Georgia mixed-media artist Lori Lejeune is known for her uplifting “Flight” series and her signature, constellation-style wall installations. Artist: Born and raised in New Orleans, LA, Lejeune’s drawings and creativity were encouraged by her school teachers. It paid off early. In fourth grade, Lejeune won $20 for a poster she drew. After graduating with a…
In his “dreamscapes” rEN Dillard combines paint, collage and precious metals, like gold leaf and silver, to explore themes of memory, belonging and the anticipation of a better future. “The reflective surfaces act as mirrors, inviting viewers to see themselves within the work,” said Dillard, a Georgia native. “And to consider their own process of…
With help from his custom lathe, North Carolina woodturner Anatoly Tsiris shapes whole tree trunks into large-scale sculptures and vessels. Artist: Tsiris was born into a family of schoolteachers in the small Ukrainian town of Kmelnitsky. He planned to carry on the family tradition by graduating from college with a teaching degree in math and…
For North Carolina metalsmith Erica Stankwytch Bailey, it’s the smallest details that count, whether in nature or in her architectural jewelry deigns. Artist: Born and grew up in Fayetteville, NC, where she knew early on that she wanted to become a maker. Bailey graduated from North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and…
Growing up, Windell Dobson was drawn to art and athletics and pursued both in college. The Atlanta multi-media artist feels the discipline and spirit of his athletic past help shape his abstract and layered creations today. The artist: Born in Jamaica, Dobson was raised in an environment where art and athletics were twin passions. He…
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…
In her quirky girl dinner ceramics, South Carolina’s Tennyson Corley serves up a side of art, food and nostalgia. Artist: Born and raised on the outskirts of Columbia, SC, Corley grew up around art and the business of art since her mother was an illustrator. Corley attended Columbia College for Fine Art, where she focused…
Drawn to the fingerprint as a symbol of identity and a clue to a unique existence, Alabama’s Marie Dutka Brix explores the marks we leave behind in her abstract typewriter ribbon collages and paintings. Artist: Born in Merced, CA, she grew up in Aurora, IL. Brix earned her BFA, with a minor in French, from…
In her bright, graphic and playfully ironic works, Kentucky painter Lori Larusso explores the cycle of consumption and waste in our consumer-driven world. Artist: Born in the little town of Massillon, in Ohio’s Rust Belt. Larusso lived there until she went to college. At the University of Cincinnati, she graduated with a BFA from the college…
Atlanta ceramist Jennifer Diaz strives to make sculptural work that echoes nature, not imitates it. Artist: Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Diaz graduated with a BA in literature and psychology from University of California at San Diego. While she has no formal art training, Diaz has taken various art classes over the years…