In her collages and installations, Alabama’s Dayna Thacker uses paper, vintage photos and found materials to investigate how we make sense of the world and ourselves. The artist: Born in Germany, Thacker’s family moved around a lot while her father was in the military. The family eventually settled in Tennessee near extended family. She graduated…
The abstract forms in Texas artist Meredith Pardue’s paintings resemble organisms you might see under a microscope or floating on the water’s surface. The artist: The Louisiana native grew up in Monroe, LA, and earned a BFA in painting in 1998 from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In 2003, Pardue received an MFA in…
Using an old, camera-less photographic printing process, Virginia artist Jann Edmondson produces modern, blue-tinted botanical prints. The artist: She was born in Dallas into a family of artists. Her grandparents on both sides were artists. Her mother is an artist. So is her uncle and his wife. Her family lived a short time in Germany, before…
Atlanta artist and graphic designer Hannah Hanlon combines her lifelong curiosity for creatures in a clean style she calls contemporary scientific illustration. The artist: Originally from Concord, MA, she grew up taking private art lessons and attending a high school with an excellent arts program. Hanlon attended Boston University to study art and play D1 lacrosse on a…
A self-taught stone sculptor, Alabama’s Brooks Barrow uses old world techniques and traditional tools to make his modern and minimalist pieces. The artist: Barrow grew up Montgomery and Franklin, TN, and later served in the Marines. While living in Wisconsin, after his military stint, Barrow worked in commercial construction. Unsatisfied, he turned to making art…
Widely known for her metal mesh designs, Alabama’s Sarah Cavender handcrafts high-style jewelry and accessories that are wearable works of art. The company: Sarah Cavender Metalworks is in an historic area of Oxford, AL. The company’s building has production space in the back and upstairs. There is a little shop open to the public. She…
Using traditional glass blowing techniques, Thor and Jennifer Bueno of North Carolina create unique wall compositions with glass pieces that resemble river stones and soap bubbles. The artists: Thor and Jennifer Bueno Thor: Grew up surfing in Southern California and started blowing glass in 1979. He studied with the late Italo Scanga at University of…
Canoeing the swamps and wetlands in the Gulf Coast, Louisiana native Pippin Frisbie-Calder developed a deep appreciation for the raw beauty, fragility and diversity of the various ecosystems. The New Orleans printmaker hopes to document what these threatened areas have – and what they may still lose – in her art. The artist: Born in…
In her sculptural jewelry, North Carolina metalsmith Anna Johnson balances raw and refined, edgy and elegant. The artist: Born in Charlotte, NC, Johnson grew up interested in nature and jewelry making. She graduated with a degree in studio art with a focus on metalsmithing from Appalachian State University. She lives and works in Asheville. The…
From her popular ceramic wall pods to her sculptural tree totems, Alice Ballard’s work is always about nature. The artist: Born in Florence, SC, Ballard grew up in an Air Force family and lived all over the world. She earned degrees in painting at the University of Michigan, working as a scientific illustrator to put…