Atlanta artist Michelle Laxalt describes her ceramic sculptures and works on paper as intimately-scaled, abstract, biomorphic and purposefully ambiguous. The artist: Born and raised in Reno, NV, Laxalt graduated in 2014 from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a BFA in ceramics. She relocated to Atlanta for grad school, earning an MFA from Georgia State University…
South Carolina ceramic artist and collector Kara Artman finds old stories and new art in what has been cast aside. Artist: Born and raised in the rural town of Streator, IL, Artman graduated with a BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At school, her main focus was ceramics, but she took…
With organic shapes, surface decoration and adornments, such as fish hooks and hand-cut metal, North Carolina ceramic artist Isys Hennigar explores the relationship between humans and the natural world, particularly that of Appalachia. Artist: Grew up near Asheville and earned a BFA Studio Art from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill in 2017. In…
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…
After being reintroduced to ceramics three years ago, Georgia artist Kate Couch found that her watercolor designs, patterns and imagery translate seamlessly onto functional, clay surfaces. The artist: Born in Los Angeles, Couch grew up in Piedmont, CA, and Dunwoody, GA. She graduated with a BFA in art education from the University of Georgia and…
When Liv Antonecchia created her first ceramic donuts, the South Carolina artist didn’t think there would be an appetite for them. Though she makes other abstract and imaginative works, it’s her colorfully decorated donuts that are in demand. The artist: Grew up in Katonah, NY, just north of New York City, and graduated from Virginia…
Sculptor Greg Reuter works in clay, bronze and iron. The Texas-based artist describes his unfussy, well-crafted work as “impressionistic with a gestural quality.” The artist: Born in Santa Monica, CA, Reuter grew up mostly in the San Francisco Bay area. He earned a BA degree at California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland and…
In North Carolina, Christine Kosiba creates expressive and textured wildlife sculptures that show a curiosity about how we connect with the natural world around us. The artist: Born at Fort Rucker, AL, Kosiba grew up in many places since her father was an Army officer. She earned a master’s degree in special education at University of…
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…
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…