joël urruty

When it comes to his contemporary sculptures, North Carolina’s Joel Urruty believes less is more. The artist: Born in San Francisco, Urruty earned a BS in industrial technology from San Francisco State University. He then went on to work for one year as an apprentice for David J. Marks, an internationally recognized furniture craftsman. In…

s. tector metals

Raleigh’s Sarah Tector treats jewelry as small-scale sculpture. Her pieces catch the eye when on the body. Or not. The company/studio: S. Tector Metals is in Raleigh, where Tector works out of her home studio. A metalsmith for 28 years, she has focused solidly on her business for the last 11 years. The artist: Born in…

sarah cavender

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…

bueno glass

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…

robert farrell

From rural barns to water towers, Florida’s Robert Farrell creates sculptural and tabletop objects that elicit an emotional response from the viewer: A memory. A longing. A subtle sadness, or a sense of comfort. The artist: Born in Fort Atkinson, WI, Farrell grew up in Venice, FL, where his mother taught school. He earned undergraduate degrees…

kipley meyer

For more than 30 years, Georgia’s Kipley A. Meyer has worked in wood. Originally, the self-taught artist made furniture. But 10 years ago, Meyer turned to wood wall sculpture in a style he calls organic contemporary. The artist: Meyer grew up in Decatur, GA, and attended DeKalb Community College. He first studied music, then business.…

katie walker

In her abstract paintings, South Carolina’s Katie Walker draws on memories of places and people she has encountered. The artist: Born in Pensacola, Walker grew up in Greenville, SC. She earned an art degree from Furman University and an MFA degree in painting/drawing from the University of Georgia. She also studied and taught in Cortona,…

julie madden

Clay artist Julie Schnell Madden likes the idea that something you wipe off your shoes can be turned into something exquisite. In her ceramic work, the Virginia artist does just that. The artist: The Toledo native earned an undergraduate degree in ceramics from Ohio University and two masters’ degrees in ceramic and sculpture from Bowling…

kathy king

North Carolina’s Kathy King hand sews thousands of tiny glass beads to construct her intricate and innovative jewelry. The artist: King grew up on Long Island, NY, and earned her industrial engineering degree from Lehigh University in 1991. She served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force after school and moved to Cary, NC, in…

Nate Cotterman

In North Carolina, Nate Cotterman uses traditional Venetian glass blowing techniques to craft his contemporary collections of barware, lighting and home accessories. The artist: Born in Coshocton, Ohio, he majored in glass blowing at the Cleveland Institute of Art. After graduating in 2007, Cotterman worked for a local artist in Cleveland, while maintaining his own studio practice.…