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Current Gallery Artists

Dorothy A. Grow

Dorothy Anderson Grow received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University and a Master of Fine Arts Degree from Michigan State University. Dorothy acted as an art instructor at Holt High School and Northwestern Michigan College. Dorothy currently resides in Traverse City, MI and has participated in an extensive list of exhibitions. Dorothy often assembles her work without a plan, utilizing etchings, monotype, and collage in her work. She thinks of her art as both a discovery and an adventure.

Dorothy A. Grow

Artist Lisa Price grew up in the Chicago suburbs and spent her childhood summers gardening, canning, and visiting the farmers market with her grandmother in northern Indiana. That is where she began her fascination with nature and the colors and designs of the fifties. She has fond memories of spending countless hours playing with her grandma’s vintage fabrics, this is where she learned to sew. Trips to the farmers market led to tons of old school kitchen time, canning, and baking pies. Every morning she helped her grandma water and maintain the garden plants, talk to the birds, and feed the chipmunks. Her creativity, style, and ideals truly make sense in the context of her life and filter through into artgoodies products. She created artgoodies in 2006. She uses her B.F.A. in printmaking to bring you modern housewares with vintage flair. Each of her products are hand printed with one of her original designs. Plus her aprons and many of her pillows are sewn together with vintage fabrics. Lisa resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she works out of her home studio.

ArtGoodies

Juanita Baldwin

Juanita is a Chilean artist based in Okemos, Michigan, who primarily uses oil and acrylic paints to create colorful, slightly abstracted landscapes. She enjoys both plein air painting, and creating works in her studio at home. Juanita has worked and taken classes with a number of artists here in the United States, and also in Chile and England. Although she enjoys photography as well, her main focus at the moment is her multimedia paintings. She says, “although her paintings are rather small, she pours her passion or art and creativity into every one of them”.

Juanita Baldwin

Chris Blank

Painting and creating have always been a part of my life. Mixed-media on canvas is my passion. Beginning with an underpainting I build up texture and movement. Each brushstroke leads me to the next, letting the canvas my emotion guide me.

Chris Blank

K. W. Bell

Bell has a degree in Commercial Art and Layout and has studied watercolor in various workshops. Her art varies from formal to experimental and from serious to rather humorous. Speaking art in a language of her own, while respecting proper technique, K.W. Bell endeavors to be true to an inner vision.

K.W. Bell

Patricia Bender

I find peace, beauty and a connection to all things as I wonder and wander about this world. I try to present this in my art and share it with you. My primary medium is light. It's that simple.

Patricia Bender

Zoe Beaudry

"My practice uses the language of traditional painting to examine contemporary disturbances to the bounds of the self. Taking inspiration from bodily transformation, spiritual experience, and the increasingly ubiquitous use of online avatars, my current work interrogates what human beings are made of in 2018; are we flesh and blood or systems and ideas? As technology becomes an increasingly essential extension of our biological existence and the 'self" becomes an even more fluid concept, how can art continue to contribute to individual and collective consciousness?"

Zoe Beaudry

Mary Brodbeck

Mary lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She received her Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from Michigan State University and her Master's Degree in Printmaking from Western Michigan University. She creates landscape inspired woodblock prints in the Japanese tradition. “Woodblock printmaking embodies the perfect blend of design, craft, and expression for me. I enjoy working with my hands and with the materials of wood, paper, and watercolor inks.”

Mary Brodbeck

Melanie Brooks

Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studio creates colorful, quirky ceramic tiles, ornaments, pottery, and jewelry in Metro Detroit, Michigan. Melanie's fun ceramic gifts boast witty, thoughtful quotes and words of inspiration as well as snarky, sassy proverbs and sayings. Melanie makes her whimsical ornaments, plates, and tiles from earthenware clay, which she paints with ceramic glazes and underglazes and fires in her home studio kiln to a durable, functional finish

Melanie Brooks

Jodi BurtonItem

Jodi Lynn is an illustrator from Detroit MI, whose whimsical drawings are inspired by science, pop culture, and nature.

Jodi Burton

Debbie Carlos

Debbie Carlos was born in Los Angeles, moved to Manila and now based in the Midwest. Carlos fist studied psychology at Clark University and then went on to get a degree in photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Debbie Carlos

Dolores Carlson

Dolores is from Novi, Michigan. She received formal education from the College for Creative Studies and Wayne State University. Throughout the past two decades, Dolores has exhibited her work in numerous galleries, shows, and competitions. She is an abstract painter that often layers torn paper and washes of color to mimic the layers of experience micro and macro. Dolores views her work as parables on society and individuals.

Dolores Carlson

Ben Chamberlain

I make functional stoneware and porcelain pottery, fired in gas soda-glazed or wood fired kilns to cone 10-12. All of my pots have a liner glaze on the interior and are left unglazed on the exterior, allowing the vapor and ash in the kiln to glaze the surface. These pots are microwave and dishwasher safe. My pots are utilitarian vessels, rooted in my experiences working in production pottery. I often begin with simple wheel-thrown forms and alter them to create more fluid, organic vessels. Firing my work in atmospheric kilns allows for spontaneity in the surface that enhances these forms. The practices of wood firing and soda vapor firing are important to my work. Through engaging the fire I feel a closer connection to the process and a greater sense of satisfaction with the finished pots.

Ben Chamberlain

Mark Chatterley

"Everything is either moving toward or away from nothingness. Life, death, creation and destruction, this is the world I find myself in. I want my art to echo these thoughts. Everything in a state of flux, changing and reforming. A sense of decay along with life. Nothing is permanent and nothing stays the same. I also try to show thoughts and feelings of the human condition. Beauty in the malformed, acceptance of the inevitable. I am doing work of our time for our time, even though I look to the past, the dead, for inspiration."

Mark Chatterley

Leslie Cieplechowicz

"As an artist, I seek beauty in decay. People’s gazes tend to pass over the abandoned, the ruined, the damaged, the dark, and the gritty. I create art that illuminates the splendor of the forgotten, giving a new vision to the old and showing the allure of the dingy gray day."

Leslie Cieplechowicz

Deb Cholewicki

Deb is a self-taught sculptural fiber artist with a passion for creating (large) works that combine unusual “finds”—like a funky piece of driftwood or a gnarly, twisted piece of vine—with other natural plant materials including willow, natural vine, yucca, inflorescence, and philodendron. In recent years Deb has incorporated hand-spun/hand-dyed art yarns and copper into her work to create a visual fiber feast.Deb has taught sculptural weaving and basketry for more than 15 years and has been a teaching faculty member with the Visual Arts Department at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp for the past three years. Her work has been exhibited at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (UICA) in Grand Rapids, Ludington Area Center for the Arts, Lansing Art Gallery (City Streets Exhibit) and at the Ecumenical Center for Arts and Spirituality in DeWitt. In 2014, Deb was one of four Michigan artists featured in the documentary, “The Art of Art” which explored the creative process of each artist. For Deb, the “process” of creating one-of-a-kind works, and allowing the work to evolve naturally, is what motivates and excites her the most.

Deb Chloewicki

Patricia Constantine

Patricia received her BFA from Kendall majoring in Fine Art Painting and got her MFA from the University of Cincinnati majoring in Fine Art Drawing. She currently acts as a professor at Kendall College of Art and Design. Her work explores the comparisons between the body’s temporality and fragility and the association of our internal organs with the corruptibility of fruit and vegetables. Some of the images include body outlines that are purposefully reminiscent of the classic crime scene chalk outline. “When I physically face and control the visual images I produce I feel like I regain the power lost to fear campaigns. I refuse to fall prey to intimidation.”

Patricia Constantine

Kate Cosgrove

Kate lives in Lansing, Michigan. She graduated from Michigan State University with a BFA in 2001. Her artwork is nationally and internationally sold. Her eclectic styles vary in drastic ways with two distinct phases, “fine art” and “fun art.” The “fine art” pieces are reflective of the Byzantine Period. Kate composes her collages with gouache, paper, and varnish. The subjects are identifiable by their haunting reclining portraiture and outward stare. The “canvas” for this phase of work is typically a glass panel enclosed by a frame or doorway.

Kate Cosgrove

Carolyn Damstra

Nature, Michigan (especially the Sleeping Bear Dunes area), and the interplay of patterns, color and light are the inspirations for my acrylic paintings. Carolyn has a BFA in studio art and a MA in Art History from Michigan State University. Carolyn has shown extensively locally and regionally.

Carolyn Damstra

Kate Darnell

Kate Darnell’s drawings lend refinement to any collection. Her art is described as “making you want to slow down and look.” Her intricate drawings are achieved through many layers of tiny marks. Kate received her BFA studying drawing and painting at the University of Michigan School of Art and Design. In addition to her award-winning freelance career as an illustrator and calligrapher, Kate is a part-time instructor of art at LCC. Kate lives in East Lansing with her husband and daughter.

Kate Darnell

Jim Davis

Inspired by African patterns, James creates sterling silver jewelry, which captures the concept of imagery through simple, classic lines. James works with primarily sterling silver and semi-precious stones, applying his own specialized techniques to his handcrafted jewelry. His work is both functional and beautiful. A Lansing resident, James' original artistic expression has matured through over two decades of craftsmanship.

Jim Davis

Dear Ollie

Dear Ollie is a line of illustrated goods made by hand in the mitten state. For all paper goods, each design is drawn by hand, then digitally reproduced on to Michigan-made paper. An avid pop-culture enthusiast, I often find my illustrations inspired by tv-shows, cult cinema, and other forms of media. Ultimately, my hope is that my illustrations will make you smile. If I can bring you even a small portion of the joy I feel when creating, I think that’s pretty rad. - Sara Bishop

Dear Ollie

Collyn Debano

DeBano is the designer and maker behind tree trunk arts, which began in 2009, while attending Grand Valley State University. After graduating with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing in 2011, she returned to Metro Detroit to build her business. Her inspirations come from nature found in odd places and the relationships that people have with objects. From her home studio in Detroit, MI, each element is cast in solid metal and is transformed into a unique piece of jewelry: twigs become earrings, succulents into rings, and maple seeds to necklaces. Nature adorns the body.

Collyn Debano

Doug DeLind

Doug is a ceramic artist from Lansing, Michigan. He has a BFA in sculpture and an MFA in ceramics, which are both from Michigan State University. He has been a professional artist for about 35 years, and his work is shown through the United States and Canada. Doug is currently a ceramics professor at Michigan State University for the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities. He often creates totems and human figures in many sizes from clay and with Raku firing.

Doug DeLind

Laura DeLind

Laura resides in Lansing, Michigan. She works mainly in linocut printmaking, since she loves the boldness of black and white design, as well as the shapes defined by pattern. “I love playing with balance and the interactions of positive and negative space. For me, the linocut is a perfect medium through which to explore these visual and conceptual challenges.” She has taught as a professor and Michigan State University, and she is an instructor at Ghost Ranch, in Abiquiu, New Mexico, where she offers week-long relief printmaking workshops.

Laura DeLind

Michele Detering

I am a painter and photographer residing in Lansing, Michigan. I work primarily in watercolor and digital photography. I have been drawing, painting and taking photos ever since I was young. In addition to art, I love to travel which greatly influences my art! I see my photography as a way to document my travels and capture moments in time that can transport a viewer to that place. With my watercolors, I like to paint what I can't capture with photography. The whimsical nature, colors, and abstraction of animals and the places I visit. Watercolor is traditionally a difficult medium to work with and control which is one of the reasons I like it. I enjoy the spontaneity of watercolor and working with the beautiful flow of the medium to create something that captures the essence of a place or being. It is my hope that through my art I can provide other people with the same sense of inspiration and happiness I receive from traveling and the beauty I find in the world around me!

Michele Detering

Christi Dreese-Carter

Christi’s profound experiences as a youth along the lakeshore of Lake Michigan influence her artistic vision today. Born and raised in West Michigan, Christi states, “The water gives me a sense of peace as I sit in my chair gazing across the lake.” Christi received a Bachelor of Arts degree at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, emphasizing in painting with a business administration major. Christi creates several initial sketches in graphite, which she then interprets with paint in her studio. Quick brush strokes, gouges from the end of her paintbrush and graphite are drawn into each of her paintings.

Christi Dreese-Carter

Peter Doroh

The Art of Peter M. Doroh encompasses the historical, the personal, and the spiritual. These themes are interlaced throughout his work and each reveals a different characteristic of the artist himself. Many of his works use objects found in nature to represent spiritual concepts and ideas. Although his work may be symbolic in concept, his method captures the subject in a realistic fashion, forcing the viewer to bring his or her own sensitivity to the work.

Peter Doroh

Cindy Evans

Cynthia is a resident of Williamston, Michigan, who is known for her watercolor and mixed media paintings. She has participated in a multitude of shows and has won several awards throughout her time as an artist. “My paintings are my reaction to what I see and experience and they tell my story. I try to fit the technique, color choice and design elements to the piece, relating all the components to enhance the mood and message. This means I may treat each piece differently, but gives what I believe a full expression of what is it I am trying to say.”

Cindy Evans

Lisa FarnumItem

Lisa is an artist based in East Lansing, Michigan. She studied at Northwood University and received a Master’s degree from the University of Michigan Dearborn. Lisa is a photographer who works with both color and black and white photographs. She focuses primarily on natural landscapes, and plays with texture, focus, and sight lines. Lisa states that she creates pieces of art where "the intersection of lines and shapes draw the eye in, using texture and direction to create images that are visually striking".

Lisa Farnum

Fate and Coincidence

Julie Rudziensky makes handmade jewelry items out of Detroit, MI. She uses materials such as brass, vinyl, wood, and wool. She names Fate and Coincidence after one of her favorite quotes: "Some believe in mere coincidences, but I'm a believer in fate and the invisible forces that shape our lives everyday."

Fate and Coincidence

Fireworks Glass

Since its inception in 2007, Fireworks Glass Studio has inspired Williamston visitors daily. This local glass studio has hosted individuals, groups, and passers-by to engage the community in the wonders of glass blowing. Founder and owner, Dave Porter, states, "Glass is an absolutely fascinating medium with near-magical qualities. Visitors to the studio should use caution, or they might become captivated, as I was." Fireworks Glass Studio enjoys showcasing both the process and the product; the gallery space displays and sells the glass works of local artists.

Fireworks Glass

Cynthia Foley

Cynthia is an artist from Cadillac, Michigan. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College, and she currently is an art teacher for kindergarteners through seniors in high school in the Cadillac Public Schools. She often creates mixed media pieces, which include pencil, ink, gouache, and found paper. Cynthia also uses digital programs to manipulate drawings, as this allows her to create various sizes of her drawings and replicate them. Trial and error is a large part of her artist process, so the end result of a piece may be very different from her initial idea, which is always an exciting surprise for her.

Cynthia Foley

Mary FortunaItem

My work draws on creatures of all kinds, whether real or imaginary, made in a variety of media. I work in soft sculpture, painting and textiles. Insects, birds, snakes, lizards, turtles, mystical symbols, and other ideas are my inspiration. I love creatures large and small, myths and stories, talismans and amulets and magic.

Mary Fortuna

Laura Gajewski

I hope to provoke thoughts of abandoned houses as witnesses to life, surviving as empty shells wrapped around the passage of time. These pieces reflect and support the idea of discovering beauty in decay, of looking past the discarded and rejected to see the energy and life that once existed within.

Laura Gajewski

Mina Greco-Hall

Born and raised in Taranto, Italy, Mina moved to the United States in 1963. An accomplished painter, Mina is considered an internationally renowned artist. She has exhibited works in Hungary, France, and Italy, and was featured in the Louvre in 2005. Mina’s many honors include a bronze medal given to her by the president of Italy. Mina’s paintings range from non-objective to figurative. Using bold, intense colors, the works are reflective of her diverse multi-cultural influences.

Mina Greco-Hall

Sue Hale

"Felt making is alchemy for me. I have been involved with fiber art in various forms for 35 years but nothing has intrigued me the way that felt making has. I am inspired by the versatility and resilience of felt, as it lends itself to the decorative and functional alike. I choose to work mainly in three dimensions and enjoy the sculptural aspects that can be achieved by using multiple resists. Exploring and pushing boundaries, using a medium that seems to have none, keeps me motivated - and I am continually excited by the endless possibilities that felt making presents."

Sue Hale

Ladislav Hanka

Ladislav thinks and works graphically – in line and predominantly in black and white. By observing well enough to draw something, he learns to identify weight-bearing structures, begins to understand the lines of force and discern the relationships among objects. Ladislav invented plausible creatures that fit into compositions with symbolic content. “The content of this work I do is three-fold: an honoring of the creatures with whom I share this earth, the ideas, and cleverness that my little monkey brain can generate, and the mythic dimension.”

Ladislav Hanka

Jana Hanka

Jana Hanka received her MFA from Prague Academy of Art in 1985. She immigrated to Kalamazoo, MI, where she has lived since 1987. Originally trained as a painter, she studied sculp­ture at the Kalamazoo Institute of Art. Although her primary media is clay, she also works in steel and bronze. A recurring theme in her work, a horse, has significant meaning for her. While pursuing her master’s studies, Jana was injured in a horseback riding accident. The changes in her life have made this image very meaningful.

Jana Hanka

Tony Hendrick

Tony Hendrick currently resides in Grand Ledge. His large-scale paintings feature diverse imagery, dancing color and a touch of the fantastic. Hendrick says of his own work, “Creating art is a magical act of healing, change and personal growth, revealing the often unexpected dealings of the heart, mind, and soul.” Hendrick received a B.F.A from Kansas City Art Institute and has since showcased his work in solo and group exhibitions throughout the nation. A muralist and educator, Hendrick leads mural creation throughout the state and has a mural featured in the Guinness World Records.

Tony Hendrick

Leanna Hicks

"The works exist as a chronicle of life, spiritual experiences, and wild fantasies. Each piece is treated as an intuitive, automatic, assimilation of passion, impulse, and subjective quests. The artist considers painting a spiritual practice and discipline. Creativity is a tool and platform used to transcend social and political barriers. When people step out of their differences and into compassion and expression, we are able to make progress towards a deeper understanding of the value of life ."

Leanna Hicks

Sonny House

For years the tree stood in the sun and enjoyed the wind that gently swayed it back and forth. It provided shelter to the birds when the rains came. Growing tall and strong while firmly planted in the ground below. One day, men with chain saws came and sliced through the majestic trunk. The ultimate thud was felt as the tree slammed to the ground. It was cut even more and stripped of its bark and laid bare. Beautiful furniture was to be the end product that people loved. All domestic wood used for these products were originally rejected by furniture companies as not being good enough. Sonny House makes beautiful work out of something that once no one wanted.

Sonny House

Barb Hranilovich

Barb has been an artist since she could walk and draw on the walls. She made it formal with a BFA in oil painting. She is an avid learner and dedicated teacher. She teaches workshops for the summer adult education program at Interlochen Center for the Arts, at her studio, and at Grove Gallery and Studios. She has had numerous one-woman exhibits.As a commercial illustrator Barb has created works for children’s books and toys, advertising, editorial, and commercial interiors (Biggby wall art). She has won numerous American Advertising awards at the local, regional, and national levels, and was inducted into the Society of Illustrators. In 2015 she completed a two-week artist residency in the Upper Peninsula’s Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park, an experience that moved her work toward nature-based imagery.As a fine artist Barb explores a variety of media—acrylics, oils, ceramics, encaustics—each of which brings something intriguing and unique to her creative table. For her, creating artwork is more about learning and problem solving than any tangible finished piece (though it’s nice when things work out well). She simply can’t imagine doing anything else with her life.

Barb Hranilovich

Andrea Jeris

"There are times when I see something that makes me go "OH!" It gets behind my eyeballs and it's like when you get a song stuck in your head that won't go away. Like when your cat or dog is hungry and wants to be fed and they sit and stare at you so you might as well feed them or you will go crazy. Well, I have to paint that image. I just do. I love to paint. But really, I have to paint. There is energy in all things in the universe. When you look at something long enough that it is looking back at you, you may see the glow of that energy. I want to put that glow into the paint so I can feel it again and again. I am a studio painter and I paint en plein air (outdoors), but I am a fair-weather painter so my time outdoors is precious to me. What a joy to connect to the earth, to be serenaded by birds, frogs, crickets, to be swept away by a river, to be uplifted by the trees, and to see the universe in the sky. With my paintings you can see what I see, stand where I stand, and maybe, just maybe, feel the wonder of what I feel."

Andrea Jeris

Mary Kernahan

I draw upon my own experiences in the natural world around me. My work flows, ever changing, never stagnant. It is punctuated by graceful wave forms, dynamic motion, proportional perfection, and the regularities of form of sacred geometry. It is elevated by the textures, rhythms, and contrasts of nature. I believe in simple elegance, classic lines, and timeless designs, all handcrafted in sterling silver using traditional metalsmithing techniques. My recent work focuses on filigree, where I strive to bring a contemporary feel to this traditional art form. I create to bring my artistic life full circle. I come from creative people with a heritage of strong folk art traditions. From my earliest metalworking experiences in high school I was drawn to metal as a medium, leading to many further studies with private tutors and in numerous independent workshops, art centers and master classes. With each piece I create am reminded of how fortunate I am to work in a medium that infuses each day with a desire to create and learn more.

Mary Kernahan

Susan Kieffer

Susan is a Michigan native whose work is influenced by life-long memories of water, sky, and woods. Her jewelry features beach stones collected along the shores of the Great Lakes that imbue each piece with their unique energy. These stones are combined with semiprecious gems, freshwater pearls, and sterling to create adornments that are distinctive - both elegant and organic. Susan crafts her jewelry with the intention that the wearer feels empowered through a connection to the pure energy of nature and spirit. Each piece is a tangible, wearable reminder of Michigan’s treasure trove of natural gifts.

Susan Kieffer

Karen Kierstead Miller

Karen works from her studio in Okemos, and is an alumnus of Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Practice and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Development and Technology. Her paintings incorporate a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, and collage. The figure is often a common theme in Karen’s paintings. Her work features unfinished edges, unusual textures, asymmetrical compositions, and an unexpected viewpoint. Her goal as a painter is to “involve the observer in the interpretation of the painting."

Karen Kierstead Miller

Dace Koenigsknecht

I’ve created a wide array of functional and artistic metal pieces, finding pleasure in the process of creation – plan, sketch, fabricate, and deliver. The intellectual exercise and challenge is motivating, and the craftsmanship of handwork is very rewarding. I enjoy creating unique objects that are used or encourage interaction. I like abstraction because of the mental engagement required of the viewer. Their past and present experiences will ‘personalize’ what they see.

Dace Koenigsknecht

Karyn Konkel

Karyn is from Davison, Michigan. Her ceramic designs feature organic shapes and natural elements. Creating tiles, handbuilt platters, butter dishes and wheel thrown functional wares from raw clay to finished product, Karyn draws upon extensive experience as a professional ceramic artist and educator. Karyn holds a B.F.A with a concentration in ceramics from Siena Heights University in Adrian. In addition, Karyn boasts over 20 years of experience from the Ann Arbor Art Center, Pewabic Pottery, and currently the Flint Institute of Art.

Karyn Konkel

Ying Korat

Much of my inspiration comes from the colors and materials. Bright, colorful fabrics, and thread wrapped rope, together to create something fun that makes me want to wear it.

Ying Korat

Jessica Kovan

Jessica currently lives in Okemos, MI. Her journey includes years of working in the field of philanthropy, a doctorate in education, directing a small environmental action group, and teaching at the college level. Jessica’s art is deeply influenced by a strong desire to connect her head with her heart and her passions with action. Through her work she tries to communicate the power of relationships at all different levels. “I love working in mixed media because of the meanings that can evolve out of the layering as well as the richness of color, patterns and texture that help to tell a story. Combined together they make my heart sing.

Jessica Kovan

Shawn Krueger

Shawn received a BFA degree from Calvin College in 1998, studying under Chris Stoffel Overvoorde. He is a contemporary landscape painter in the American Tonalist / Luminist tradition. His large-scale paintings come from smaller plein air oil studies. Over the years, Krueger has shown his landscape paintings with a variety of galleries from Irvington, NY to Minneapolis, MN. Krueger's work has garnered a number of awards over the years and his pieces are in the permanent collection of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Gilda's Club of GR, Calvin College and the Bissell Corporation.

Shawn Krueger

Isiah Lattimore

"As an artist, I try to create work that is of my time, while still paying homage to the vast pool of artist and artworks that have come before me. In this “information age” we are blessed to have so many historical references readily available. While also for the first time, having an incite to the world of contemporary and street art that traditionally has existed outside of the exposure of the academy or galleries. As artists we have never before been able to be so connected to all the works that have brought art to where it is today, or to the works of each other shaping the art world today. The goal I hope to achieve in my paintings is to merge these two sides. In an attempt to represent both the long lineage of great historical artist that fill our museums and auction houses, and the rich, creative, and often underrepresented works that are created outside of them."

Isiah Lattimore

George Lewter

George is a resident of Lansing, Michigan, who studied ceramics at San Francisco State University. He creates electrically fired stoneware with simple forms to be able to use glaze on his pieces in complex ways through a layering process. Beautiful effects arise because of this that are unique for each of George’s pieces. He purposely leaves the marks from wheel throwing, such as throwing rings, wire cutting marks, and finger marks. He explains that this steers “the holder back to the fact that these are one-of-a-kind objects, not to be confused with mass-produced, manufactured ware, or even hand-made production pottery.”

George Lewter

Little Flower Soap Co.

The Little Flower Soap Co.is a Michigan based small-batch, body care company established in 2010 by husband/wife team Holly & Justin Rutt. Their mission is to design products that become must-have, can’t live without favorites. Perfecting completely natural, healing recipes that smell amazing, really work and are cutely packaged. Little Flower Soaps are cold-processed in small batches using heirloom techniques perfected and polished with time. They use only the best essential oils, botanicals, and minerals including organic rosemary leaf, organic lavender flowers, organic cocoa butter, Shea butter and many more. Holly & Justin work joyfully from their small, Michigan studio.

Little Flower Soap Co.

Littlewings Designs

Littlewings Designs is a handcrafted lifestyle brand of playful and practical goods and accessories, dedicated to small production, artisan details, and timeless quality. Founded in 2010 by me, Elyse Marie Welcher, Littlewings Designs is the distillation of my style via the things I like to make and use every day; a combination of fun, useful, and built to last goods, all of which make life a little more comfortable, a little more playful, and always a bit more colorful.

Littlewings Designs

Sarah Lyons

Celebrating Place, Passion, and Nature through Unique Handmade Jewelry LettersToSarah Metalsmithing is internationally known for unique and original designs, nothing like what you'd find in a traditional jewelry store. I make jewelry that is simple, with a vintage-rustic flair and a little shine, to make you feel a little more earthy, cozy, connected, and proud. Because each piece is individually made by hand, each one is a bit different from the rest, united by design, but still as special and unique as it's wearer.

Sarah Lyons

Kimberly Matthews

Kimberly has a BFA in Design and Visual Communications from the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. She is the founder of Skyglass Jewelry where she designs and creates handcrafted glass jewelry using ethically-sourced feathers and butterfly wings.

Kimberly Matthews

Jim Markle

Jim Markle explores the rich medium of pastels. Jim draws inspirations from his travels in the U.S. and Europe. He emerged into the artistic community through various international and national competitions and publications. In2004 he was elected Master member of the Great Lakes Plein Air Painters Association. Recently, Jim Markle has dipped his hand into the medium of oil paints. The results of his exploration leave our galleries with a collection of richly saturated, softly layered pieces.

Jim Markle

Jan McElmurry

Jan loves to travel, and photographs inspirational settings. She enjoys capturing the light as it plays on objects. Jan also cites architecture and people as specific motivation in her work. She is a Lan­sing, MI based self-taught artist who has had no formal training but loves to experiment, read and continue learning.

Jan McElmurry

John McLaughlin

John’s paintings and drawings have evolved over twenty-five years of experience. Developing his own style of abstraction, John allows the creative process to develop with “gestures, movements, and erasure s.” John creates with layer upon layer of paint; among this rich layering are starts of lines, doodles, and sketches. Hailing from Canton, John creates artwork, which graces many national and international prominent collections. A studied painter, John states his, “labors are personal, but also come from a place of acutely studied history of art, design, and music."

John McLaughlin

Nancy McRay

"Weaving is in my blood and is my primary mode of expression. I employ several different techniques, including Tapestry, Theo Moorman and Complex Multi Harness weaves to create imagery that communicates my intent. What I want to express most often is appreciation, a sense of awe, or a response to my environment. I weave in response to my world, in recognition of what I encounter, and in acknowledgment of what stands out."

Nancy McRay

Mark Mehaffey

Mark is a nationally recognized artist from Williamston. His artistic endeavors include teaching; writing and producing nationally recognized watercolor statements. His subject matter ranges from tight representational still life and landscape to a personal visual language. Texture and color are important elements in Mehaffey's creations. Mark’s book, Creative Watercolor Workshop, documents many of the activities he teaches in his water media workshops. Mark's work has appeared in many publications including Water Magic Magazine and Watercolor Magazine. Mark Mehaffey was honored to be an award winner in the Shanghai Zhujiajiao Watercolor Biennial 2010.

Mark Mehaffey

Kathleen Mooney

Kathleen is an abstract painter from Lowell, Michigan, who has received numerous awards and has been in multiple exhibitions throughout the years. She is inspired by the Neolithic and ancient remains of Northern Europe, where she takes trips regularly. “I MUST create art- it is inescapable. There are things I need to see and make tangible. Colors call for Connections, Compositions align with an Audible Hummmm..."

Kathleen Mooney

Lynn Mossoian

I have designed and made jewelry for over 20 years. However, my retirement as an educator afforded an opportunity to pursue my passion to create contemporary jewelry full time. My experience combined with mentorship and classes by master silversmiths, continues to bring depth to my work. I draw inspiration from nature's textures, shapes, and movements, as well as architectural elements. Designs move from paper to my bench where they are hand fabricated with the traditional techniques and tools of metalsmithing jewelry. It is my hope that the deep satisfaction and happiness that handcrafting each piece brings to me, is shared by those that experience and wear my jewelry.

Lynn Mossoian

Karen Myers

“I think of my paintings as short stories, mini-narratives influenced by my intimate experiences with friends, family, and lovers. I am interested in executing paintings that sincerely embrace glamour and how beauty can be used to camouflage feelings of isolation, addiction, and fear. I am interested in how sex, desire, and intimacy can be misleading and destructive. Whether my images evoke a narrative, explore a relationship dynamic or focus on a solitary girl, I try to generate a sense of neglect.”

Karen Myers

Lindsay Nonhof-Fisher

Lindsay Nonhof-Fisher is the artist behind Rotation Jewelry, and she resides in Lansing, Michigan. She creates handmade jewelry in her home studio from materials such as found objects, metal, glass, silver, gold, and copper. Lindsay is very much inspired by the cosmos as she makes a wide range of jewelry including earrings, necklaces, rings, pins, and brooches.

Lindsay Nonhof-Fisher

Anna Nummy

The creator of Three Birds Jewelry is native Michigander Anna Nummy. Anna holds a Bachelors of Science in Biochem/Biotech from Michigan State University and has been metalsmithing for about 8 years now. She began collecting rocks and stones on family vacations when she was a child and hasn’t stopped since. Anna says, “ I have always found rocks interesting and wondrous. Where did they come from? How old are they? If this rock could talk, what would it tell me? In some ways, I like to think of my work as an interpretation and extension of that rock’s story.”

Anna Nummy

Cara creates hand-built works of art with porcelain clay in her Whitehall studio. Firing the works to cone 6 with commercial glazes, she creates a variety of pieces, from jewelry to murals. Cara’s aesthetic themes include nature; her pieces often incorporate a playful take on birds, flowers and other natural elements.

A former instructor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Cara holds a B.F.A. from Central Michigan University. Although a highly accomplished artist in her own right, Cara states, “I still feel like I’m in the beginning of my creative journey. 

Cara O'Brien

Richard O’Malley

An architect by trade, Richard received his Bachelor of Architecture, Cum Laude, from the University of Detroit. His work in architecture was the impetus for his interest in drawing and painting. His medium of choice turned to watercolor painting with a particular interest in felines. Residing in Okemos, he is known as the “catman” by many, his works are very popular with cat aficionados. Focusing on their beauty and grace, he has painted hundreds of feline portraits over the years. His painting technique blends representational and abstract modes enhancing his excitement of the media.

Richard O'Malley

Ashley Pahl

Ashley is an artist residing in East Lansing, Michigan. Formerly a stationary designer, she is currently working as a self-taught painter and portrait artist. Her work is exhibited in stores and galleries throughout the world, as well as in books, magazines, and websites. She is known for her paper cut greetings, hand-painted lettering, and a DIY home blog, She Makes a Home. Ashley seeks to connect art with nature, geology, and the universe around us.

Ashley Pahl

Stephanie Palagyi

Nature continues to function as inspiration for contemporary artists as well as artists throughout the history of art. Similar to the cycles of decay and regeneration of the universe, I have an interest in creating a complex layered space on the 2-dimensional surface. Whether the illusion of space is created through taking away paint through scraping and sanding or adding paint to create scale changes, color relationships, or perspective, my paintings give the viewer a glimpse into an abstracted environment with varying degrees of representation. The passage of time is evident through attention to detail and multiple layers. Through fleeting observations and hours of looking at a single object, a careful processing of the environment I move through is documented. Within my paintings forms appear to recede and emerge, float and dive, decay and develop in immeasurable spaces evocative of the sublime. These spaces express qualities related to bodies of water, sky, outer space, or somewhere in between. Like painters of the Romantic Movement, I seek to utilize the power of suggestiveness to stimulate the imagination. Most compositions start with direct observation of patterns and shapes found in organic objects-particularly rocks. Although painted forms maybe rooted in the geological world they often mimic other objects from nature- a hard rocklike form may simultaneously exhibit characteristics of a fragile egg, seashell, seed, or even microscopic organisms. While I begin with images and objects from the observable world, my paintings are less specific in order to reference the interconnectedness of life.

Stephanie Palagyi

Stephen Palmer

Stephen creates stunning glassware using warm glass techniques (kiln work). Using a myriad of forms, designs, and colors, Stephen makes a variety of fused glass pieces for both function and display. “M y pieces are made to be displayed, used, or worn. With twenty-five years experience, I still find the medium rewarding to work with and a constant challenge to create in new and larger ways.” Stephen’s inspiration my come, in part, from his many years of experience in the field of education.

Stephen Palmer

Pewabic was founded by Neighbors Mary Chase Perry, a successful china painter, and Horace Caulkins, a dental equipment supplier, and kiln manufacturer came together to build pottery in turn-of-the-century Detroit. Ultimately, it would outlast all the other tile and pottery producers of their time.
 
Pewabic is a National Historic Landmark pottery manufacturer founded in Detroit in 1903. Today it continues to be an architectural tile studio and educational space that remains a vibrant cultural destination attracting visitors from around the world.

Pewabic Pottery

Miriam Prussack

“Mimi” earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College for Creative Studies, and has been painting for over 15 years. She works from home studios in West Bloomfield and Montana, focusing on painting nature and communicating a positive message through her artwork. “My intention is to use nature as a springboard for the exploration of space,” says “Mimi.” Painting with oil, acrylic and incorporating wax into her work, Mimi enjoys working with texture on two-dimensional surfaces.

Miriam Prussack

Luzhen Qiu

My mini abstract drawings are mixed media collage with color pencil, pastel, ink, gouache, paper, birch bark, tread on yupo paper. The size of each one is 7”x7”. I deal with colors, forms, texture, spaces. I build up layers of colors by using brayer printing colors, then mapping the shapes from one to another. The process of my artwork may various for each drawing. Some of them I experiment media mixture affect, such as the mixture of ink, water, and alcohol. I want to show images with narrative ambiguity by juxtaposition of layers of shapes and the texture from shapes.

Luzhen Qiu

Jane Reiter

Jane resides in Lansing, Michigan. Her undergraduate degrees in studio art provide a foundation for her work in weaving and textile design.  In particular, Jane enjoys repurposing nontraditional materials in various formats. From collage to wearable art, her work features bold colors and textures. As a librarian, Jane often reuses books and incorporate words into her art. Jane enjoys “bright colors and sparkly combinations to help convey the idea of openhearted humor in the face of a political agenda.”

Jane Reiter

Zahrah Resh

"I am a self-taught artist and have worked primarily as a painter. A late-bloomer, I started painting seriously much later in life. I have been painting and drawing for several years from ink landscapes to vibrant colorful acrylic abstracts. Creating these artworks over the many years has provided me with many meaningful purposes to my life, providing comfort, cheer, boosted my sense of self and an appreciation of all things around me."

Zahrah Resh

Revisions Design

Revisions is a Designer/Maker studio located in the heart of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Most of their inspiration comes from finding beauty in old objects of years gone by. Through a series of revisions, they're able to take something once discarded and breath new life into it to be appreciated in a different way.

Revisions Designs

Pamela Roberson

While my art is abstract in its imagery; it is, at its core, all about people, relationships, and the world in which we live. My work depicts people’s relationships with themselves, family, society, and nature. It describes peoples’ thoughts, memories, and feelings as they move through the world. It is about going beneath the surface of what we see and touch and exploring what might exist if we could see into each other’s heads and souls. I focus on creating from a point where very little is known about the outcome of the piece beyond a particular color, feeling, or the drive to incorporate a certain symbol or shape. I enjoy the excitement and joy of feeling more like an observer and being surprised by what emerges rather than the architect hitting certain milestones during the creation process. There’s a delicate line of balance between controlling the activity of creation and letting it do things you hadn’t planned on. I have found that when I take the role of an active listener, my paintings end up much closer to my original intent of creating something beautiful and meaningful that stands fully-formed apart from me. I find different stories in my pieces and these stories often change from viewing to viewing depending on my own state of mind. Sometimes groups of people become a stand of trees. Sometimes tiny plants become a family gathered together. What I love is that people find their own meanings and stories within my images. I often find myself learning new things about my work and myself from their impressions.

Pamela Roberson

Young-Shill Roberts

Ms. Roberts is an artist who has lived in the Lansing area for 40 years. She is a member of the Mid-Michigan Art Guild and Working Women’s Artist Group. She has displayed works at Delta Township Library, LCC, several galleries in the Greater Lansing area, the Orchid Art competition, at which she won first place. Her works consist of beautiful emotionally filled watercolors, etchings, acrylics and oil paintings. Many of her works are inspired by the beauty of nature, color, and everyday life. Being one who never limits herself she also creates extraordinary portraits as well as abstracts.

Young-Shill Roberts

Kirk Roda

Kirk Roda is a sculptor whose work is greatly influenced by the sculpture of Western Civilization. A graduate of the BA and MFA programs at Eastern Michigan University, he is influenced by art icons like Michelangelo, Manzu, and Rodin. Kirk’s exhibition history includes Berkowits Gallery, Lansing Art Gallery, The Scarab Club, and Ketering University. His work, primarily in bronze medium, continues to develop around his love of form, figurative sculpture and clay modeling.

Kirk Roda

Marc Ruby

Hailing from Warren, Michigan, Marc creates handmade wooden items from a various assortment of exotic and domestic woods. Examples of his choices of wood range from Maple to Orange Agate and Tiger Caspi. Marc creates small to mid-sized bowls, boxes, and ornaments. His inspiration is rooted from the trees outlining the Michigan landscape. Marc’s pieces include the specific type of wood and his signature, thus adding a final touch to each of his works.

Marc Ruby

Lorelei Scott

Michigan’s eden of indigo lakes, endless beaches, sparkling skies, and stately forests are a constant inspiration for my jewelry. Living and creating in the Great Lake State is an absolute joy. I hope that joy is instilled in my work and shared with all who view and wear it. All of my work is designed by me. From there it can take one of two paths. Some jewelry I fabricate by hand from start to finish. With other designs, I make the original in copper, then have molds made from the original and duplicates cast in sterling silver by a small company in the United States. Which path a piece of jewelry takes depends on certain design aspects of the piece. Enjoy! Lorelei H. Scott

Lorelei Scott

Jenny Schu

Jenny is a local artist residing in Lansing, who is originally from Fenton, MI. She obtained her Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree from the University of Michigan School of Art and Design in 2004, concentrating in Fibers. Jenny’s signature artwork features dramatic beadwork designs, robust color pallets, and beauty found in nature. Jenny strives to produce unique jewelry pieces that are not only inspiring, but are functional for everyday use.

Jenny Schu

Rick Shapero

Rick Shapero’s work can be defined by a few basic principals: form, function, beauty, and utility. Rick, who resides in Cedarville, has been blowing glass for over 16 years. He is primarily a self-trained artist; he has taken only one formal class in the medium. His work comes from fascination with the medium and wanting to create objects people connect with, find joy in, and feel good using.

Rick Shapero

Kathe Smith

Working in clay has been my passion from a very early age. From sandbox and mud creations to legitimate clay work in high school, college and beyond, I have followed a path toward works of art that are aesthetically appealing yet functional. I enjoy the challenge of using different clay bodies, glazes, and glaze techniques and firing processes. Each phase in creating a piece of pottery holds its own particular intrigue. I am rarely disappointed in the results because each aspect of the process leads to new exploration and perhaps a different end result. That is the excitement for me.

Kathe Smith

Michael Maurer Smith

Michael received a Master’s degree in Studio Art from Michigan State University. Michael’s acrylic works delight viewers with his vibrant, colorful and geometric forms consisting mostly of shapes and lines. Says the artist, “Although my painting is non-representational my sensibility is that of the landscapist. My use of texture, color and shape is influenced by the woods and shoreline of Michigan and the mountains and desert of the American southwest. Likewise, I am influenced by the revelations of modern astronomy.”

Michael Maurer Smith

Shannon Stackhouse

I have been "an artist" my whole life, but fell in love with photography when my dad gave me an old film Nikon SLR in college. I earned my bachelors in biology at Harvard University (my interest in biology no manifests itself in carefully examining through photo all types of natural environments). I also studied photography and painting at Harvard and the Lacoste School of the Arts. I earned a Postbaccalaureate in Fine Arts from the school of Museum of fine arts in Boston, and have continued to refine my skills through classes and self-study at every opportunity. I draw inspiration from the beautiful details hidden in mundane life and love to capture my experiences through photography.

Shannon Stackhouse

Jennifer Surine

As far back as I can remember, wherever I went I would keep my eyes on the ground. I suppose I was a little shy but the truth of the matter was I didn't want to walk past a wondrous discovery. I was a collector. Rocks, shells, leaves, anything that was special and beautiful was fair game. I remember when my parents gave me a little corner in the back yard for my rock garden. With pride, I'd come home from school with my new treasures I collected and place them in their new home among all my favorites. Along with my interest in stones at that time, I loved making jewelry. Flash forward nearly 20 years and I'm still collecting beautiful stones and making jewelry. I suppose it's really not much of a surprise that I decided to become a metalsmith! After peaking my interest by taking classes in high school for jewelry making, I decided to go to college for it. I graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2008 with my degree in Art & Design with an emphasis in Metalsmithing and Jewelry Making.

Jennifer Surine

Lynne Tan

Lynne resides in St. Joseph, Michigan, where she has been working with porcelain for over ten years. Lynne says “My life is put on hold when I play with clay. It is the one activity that engages me so totally my thoughts are simply unable to wander. I dream a shape, and I have to make it… I begin most of my pieces on the potters' wheel, and then find new ways to subtly reshape them into more fluid and organic forms that fit and flow quietly with each other. Beauty for me lies in undecorated simplicity.

Lynne Tan

Meg Tang

I grew up enchanted by the delicate jewelry housed in my mother's jewelry box. She would take each piece out and let me hold it and inspect it while she told me the story of how they came to her. I can still remember the way her hands looked as she gently tucked each piece in it's place. I knew from a very young age the items in that box were special, treasures that connected her to people and to time.
I studied art throughout my childhood and I made my first piece of jewelry when I was in high school. I was hooked. The concepts came easily to me and I showed an aptitude for metal work. For years after, I wished for a career that could be as fulfilling as my jewelry-making hobby. I began to enroll in more serious jewelry making workshops and classes. Then, in 2003 after moving back to my hometown of Kalamazoo, I fulfilled that wish and became a jeweler full time.

Meg Tang

Rex Tower

In his paintings, Rex captures the feel of the landscape, concentrating on the contrasts between light and shadows. He likes to use an impressionist style brush stroke as well as an abundance of color. He enjoys plein air painting as well as working in his studio. Rex now resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has studied at both Kendall School of Design and Central Michigan University. Through his oil paintings, Rex tries to show the beauty of the world around us, using light as his focal point.

Rex Tower

Typeshy Paper

Type Shy is a line of modern, paper cut goods created in Lansing. Trained as a graphic designer and writer, my work combines an equal love of colorful, minimalist design and sweet, but not too sappy, sentiments. By using high-quality materials, I aim to create keepsakes that are beloved long after they are opened — in fact, many people say they frame my cards with photos and other mementos. Most of my text-based work starts in my writing journal and eventually makes it’s way to a die-cut printer, where each piece is individually cut. This method of production is very tactical and reflected in the textured layers of the finished pieces. Items that use vintage paper are all one of a kind.

Typeshy Paper

Brian Westerick

Westerick currently resides in Marine City, Michigan. Reflections of our surrounding world have long been a trend for utilitarian ceramics. Interpretation, abstraction, geometric simplification, and reconstruction are some of the themes he incorporates into his forms. Functionality remains a high priority for his works. Wood ash, trace amounts of minerals found within the wood used to fuel the kiln, and atmospheric pressures are all elements that he relies on to create site-specific pottery.

Brian Westerick

Whistling Frog Tile

Whistling Frog Tile company was created in 1993 by Rick Pruckler. He specializes in creating handmade gift tile and architectural installations. Other artists soon joined in with their own unique styles: Susan Cassabon created a softly stylized line of florals and Tonya Lutz explored exuberant narratives with her 'Birds & Cats' line. Everything is done by hand, one at a time. Our tiles begin with the sculpting of original designs, which are cast into individually crafted molds. Clay impressions are made and fired in our kilns using custom glaze formulas.

Whistling Frog Tile

Jon Whitney

Jon’s artfully hand crafted ceramic ware is both decorative and functional. His style of pottery reflects the natural components of clay, as he draws his inspiration from nature itself. Originally from the Upper Peninsula, Jon currently works and resides in Mason. Jon received a B.F.A. in ceramics from Eastern Michigan University and moved directly into the world of ceramics at Pewabic Pottery in Detroit. Jon’s extensive experience includes education, production, and exhibition.

Jon Whitney

Chester Winowiecki

A resident of Whitehall, Michigan, Chester uses his talents to create pottery for functional use. The unique glazes on his pottery make each piece an enjoyable work of art and a one-of-a-kind gift. The variety in his work makes it easy to find a beautiful piece to take home. To further refine his skills as an artist, Chester attended Michigan State University where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts.

Chester Winowiecki

Jim Wolnosky

"My work is best described as abstract expressionism, as I love to dabble in non-ordinary reality. Working mostly in wood, metal, and stone, I design & produce contemporary studio furniture, sculpture, & mobiles. The work I produce references that of Henry Moore, Joan Miro & the great jazz artists of the 50s & 60's." "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing." - Duke Ellington

Jim Wolnosky

Worthwhile Paper

WORTHWHILE PAPER is a collection of lively screen printed paper goods designed by Kristen Drozdowski in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Her designs are made with hand-lettering, illustrations, simple shapes, refreshing colors & contrast. She is inspired by nature, plants, the sky, humans, animals, and the positive feelings that come along with those things.

Worthwhile Paper

Jeff Wright

Milan resident, Jeff Wright, creates exquisite hand-blown glass. Jeff’s vessels take on organic forms of varying color, texture and style. Intense coloration and surface decoration set his work apart. Creating this glass involves working at temperatures of approximately 2100 degrees Fahrenheit. Though a challenging process, Jeff finds aspects of glass fascinating, saying, “Glass is smooth and sensuous…Glass is fragile, but can last for millennia.”

Jeff Wright

Stephanie Yaklin

Yaklin currently works out of Detroit, Michigan. She is a designer and printmaker and makes modern objects out of paper. She adores design that is inked, stamped, pressed, sketched, cut and folded. She started making books in 2014 with test prints from a screen-printing class in college. She taught herself different binding techniques from YouTube videos. Learning the binding came naturally to her because she was the one who would make everyone’s friendship bracelets growing up. Her block print designs are inspired by Native American beadwork, African American quilt patterns, and mosaics.

Stephanie Yaklin

Ai Yamamoto
"I am inspired by traditional patterns in Japanese crafts that have been carefully preserved within its culture for centuries. Textile design portrays unique social and cultural characteristics. I am fascinated by finding points of similarity between Japanese social habits and the designs in Japanese crafts. Being a small island nation with areas are high population density has imposed a complex system of acceptable social interactions on Japanese people. People follow strict social manners in order to avoid interfering with others. I find that this kind of behavior and mindset relates to the well-defined and repetitive designs in Japanese crafts. They are often condensed and detail oriented. Also, Japanese daily life tends to be stressful and city oriented, nature is a common theme in crafts as a way to remind people of the more peaceful natural environment. I draw slip decoration or paint with under-glaze on my pottery with the traditional Japanese design and hope it creates a cheerful moment for users."

Ai Yamamoto