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…
An artist who works across a variety of mediums, Tina G. Vincent is best known for her “Women of Color” paper mâché sculptures. The North Carolina-based artist stresses that her artwork embodies the beauty of everyday women, celebrating their shapes, skin tones — and unique differences. Artist: Born in Zimbabwe, Vincent lived there until age eight when…
As a child, Michael Enn Sirvet had an obsession with drilling – and holes. “The desire to excavate and open space where none had existed was intoxicating,” said the structural engineer turned sculptor. That fascination endures today and defines Sirvet’s architectonic work. Artist: Sirvet was born and grew up in the forested suburb of…
Jackson Shaner incorporates elements of body horror and the uncanny in many of his emotional clay works. “I find great interest in the body’s ability to be both beautiful and aversive,” said the South Carolina sculptor. “Working in clay also allows me to explore vulnerable parts of myself in a tangible form.” Artist: Born and raised…
In her vividly colorful and structured geometric compositions, Georgia-based artist Helen Ziga strives to give visual form to thought. Artist: Born and raised in Warrington, PA, a Philadelphia suburb, Ziga graduated with a BA in art from Albright College (PA) and earned an MFA in Art from Ohio University. Ziga said she had an incredible formal…