Daniel Lai transforms discarded books into narrative wall sculptures that explore various themes – from humor to social issues – in everyday life. Artist: Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Lai came to the United States in 2000 to attend college. He earned a BA in linguistics and an MA in art history from…
Christina Jensen Vicente took the scenic route to becoming an artist. After more than two decades working in the luxury industry, the Florida-based fiber artist now brings her design experience to life through handmade fiber wall hangings, sculptural works and material experimentation. Artist: The Georgia native was born to Danish parents and raised in Atlanta.…
Florida ceramist Debra Steidel makes elegant, multi-piece wall installations, inspired by organic shapes, textures and colors of the natural world. Artist: Grew up in Alexandria, VA, near her uncles, Al and Billy Steidel, major art and antique collectors. When she visited, they would show her their collections of antique bottes and crocks. Her Uncle Al…
In her intricate and layered digital collages, Florida photo artist Maggie Taylor creates surreal and dream-like worlds that invite each viewer’s interpretation and imagination. Artist: Born in Cleveland, OH, Taylor moved to Florida at the age of 11. At Yale, she studied photography, philosophy and art history and received a BA in philosophy. After earning an…
Julie Torres practiced law for seven years before turning to pursue a more creative career. Artist: Born in Boise, Idaho, the artist grew up in Tallahassee, FL, where she fell in love with making art when she was seven years old. But when it came time for college and career paths, she was too afraid to…
As a child, Andrea Slappey made jewelry from colored telephone wire. Paper clips too. She never planned to pursue jewelry making as a vocation. But years later, after taking a metalsmithing class, that changed. Now the Atlanta jewelry artist designs her own collections of modern classics. Artist: Born in Tallahassee, FL, Slappey graduated from University…
North Carolina’s Casey Engel works in ceramics, textiles and printmaking. She is proof an artist doesn’t have to choose one medium to express herself. Artist: Born and raised in Pensacola, FL, Engel earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2015. After college, she worked in a commercial frame shop in…
Katarina Tifft’s sculptural work is a contemporary take on traditional seashell crafts. Company/studio: Katarina Tifft Art, which started in 2022, is based in Gainesville, FL. The artist, who started working with shells in 2020 during the pandemic, has a dedicated home studio. Artist: Born in Slovakia (the former Czechoslovakia) she grew up in the countryside…
Feeling nostalgic for your old Game Boy, JVC-M90 boombox or 1984 Mac computer? Jenny Henley can help. The Atlanta-based mixed-media artist combines photography, painting and imagery from popular American culture to create her unique works. Artist: Henley grew up in Jacksonville, FL, in a family supportive of the arts. At her high school for the…
Architect turned jewelry designer Linda Azar has heard it said that silver collects and stores moonlight. The North Carolina metalsmith tries to capture that feeling in her work. Artist: Born and raised in St. Petersburg, Fl., Azar earned a BS in architecture from University of Florida. In 2001, after graduating, she moved to Asheville, NC,…