francesca vitali

Francesca Vitali is a modern-day alchemist. The Texas-based designer, who started her career as a chemist, turns everyday papers into jewelry that is both modern and special. Artist: Grew up in Rome, Italy, where she earned undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemistry. She left home to pursue her PhD at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.…

alice kresse

Maryland’s Alice Kresse brings her foundation in printmaking and enthusiasm for non-traditional materials to her modern, fun-to-wear jewelry designs. Artist:  Born in Cleveland, OH, Kresse grew up in Ann Arbor, MI. She graduated from Ohio University with a BFA in printmaking and painting. For many years, Kresse worked as an art director, graphic designer and…

michelle laxalt

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…

sara farrington

Using heavyweight drawing paper and cardboard, South Carolina’s Sara E. Farrington creates everything from furniture to light switches in her “Model Home” installation. The artist: Born in Greenwood, SC, in 1987, Farrington grew up mostly in Myrtle Beach. Her mother was an art teacher, and making art was something Farrington always did. At Coastal Carolina…

charles clary

South Carolina’s Charles Clary often incorporates drywall, found frames and old VHS boxes in his intricate and layered, hand-cut paper sculptures. The artist: Born and raised in Morristown, TN, Clary received his BFA in painting from Middle Tennessee State University and an MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design. A professional…

maysey craddock

Exploring the ever-shifting landscapes of the wild Southern wetlands, Memphis artist Maysey Craddock creates intricate gouache-on-paper paintings. The artist: Craddock grew up in Memphis and lived in New Orleans for many years, where she received a BA in sculpture and anthropology from Tulane University. She also earned an MFA from Maine College of Art in Portland.…

paper-cut-project

  Thousands of hand-cut papers go into constructing the stunning and highly structured wigs and masks by Paper-Cut-Project. Talk about wow factor! The company: Paper-Cut-Project, founded in 2009, is based in Atlanta and Chicago. The creators: Nikki Nye and Amy Flurry. Born in Rhode Island, Nye grew up in the Chicago suburbs and earned a degree…