfaces, with different tools, often splattering it on the carpet, ceiling – even the cat. After a couple of fruitful years, the North Carolina artist…

sean clark

Growing up, Sean G. Clark loved X-Men and comic books. Today, the New Orleans painter still draws on the formal elements of comic books, like color and composition, in his abstract and figurative works., Artist: The Tennessee native grew up in Chattanooga. In 2011, he graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta with a BS degree…

spencer tinkham

A lifelong bird and nature lover, Spencer Tinkham creates meticulously detailed and expressive wildlife sculptures with contemporary colors, forms and textures. As others have said: There is nothing “wooden” about the Virginia sculptor’s work. Artist: A Virginia native, Tinkham grew up in Norfolk and graduated with a BS in economics from Baylor University in Waco,…

rushton waltchack

Alabama native Rushton Waltchack uses alcohol inks in her abstract flower paintings and butterfly collages. Artist: Waltchack was born and grew up in Birmingham. She graduated from Auburn University with a degree in mass communications and spent a year in China before returning home. Company/studio: Rushton Art is based in Birmingham. The self-taught artist, who…

jason kimes

Mississippi artist Jason Kimes tediously welds as many as 18,000 pieces of weather-resistant steel together to make his large-scale, outdoor sculptures. Artist: Born in Panama City, Panama, Kimes moved as a baby to southern Mississippi, where he grew up. He earned a BFA in sculpture from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and an…

stephanie rosendorf

Atlanta ceramic artist Stephanie Rosendorf makes richly textured porcelain sculptures inspired by the natural world. Artist: Born and grew up in New Orleans. She graduated from the University of New Orleans. In late 2006, after Hurricane Katrina, she moved to Atlanta, where she worked in print and online publishing. In 2008, Rosendorf started taking ceramics…

marc maiorana

Using time-tested blacksmithing techniques and modern practices, Virginia-based metalsmith Marc Maiorana creates unique projects, such as ribbon-like steel benches, for clients across the country. Artist: Born in Greenfield, MA, Maiorana grew up in Montague, NJ, just down the road from the NY, NJ, PA Tri-state marker. Maiorana was introduced to metal working at a young age. His…