Georgia artist Courtney N. Ryan envisions her ceramic sculptures as organic natural seed pods that travel from place to place in the natural world. Artist: Born in Fort Bragg, NC, in 1991 into a long line of Army service members. Her family moved soon after she was born to Fort Benning, GA, where her father was…
South Carolina sculptor Kevin Kao often draws on ancient statuary in his figure-ish clay work. Artist: Born and raised in Yorba Linda, CA, Kao has a BS in Biology from the University of California, San Diego, and a MFA in Studio Art, with a ceramics focus, from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The sculptor, who now…
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…
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…
Whether it is glass, bronze or printmaking, materials matter to interdisciplinary artist Amber Lelli of Nashville. The studio: Amber Lelli Art is based in Nashville. The artist has studio space in the basement of LeQuire Studio and Gallery, surrounded by remnants of many famous sculptures. The artist: Born in Queens, New York, Lelli spent her early years…
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…
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…