Alabama sculptor Maralyn Wilson finds clay a medium full of magic, possibilities – and stories. Artist: Born in Birmingham, Wilson studied art at the University of Georgia with painter Lamar Dodd. She graduated with a BFA from Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans, where she studied with painter and sculptor Ida Kohlmeyer, the renowned Louisiana…
In her abstract ceramic, metal and plaster sculptures, Birmingham-based artist Emily Meisler is inspired by natural elements. The artist: Meisler grew up in Birmingham, and graduated from the College of Charleston in 2015 with degrees in psychology and studio art with a concentration in sculpture. After graduation, she took a year off before grad school and…
The ecosystems of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico influence the abstract, pastel-colored works of Alabama painter and mixed-media artist Elisabeth Hays. The artist: Born in Alexander City, AL, Hays grew up in Fairhope and still lives there with her husband and two children. After college at Auburn University, where she studied fine arts, she…
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…
Utilizing a variety of mediums, including wood, plastics and found materials, Houston-based sculptor and designer Joyce Lin often deconstructs traditional furniture forms and materials to explore the ever-shifting relationship between humans and their environment. The artist: Born in Durham, Lin grew up in Birmingham, where she attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she…
The Delta landscape often influences the blown, cast and fused sculptures of noted Alabama glass artist Rene Culler. The artist: Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Culler began to work in glass in high school, learning how to sandblast. At the Cleveland Institute of Art, where she earned a BFA in glass, Culler learned about color and form,…
Mark Leputa has been spellbound by glass since he discovered it on a post-college trip. The Alabama-based glass sculptor found the material seductive and inspiring. He still does. The artist: Leputa grew up in the Scranton, PA, area and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. After college, he took a backpacking trip to New Zealand…
Alabama’s Amy Pleasant uses a type of body language in her minimal and monochromatic drawings, paintings and ceramic sculptures. The artist: A native of Birmingham, Pleasant earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in 1999. After graduate school,…
In her collages and installations, Alabama’s Dayna Thacker uses paper, vintage photos and found materials to investigate how we make sense of the world and ourselves. The artist: Born in Germany, Thacker’s family moved around a lot while her father was in the military. The family eventually settled in Tennessee near extended family. She graduated…
A self-taught stone sculptor, Alabama’s Brooks Barrow uses old world techniques and traditional tools to make his modern and minimalist pieces. The artist: Barrow grew up Montgomery and Franklin, TN, and later served in the Marines. While living in Wisconsin, after his military stint, Barrow worked in commercial construction. Unsatisfied, he turned to making art…