With help from his custom lathe, North Carolina woodturner Anatoly Tsiris shapes whole tree trunks into large-scale sculptures and vessels. Artist: Tsiris was born into a family of schoolteachers in the small Ukrainian town of Kmelnitsky. He planned to carry on the family tradition by graduating from college with a teaching degree in math and…
In her latest installation works, Miami fiber sculptor Patricia L. Cooke uses material with saturated “girly” colors and layers of detail to imitate wood carving in antique furniture and interior architecture. Artist: Born and raised in Greensboro, NC, Cooke earned her BFA in studio art in 2011 from Appalachian State University. In 2018 she received an…
For North Carolina metalsmith Erica Stankwytch Bailey, it’s the smallest details that count, whether in nature or in her architectural jewelry deigns. Artist: Born and grew up in Fayetteville, NC, where she knew early on that she wanted to become a maker. Bailey graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and…
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 abstract, color-interactive work, Mary Zio occasionally suggests a subject. But more frequently, the North Carolina artist wants her paintings to be open to the viewer’s interpretation. Artist: Born and raised in Syracuse, NY, Zio said there was never a time that she wasn’t exploring or making art. She graduated from SUNY Purchase in…
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…
Using both figurative and botanical elements, Raleigh artist Holly Fischer explores the dualities inherent in beauty and femininity in her abstracted white clay works. Artist: Born in Missoula, MT, Fischer grew up with artistic parents who helped foster her early creativity. When she was four years old, Fischer’s family moved from Montana to Boone, NC, where…
After years of creating practical and useful pieces, Virginia-based woodworker Sarah Grace Cheek is exploring more abstract and sculptural forms. Artist: The Virginia native was born and raised in Smithfield. Cheek felt lucky to attend the Governor’s School for the Arts while in high school. “This really solidified my trajectory and interest in pursuing a…
In an ongoing series of oil paintings, Kevin Palme portrays stacks of ice cubes in hyperrealist detail. Through his work, the Asheville artist continues to explore the idea of fragility and impermanence in an increasingly chaotic and frenetic world. Artist: Born in Morristown, NJ, Palme grew up in Long Valley, NJ. He attended Wake Forest…
North Carolina’s Tonya Thornton says there is always a fantastical nature to her puzzle-like collages and playful sculptures. Artist: Born in Niagara Falls, NY, her family moved to South Florida when she was five. After high school, she headed to Florida State University (FSU), where she graduated with a BFA in 1998. She left Florida…