Learning to let go didn’t come easily to Georgia artist Janice Rago. In college, a painting professor encouraged her to loosen up, experiment, and move beyond her perfectionist tendencies. Years later, that lesson is at the heart of Rago’s figurative paintings, where female figures, florals and unexpected elements come together in compositions that balance control…
For Lisa Tuttle, discarded materials can hold stories. Using leftover scraps, folded book pages and old photographs, the Atlanta artist creates layered mixed-media works that explore personal family history, Southern social legacies and the way the past lingers in our collective memory. Artist: Born in Little Rock, AK, Tuttle grew up in Charlotte, N.C. She…
Drawing on themes as varied as cave art and poetry to Gee’s Bend quilts, Atlanta painter Michael Barringer creates abstract works alive with layers of color, energy and emotion. His paintings bring these disparate influences together in a visual language that is uniquely his own. “I think a question which is always present for me…
Language is at the heart of Esteban Patino’s creative practice – even when the words themselves don’t exist. Using an invented alphabet of shapes and symbols, the Atlanta-based artist creates collages, paintings, and sculptures that explore how we communicate, interpret meaning and make connections. “I have always been captivated by how humans create and play with language,”…
For Congolese-born Masela Nkolo, art is both a creative practice and a journey home. Through his mixed-media work, the artist, now based in Atlanta, explores identity, memory and culture, drawing on the artistic traditions of the Kongo to reconnect with his African heritage while creating something distinctly contemporary. Artist: Nkolo was born and grew up…
Home has always been defined by more than one place for Sayma Ali. Raised between Bangladesh and the American South, the Atlanta-based multidisciplinary artist turns recycled materials, discarded plastics and found objects into captivating works of art – as well as expressions of identity and connection. Artist: Ali (also known as Sayma Hossain) was born…
Doug Pisik brings his engineering background to every piece he creates. His meticulously crafted art boxes and free-form wood sculptures often incorporate numerous contrasting wood species, forming intricate geometric patterns. Some works contain more than a thousand individual pieces seamlessly joined into a single composition – a level of precision the Atlanta wood sculptor considers…
Susan Wachler grew up surrounded by gemstones and metalwork in her family’s jewelry business. Yet for decades, she chose a very different path. As a psychotherapist for more than 35 years in Atlanta, Wachler spent her career listening to stories of struggle, connection and resilience. Only later did those experiences find a new form, inspiring…
For more than 20 years, Charity Hamidullah worked as a professional tattoo artist, creating intricate designs on an intimate scale. But over time, her artistic vision grew. The Atlanta artist turned to mural-making and public art in search of something larger and bolder. “I wanted a bigger canvas,” said Hamidullah. “And to tell bigger stories…
The Georgia husband and wife art-making team, known as Yvonne and Stefan, take found vintage materials, such as maps, photos and sheet music, and turn them into fresh new compositions and layered collages. Artists: Yvonne Miller: Born and raised in Atlanta, Miller studied drawing and painting at Georgia State University. In 2003, she started sharing…