New Orleans jewelry designer Emily Zawislak uses traditional metalsmithing techniques to make striking, minimalist pieces, integrating faceted gemstones and the elegant luster of gold accents. Artist: Born in Houston, Zawislak’s family moved around the country many times before they settled in New Orleans when she was a teenager. After high school, she went to the…
In South Carolina, self-taught sculptor Nadia Stieglitz says her abstract ceramic forms explore the intersection of art and nature, using themes of femininity, topography, dance and spatial philosophy. Artist: Born in France and raised in the Alps, Stieglitz has degrees in economics, languages and marketing. She lived and worked in Paris, then London for five…
North Carolina native Tara Locklear designs geometric and playful jewelry using broken and discarded skateboards. Artist: A North Carolina native, Locklear was born and raised in Fayetteville. After high school, she headed to East Carolina University (ECU), but left to go to work. Locklear spent 11 years in the corporate world of event planning and…
Inspired by his collection and fascination with antique toys and games from the 1950s, South Carolina digital painter Geoffrey Aaron Harris strives to create unique and contemporary artwork with a nostalgic quality. Artist: Born on a naval base in Keflavik, Iceland, Harris lived in many places growing up, from Alaska to South Carolina. From an…
Scale, shape and color drive the work of South Carolina painter Liz Rundorff Smith. The artist: Born in Greenville, PA, her family moved to Littleton, CO, when she was four. The family moved back to western Pennsylvania when she was 15. She received a BA in studio art with a concentration in sculpture from the College…
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…
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…
Georgia artist Paula Reynaldi turns a humble material into something extraordinary: masking tape sculptures. The artist: Reynaldi was born and grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she studied music and art. Then worked as a cellist and a music teacher. In 2021, she moved to the United States, first to Iowa City, where she…
In her vibrant, geometric prints, South Carolina’s Sunny Mullarkey reveals her fascination with repetition of patterns: Both in nature and man made. The artist: Born in San Diego, Mullarkey grew up in a Navy family who eventually settled in Beaufort, SC. She studied fine art and media art at Anderson University and the University of South…
Inspired by some antique blown glass buttons, Melissa Schmidt designs stunning blown glass jewelry that is both durable yet lightweight. Elegant and unexpected. The artist: Born in St. Louis, Schmidt grew up in Honolulu and San Francisco, where she attended different colleges, first for metals, then for fashion. After a move to St. Louis, she earned…