Learning to let go didn’t come easily to Georgia artist Janice Rago. In college, a painting professor encouraged her to loosen up, experiment, and move beyond her perfectionist tendencies. Years later, that lesson is at the heart of Rago’s figurative paintings, where female figures, florals and unexpected elements come together in compositions that balance control…
Drawing on themes as varied as cave art and poetry to Gee’s Bend quilts, Atlanta painter Michael Barringer creates abstract works alive with layers of color, energy and emotion. His paintings bring these disparate influences together in a visual language that is uniquely his own. “I think a question which is always present for me…
Language is at the heart of Esteban Patino’s creative practice – even when the words themselves don’t exist. Using an invented alphabet of shapes and symbols, the Atlanta-based artist creates collages, paintings, and sculptures that explore how we communicate, interpret meaning and make connections. “I have always been captivated by how humans create and play with language,”…
For Kate Schultz, inspiration is often found just outside her door. Drawing on the quiet beauty of her backyard, the North Carolina painter creates works that invite viewers to bring nature indoors –and to slow down long enough to notice life’s fleeting moments. Artist: Schultz was born and grew up in Jackson, MS. Her interest…
North Carolina’s Jason Lord rarely has a design or object in mind when he starts. Rather, the hyper-interdisciplinary artist begins with a question and “lets it bloom, through process, material exploration and iteration.” “I like to work with what is readily available,” said Lord. “If I wanted to be specific at the risk of sounding…
Bo Bartlett’s figurative paintings often blur the line between memories and dreams. But the stories the Georgia artist tells are deeply rooted in his family, personal experiences and an enduring exploration of the American experience. Artist: Bartlett was born and raised in Columbus, GA. Drawn to drawing and painting at an early age, Bartlett left…
For more than 20 years, Charity Hamidullah worked as a professional tattoo artist, creating intricate designs on an intimate scale. But over time, her artistic vision grew. The Atlanta artist turned to mural-making and public art in search of something larger and bolder. “I wanted a bigger canvas,” said Hamidullah. “And to tell bigger stories…
Stephanie Henderson uses simple geometric forms and playful color combinations in her abstract paintings. The Atlanta-based painter says that her art is about color and how colors speak to each other – and affect you. Artist: The Georgia native grew up in Thomasville. She graduated with a BA in English literature from the University of Virginia…
Harry Underwood, a self-taught painter in Tennessee, creates scenes of everyday people on vacation or enjoying themselves in his nostalgic, outsider-style works. “My paintings look like postcards from a better world” said the soft-spoken artist. “But if you read them, you find more depth than that. “I think that people dream of wealth and identify…
Using a combination of oil paint and gold leaf in her contemporary works, Georgia artist Gwen Wong features hummingbirds in detailed and dynamic poses, capturing their delicate beauty. Artist: A fourth-generation Chinese American, Wong was born and raised in Augusta, GA. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a BFA in scientific illustration. She also…