Lisa Schnellinger, a former journalist turned artist, specializes in kilnformed glass. The Atlanta glass designer finds it is the right material for her — and her sculptures and hanging panels. Artist: Born and raised in northeast Ohio, Schnellinger earned a bachelor’s in journalism from Kent State University. After college, she worked as a newspaper reporter…
Although Steve Heine never practiced traditional architecture, the Kentucky native thinks of his modern, multi-layered artwork as architecture on a small scale. Artist: One of nine kids and the second-born of identical twins, Heine grew up in a loud, raucous house in Louisville. He later graduated from the University of Kentucky’s College of Architecture in…
To explore color and pattern, North Carolina’s Shane Fero takes a painterly approach to his sculptural glass birds and vessels. Artist: Born in Chicago, Fero’s family moved to Winter Haven, FL, in 1967. About a half-mile from his home, was the flameworking shop of Bob and Marie Howell, part of a well-known itinerant family of…
Through a lost-wax casting process, South Carolina glass artist Wm. Austin Norvell transfers the insignificant objects he finds and collects into delicate crystal keepsakes. Artist: The Charleston native graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in studio art and studied art and mold making for two years at the Richmond American International College in…
Atlanta’s Amy Rader is known for using unconventional materials, such as preserved butterflies and crushed glass, in her large, layered paintings. Artist: The Alabama native was obsessed with creating art throughout high school. Because of her interest and talent, Rader was awarded a full scholarship to the Art Institute of Atlanta. After graduating with the…
In college, Joe Grant was seduced by the power of glass. Today the North Carolina glass blower is known for his high-end, thoughtfully designed, hand-crafted glass objects. Artist: The Illinois native grew up in Champaign and studied glass at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Grant earned an MFA at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. He…
North Carolina glass designer John Shoemaker draws on antique and scientific glass forms to create his modern apothecary flasks and drinkware. The artist: Originally from Pennsylvania, Shoemaker began blowing glass in 2008 at Tyler School of Art at Temple University, where he earned a BFA in glass. Over the years, he has extended his education by…
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…
Richmond-based artist Kiara Pelissier has long been fascinated by the magical and transformative nature of glass. The artist: Born in Mexico, Pelissier grew up in Connecticut in a multi-generational family of artists. She later graduated with a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and earned an MFA in Craft and Material Studies at Virginia…
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…