In her multi-media art and installations, Elyse Defoor explores a variety of contemporary themes. In one popular series, the Atlanta artist uses women’s swimsuits as a symbol for our culture’s obsession with outward appearances. In another, Defoor photographs knives and bullet shells to reflect our fascination with objects that can both protect and destroy. No…
Adrina Richard has been a longtime collector of pottery. She still is. But now the Atlanta ceramic artist hand builds her own, incorporating textures that reflect her Armenian heritage. Artist: Born in New York to parents who were immigrants and survivors of the Armenian genocide in Turkey. As a first-generation American, Richard grew up in…
Georgia artist and naturalist Chris Wilson celebrates the beauty of birds and other wildlife in his lifelike sculptures. Artist: Born in Cincinnati, OH, Wilson spent his early childhood there before moving to Marietta, GA, when he was 14 years old. He dedicated himself to his art and graduated from Walton High School. In 1994, he earned…
In his street-style paintings, Vando Davis includes his signature motif: BK2O (Be Kind to Others). The self-taught Atlanta artist says the message adds a deeper layer of meaning to his creative work. Artist: Born in Memphis, Davis grew up in Wilmington, DE, where his dad worked for DuPont. After high school, he attended the University…
Heather Deyling’s interest in invasive species, climate change and reading eco-fiction influences the Atlanta artist’s colorful, creature-like felted sculptures and wall drawings. Artist: The Ohio native was born and raised in Cleveland. She received a BFA from Kent State University and an MFA from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. In September 2019, she…
At times, Carlos Solis doesn’t understand the mystery and meaning of his dreams. Yet they intrigue — and inspire — the Georgia artist to create surprising and unexpected imagery in his surrealist paintings. Artist: Solis was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela. In 1990, he moved to the Chicago area, where he studied graphic design and illustration at…
In her figurative and abstract paintings, Atlanta’s Paula Henderson examines social dynamics. In one direction, her work explores how the impact of the beauty industry shapes women’s lives. In another series, Henderson utilizes shoe patterns on the ground to explore ideas of shared space and social unity. Artist: Born and grew up in the Boston…
Lisa Heller, an Atlanta lawyer turned jewelry designer, calls her work Modern Artifacts. That is because she likes to take moments from history and reinterpret them into modern pieces of jewelry. Artist: Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Heller’s family moved to Stuart, FL, when she was nine. In Stuart, her dad was mayor and her mother…
In her abstract and representational encaustic paintings, Atlanta mixed-media artist Deborah Llewellyn draws on her 20-plus years as a professional photographer. Artist: Born in Montreal, raised in Connecticut, Llewellyn attended SUNY Purchase in New York as a dance major. After a semester at SUNY, she received a full scholarship to the Alvin Ailey School (Dance…
Kristy Bishop’s work has had many iterations over the years. But the South Carolina weaver says the connective threads of color relations, texture and pattern are always present. The artist: Born in 1986 in Alexandria, VA, Bishop grew up in Charleston, SC, with her sights set on being an artist. She graduated with a BA…