As a former flight attendant, Birmingham’s Kay Vinson frequently flew to Japan and other parts of Asia. Her years of travel, and interest in Eastern culture, influence her abstract paintings. The artist: Though her family moved frequently when she was a child, Vinson considers Birmingham home. After high school, she attended University of Alabama, but…
Laritza Garcia is mad about metal. And it shows in her colorful contemporary jewelry. The artist: Originally from the border area of Reynosa, Mexico and McAllen, TX, Garcia earned a BFA from Texas State University (TSU) in 2008. She is also a graduate of East Carolina University, where she received her MFA degree in 2012.…
In her contemporary jewelry designs, Maryland’s Tracey Beale adds meaning and tells a story. The artist: A Baltimore native, Beale graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she studied fine arts and literature. A few years after graduating, she took a metalsmithing class at MICA and worked for a time with Stephen Page,…
For the past 35 years North Carolina sculptor and painter Mary-Ann Prack has captured the essence of what it is to be human in her figurative clay works. On the surface her sculptures are colorful, sensuous and precise. She believes experiencing them reveals the spirit, energy and joy in which they were created. The artist:…
Atlanta artist Jeffrey Wilcox Paclipan transforms recycled puzzle pieces and paper into abstract sculpture and wall art — works that draw you in for a closer look. The artist: Born in Balibago, Philippines, Paclipan grew up in an Air Force family who relocated extensively throughout his young adult life. He earned an AA degree in commercial…
Utilizing a variety of mediums, including wood, plastics and found materials, Houston-based sculptor and designer Joyce Lin often deconstructs traditional furniture forms and materials to explore the ever-shifting relationship between humans and their environment. The artist: Born in Durham, Lin grew up in Birmingham, where she attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts, where she…
Emily Kuchenbecker set out to be a painter. But in college, a class in glass set her on a new artistic path. The artist: Born in Madison, WI, Kuchenbecker received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point (UWSP) in 2016 and her MFA from the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2019. She has…
In her colorful silhouettes, Atlanta’s Tracy Murrell celebrates the beauty and grace of the female form. The artist: Born in Mobile, AL, she moved with her family to Spain for five years when her father was in the Air Force. After that, the family settled in Biloxi, MS. ` At Centenary College in Shreveport, LA., Murrell…
In her porcelain and gold leaf vessels, Florida native Deneece Harrell draws on the Japanese art of kintsugi. The artist: Born and raised in Lakeland, FL, Harrell earned a design degree from the School of Architecture at the University of Florida. Over her 35-year career, she has worked in corporate and residential interior design and taught…
Kaminer Haislip wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she creates stunning silver spoons and more in her South Carolina studio. The artist: Haislip grew up in Aiken, SC, and worked in high school at her family’s True Value hardware and appliance store, cutting keys and working around lots of tools and…