In her vividly colorful and structured geometric compositions, Georgia-based artist Helen Ziga strives to give visual form to thought. Artist: Born and raised in Warrington, PA, a Philadelphia suburb, Ziga graduated with a BA in art from Albright College (PA) and earned an MFA in Art from Ohio University. Ziga said she had an incredible formal…
Maryland’s Karen Wallace creates abstract, kiln-formed glass vessels and wall hangings with rich colors, sharp geometric lines and complex designs. Artist: Born in Danbury, CT, Wallace grew up in Columbia, MD, in the house where she now lives. She graduated with a BS in computer science from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and had…
With a background in psychology, Texas glass sculptor Malina Cipleu is drawn to how visual environments influence our internal state: how they can ground us and energize us. Or, offer quiet moments of reflection. Artist: Born and raised in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Cipleu moved to the United States in 1999. After living in a few different…
Historical architecture, industrialism and haute couture influence the bold jewelry designs of North Carolina metalsmith Jill Melyssa. Artist: Born in Bogota, Colombia, Melyssa was raised in New York. She earned a BA from the University of Albany and an MBA from Empire State University. After college, she worked in various managerial positions in New York…
In her Victorian-inspired jewelry designs, Asheville’s Alice Scott uses symbols from cultures and traditions around the world to create pieces that look ancient, yet modern – and have an extra meaning and story. Artist: Born in Washington, DC, Scott grew up in Charlottesville, VA, often traveling with her artist mom to craft shows. She went to…
Georgia’s Rachel K. Garceau translates her curiosity about found or mundane objects, such as petals, pebbles and the curved points of a pine cone, into striking porcelain work. Artist: Born in Waterbury, CT, raised in the storied town of Goshen, Garceau lived in small towns throughout New England. After graduating with a BA in Fine…
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…
Atlanta’s Anderson Smith combines photography, painting and imagery from pop culture in his abstract works. But Smith doesn’t just create art, he also displays it at the two galleries he owns. Artist: Born and grew up in Chicago. After high school, Smith went into the military and later graduated with a sociology degree from Barber-Scotia…
After starting a career in industrial design, Keavy Murphree migrated back to her first love: ceramics. The Nashville artist now makes decorative and functional clay works that are equal parts minimal and modern. Artist: Born in Chicago and raised north of the city, Murphree moved to Cape Coral, FL, halfway through high school. She headed back…
Influenced by Neolithic stone forms, South Carolina artist Roger Halligan uses a variety of materials to create his freestanding and wall mounted sculptures. Artist: Born in Troy, NY, Halligan grew up in the Hudson River Valley. He received a BA in economics from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, and after graduation began taking art courses…