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 Jessica Beels, materials are more than a medium. They’re the starting point, and they often hold the message. Drawing on found objects and unexpected materials, the Kentucky artist creates sculptures and installations that invite viewers to reconsider their relationship with the objects they use, discard – and often overlook. Artist: Born in New York City,…
For Congolese-born Masela Nkolo, art is both a creative practice and a journey home. Through his mixed-media work, the artist, now based in Atlanta, explores identity, memory and culture, drawing on the artistic traditions of the Kongo to reconnect with his African heritage while creating something distinctly contemporary. Artist: Nkolo was born and grew up…
When Robyn Gibson first stepped into a boxing gym, she found more than a new workout. The Kentucky artist discovered a source of movement, confidence, and healing that now influences her charcoal drawings and ceramic sculptures. Through curvy, gestural female figures, Gibson explores the power of taking up space, a theme rooted in both her…
Whether hiking a forest trail or exploring a new town or gallery, Audrey Laine Sawyer is always observing. The North Carolina metalsmith and jewelry designer draws on those experiences to create wearable and sculptural pieces that explore the intersection of nature and modern design. Artist: Sawyer grew up in Cincinnati, OH, and received her BA in…
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…
Doug Pisik brings his engineering background to every piece he creates. His meticulously crafted art boxes and free-form wood sculptures often incorporate numerous contrasting wood species, forming intricate geometric patterns. Some works contain more than a thousand individual pieces seamlessly joined into a single composition – a level of precision the Atlanta wood sculptor considers…
To create her sculptural and flat works, Alabama textile and fiber artist Kami Watson specializes in wet felting – a centuries-old process that is both labor and time intensive. In Watson’s hands, the medium becomes a rich blend of personal narrative, deep-rooted craft and storytelling. Artist: Born in Nacogdoches, TX, Watson grew up in a…
William Kolok calls himself an object maker. And a storyteller. “I am driven to sculpt as I have something to say that only I can say,” said the Kentucky artist. Artist: Born in Port Chester, NY, and grew up in Byram, CT, Kolok received a BA in art and art education from Berry College in Rome,…
Anna Gregory uses the inherent beauty of locally sourced woods in her functional and non-functional woodwork. “I have a desire to connect with the natural world through the lens of architectural form and structure,” said the Kentucky sculptor. Artist: Born in Georgetown, KY, Gregory went to the University of Kentucky. In 2008, she received a master’s…