flavia lovatelli

A sustainable artist, South Carolina’s Flavia Lovatelli creates contemporary paper sculptures from old books, recycled magazines — and more. The artist: Born in Lima, Peru, she moved back to northern Italy as a young child. In high school, she won numerous prizes and awards for her art. In 1979, Lovatelli moved to the United States…

jodi walsh

In Houston, self-taught ceramicist Jodi Walsh specializes in “oritatami nendo,” the art of folding clay. The artist: Born in Toronto, Ontario, Walsh left Canada in 1967. Since then, she has lived and traveled to more than 25 countries, including Bangladesh, Africa, Taiwan and England. In 1980, she moved to the United States and now lives…

shana kroiz

In her striking and sculptural jewelry designs, Baltimore native Shana Kroiz blends metalsmithing and experimental enamel techniques. The artist: A Baltimore native, Kroiz started creating art in high school at the Baltimore School for the Arts. She later earned a BFA from Parsons School of Design and an MFA from Towson University, where she studied jewelry.…

jane jaskevich

Balancing elements, both classic and modern, North Carolina’s Jane Jaskevich carves out a quiet elegance in her figurative sculptures. The artist: Born in Greenville, SC, she was the kid in grammar school who got voted to do the art on the bulletin boards. After that early art start, Jaskevich went on to earn a BFA from…

audiowood

  Joel Scilley, founder of New Orleans-based Audiowood, artfully blends technology and organic forms in his novel audio designs. The artist: Scilley grew up in Florida and after high school, headed for New York, where he received his undergraduate degree from Hobart & William Smith College. He then earned an MA from Carnegie Mellon and a…

crystal gregory

Kentucky-based artist Crystal Gregory sees herself as a builder, often pairing construction materials with handmade textiles in her contemporary work. The artist: Gregory grew up in Huntington Beach, CA, and earned a BFA from the University of Oregon and an MFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Gregory lived and worked in…

mark leputa

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…

laura wood

In Asheville, dancer turned jewelry designer Laura Wood thoughtfully engineers her sculptural work to fit and flatter the body. The artist: Born in Milledgeville, GA, Wood earned a BFA in jewelry at the University of Georgia and later an MFA in metal design from East Carolina University (ECU). She has lived and worked as a…

ellie richards

North Carolina designer and sculptor Ellie Richards explores the intersection of work and play in her eclectic creations. The artist: Born in Greenbelt, MD, Richards grew up outside of Erie, PA in the small lakeside town of Girard. She received a BFA from University of Dayton (Ohio) in studio art and art education and an…

jeffie brewer

East Texas native Jeffie Brewer likes to say he makes sunshine out of paint and steel. His big and bright sculptures prove it. The artist: Brewer grew up in Palestine, a small, rural town in East Texas, where his parents owned a junkyard, a dangerous and often magical place for an only child. Brewer earned an…