In Alabama, chase and repousse’ artist Norman Morgan captures the natural beauty found in the outdoors in his detailed jewelry designs. Artist: Morgan grew up in Tarboro, NC. His art career started as a teenager when classmates discovered that he could draw reasonably good rock stars, and they were willing to pay for them. After…
Maryland’s Shirley Gromen says her porcelain work is a portal into the ever-changing natural world of the Chesapeake Bay. Artist: Gromen grew up in Maryland. She earned her BFA from MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) and her MFA in ceramics from The Ohio State University. She worked many years as a graphic designer before…
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…
Texas designer Charity Ridpath makes sculptural jewelry from clear, single-use plastics as remarkably diverse as bubblewrap and produce bags. Artist: Born in Lubbock, Ridpath grew up in Austin. As a kid, she was crafty, teaching herself embroidery, knitting and basket weaving. At Texas State University, where she earned a BFA in studio arts/metal in 2018,…
Georgia native Evan Blackwell Helgeson creates layered abstract paintings that reflect a love of nature, travel and color. Artist: The Georgia native grew up in Roswell and earned a BFA from the Lamar Dodd School of Art at the University of Georgia. She also holds an MFA from School of the Museum of Fine Arts…
Atlanta artist Michelle Laxalt describes her ceramic sculptures and works on paper as intimately-scaled, abstract, biomorphic and purposefully ambiguous. The artist: Born and raised in Reno, NV, Laxalt graduated in 2014 from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a BFA in ceramics. She relocated to Atlanta for grad school, earning an MFA from Georgia State University…
Maybe best-known for his detailed tree ring drawings, Atlanta artist Steven L. Anderson works in a variety of media to explore the power and beauty of nature. Over time. And on us. Artist: Grew up in Ann Arbor, MI, and graduated from University of Michigan and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where…
Self-taught Kentucky woodturner Chad Eames tries to highlight the natural features of the wood – knots, voids and bark inclusions — while still maintaining a modern feel with his designs. Company/studio: Chad Eames WoodWorks started in 2008 and is based in Lexington. Eames’ workshop is in his garage. Artist: Born in Royal Oak, MI, and…
Richmond-based textile artist Hillary Waters Fayle began stitching and using leaves as a primary medium because she loved intricate needlework and was drawn to organic and natural materials. Artist: Born in Buffalo NY, Fayle earned a BFA from Buffalo State College and a MFA degree in Craft/Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). In addition…
Science and the natural world meet in the otherworldly yet photorealistic still-life paintings of New Orleans-based artist Ida Floreak. Artist: Grew up in Cambridge, MA, and earned a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she studied painting and scientific illustration. As part of a college program, Floreak spent a year in Rome,…