kelly sheppard murray

In her multimedia sculptural work, Raleigh artist Kelly Sheppard Murray creates a wide range of polymorphic, multicolored structures that have their roots in natural forms. The artist: Born in Shelby, NC, Murray and her family moved to Raleigh when she was in elementary school. She graduated with a BFA at University of North Carolina at Greensboro.…

amber lelli

Whether it is glass, bronze or printmaking, materials matter to interdisciplinary artist Amber Lelli of Nashville. The studio: Amber Lelli Art is based in Nashville. The artist has studio space in the basement of LeQuire Studio and Gallery, surrounded by remnants of many famous sculptures. The artist: Born in Queens, New York, Lelli spent her early years…

elisabeth hays

The ecosystems of Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico influence the abstract, pastel-colored works of Alabama painter and mixed-media artist Elisabeth Hays. The artist: Born in Alexander City, AL, Hays grew up in Fairhope and still lives there with her husband and two children. After college at Auburn University, where she studied fine arts, she…

cindy liebel

Virginia metalsmith Cindy Liebel balances elements both classic and modern in her understated jewelry designs. The company/studio: Cindy Liebel Jewelry, based in Fredericksburg went full-time in 2014. The self-taught metalsmith designs and fabricates her work in a backyard home studio. The artist: Born in Virginia, Liebel grew up in a military family, living and traveling in the…

cameron bliss

The strange and familiar meet in the quirky, contemporary portraits of Georgia painter Cameron Bliss. The artist: A Georgia native, Bliss grew up in Savannah and graduated with a BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design. The studio: Her studio is in an old converted barn behind the family’s house in Winterville, GA. In the…

liv antonecchia

When Liv Antonecchia created her first ceramic donuts, the South Carolina artist didn’t think there would be an appetite for them. Though she makes other abstract and imaginative works, it’s her colorfully decorated donuts that are in demand. The artist: Grew up in Katonah, NY, just north of New York City, and graduated from Virginia…

rachel david

For North Carolina’s Rachel David, the very physical and technically demanding process of forging and forming shapes in glowing steel is her passion. The artist: Born in New Jersey, David grew up in Maryland and graduated from Evergreen State College (WA). In 2005, she moved to New Orleans to build glass-blowing equipment. She lived and…

linda hall

Florida-based artist Linda Hall makes fantastical, mixed-media sculptures and highly embellished masks that reflect the fragility and anxiety of our modern world. The artist: Born into a military family who moved frequently around Europe, Hall eventually landed in Fort Walton Beach, FL, where she went to high school. After some travel herself, Hall earned a…

gogo jewelry

New Orleans native Gogo Borgerding says her personal style is more vintage, but the colorful metal jewelry she makes is decidedly modern. The artist: After graduating in 2000 from Savannah College of Art and Design with a degree in metals and jewelry design, Borgerding returned to New Orleans and got to work. In 2006, she…

john shuptrine

Through his camera sculpture, Virginia’s John Shuptrine blends his interest in photography with his love of wood. The company/studio: John Shuptrine Art, started about eight years ago. The doctor-turned-artist works in his home workshop in Lynchburg, where he has lived for 35 years. In the beginning: While Shuptrine was in the process of retiring from…