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< Back Visiting Artist Jennifer Wells is a studio artist and educator originally from the U.S but currently living in Italy. She holds an MFA, in Metalsmithing & Jewelry Design and has completed artist-in-residencies at: Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, TN, Pocosin Arts in Columbia, NC and the Jentel Foundation near Banner, WY. She has worked for several U.S based Craft Schools, in a variety of roles. As an educator, Jennifer has taught for and been a visiting Artist at Universities throughout the U.S and for study abroad programs based in Italy. She serves on the Board of Vita Institute and teaches short workshops on various enameling and metalsmithing techniques throughout Europe and the U.S. In recent years she has curated multiple international exhibitions focused on jewelry and enameling. Her works have been featured in multiple publications and are in the collections of the Enamel Arts Foundation, Racine Museum, All Russian Museum of Decorative Arts, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Yale University Art Gallery, Crocker Art Museum, The Metal Museum and Private Collections. http://www.jennwellsstudio.com https://www.instagram.com/jennwellsstudio Jennifer Wells

< Back Visiting Artist Nash Quinn is a metalsmith who specializes in pattern-formed enameled vessels and smallscale spring-based mechanisms. Originally from Wyoming, he earned his BFA from the University of Wyoming and his MFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. He teaches, lectures, and exhibits his work at craft schools, universities, and jewelry institutes nationwide. Nash currently lives in Houston, TX. http://nashquinn.com Nash Quinn

< Back Visiting Artist Jennifer Stenhouse is an artist, metalsmith, and instructor living in Seattle Washington near the waters of Puget Sound. She grew up in Atlanta Georgia, spending as much time as possible around the coast of Georgia and Florida combing the beaches for treasure at every given opportunity. Her work includes jewelry and sculpture that is inspired by the beaches, ocean, world mythologies. She has been teaching art and jewelry classes, live and online workshops, lecturing, and exhibiting throughout the U.S. and Mexico for over 25 years. Recognized as an outstanding educator and known expert in the arena of jewelry casting, Jennifer has more recently taught at the college and adult continuing education levels and is co-founder of Little Metal Foxes online jewelry courses. Currently she also works as a production jeweler and is doing research toward a book on the History, Timeline, and Technology of Jewelry Casting. Jennifer received her BFA from the University of New Mexico, and MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She began teaching while in New Mexico, and UW- Madison, leading to a professor position at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD,) in Foundations and Jewelry classes as an elective. Due to the strong interest from students wanting to major in Metals and Jewelry, Jennifer proposed and developed the Metals and Jewelry Department, and served as chair for several years. While in Savannah she also maintained a small studio in the historic City Market. Afterwards she was teaching jewelry and printmaking at the Vermont Art Exchange in North Bennington, VT. Later she would contribute teaching in Seattle at locations including North Seattle College, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Danaca Design, Tacoma Metal Arts Center, and Bainbridge Artists Resource Network. She has also served as advisor for planning and safety to studios and programs like SCAD, Pratt, NSC, and BARN jewelry studios. https://stenhousestudio.com/ Jennifer Stenhouse The Sun-Smart Collection Jennifer Stenhouse Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent Beth Kirtland began taking jewelry classes after working in Corporate America for several years. She discovered new passion and talent, and has been consistently polishing her skills (and silver!) over the last 10 years. After experiencing a life-altering injury and recovery, Beth’s perspective of priority and purpose dramatically changed. Her artistic design exudes positive energy and joy. In her transformation, she not only creates, but also shares her ability and enthusiasm with others. https://pickledmalarkey.com/ https://www.instagram.com/pickledmalarkey/ Beth Kirtland

< Back Georgia Talent Rachel has been in the jewelry business since 2003, graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design in Metals and Jewelry. Originally from Ohio, she spent 10 years on the Gulf in Florida where she had a storefront business for 5 years, until the birth of her first daughter. Since moving to the Atlanta area in 2012, she now has a home studio where she is a ghost jewelry for another line, as well as fabricating her own designs for her own line, Nectar Jewelry. Rachel Vanatta

< Back Georgia Talent Atlanta native Piper Espey grew up surrounded by all things metal. Daughter of a highly skilled metalsmith, she learned the magic of moving metal at an early age. Her chosen focus for undergraduate and graduate studies were Art and Psychology. She joined her two fields of studies through working with children with special needs for many years, where she witnessed the healing power of art. She initially discovered those healing powers through painting and drawing but following the death of her father, her medium of choice took a turn. He gifted her with his workshop of tools, and with that, through her grief journey, a metalsmith was re-born. Over the past decade, she has traveled the globe, seeking masters in her field to train under. She is an instructor for Spruill Center for the Arts, not only teaching adults but also introducing the craft to teens through their Summer Arts Program. Piper serves on the board of directors for the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia where she also teaches. “I am beyond fortunate to live in a city with such a brilliant and encouraging metalsmith community. I wouldn't be where I am today had it not been for so many pouring their knowledge of our craft and their experiences into me.” Growing up with the Chattahoochee River in her backyard, she decided to raise her children, who are now grown, with the same experience. The wild nature of the Chattahoochee has influenced the creation and particular style of her art immensely. She likes to describe the influence of the Chattahoochee as “Flow!” The same flow that is found within the rushing, as well as the slow moving waters of the river are present in her painting as well as her metal forms. Piper’s work is also energized by the organic shapes and vibrant Earth tones that are found in nature. Her jewelry and small sculpture work using mixed metals, turquoise and rough stones, found objects and elements of nature, are hand fabricated in her home studio located on the banks of her beloved Chattahoochee. When not in her studio or teaching, she can be found spending time with her family, or more than likely seeking a mountain to climb or a river to ride. http://instagram.com/pipermoonmetal Piper Espey

< Back Georgia Talent Jody DeWeese is a local enamelist, metal smith and photographer. She was extremely fortunate to have a high school art teacher that taught a wide range of artistic techniques including drawing, painting, stained glass, batik, casting, enameling, metal fabrication, etc. Jody received a BA in Languages but went on to a career in law enforcement and death investigation. She discovered photography in 2011 and earned her Certified Professional Photographer and Master Photographer through the Professional Photographers of America. She retired after a 30 year career and became a pet and wildlife photographer and a volunteer wildlife caregiver at the AWARE Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Jody discovered beading and volunteered at a local bead shop. She learned wire wrapping, cloisonné and champleve enameling and metal smithing. Enameling allowed her to elevate her pet and wildlife photography to a new art form. She loves to learn and explores a wide range of art forms. After learning about the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia, she became a student and an open studio monitor. Jody DeWeese

< Back Georgia Talent Alan Bremer became attracted to the craft of jewelry in his early twenties. Through his father’s medical appliance business, he was familiar with machinery, hand tools and metal. With an early interest in the arts, he worked in a metal jewelry crafts store before moving to New York to study at The International Center of Photography with Cornell Capa as a photographer and later as a videographer. Over the next two decades in New York, Alan built a career in photography and video, got married and started a family. During all of that time, he kept a small trunk of jewelry equipment and tools--thinking someday he would make jewelry again. The opportunity came in 1993 when Alan’s family relocated to Atlanta and he became an at-home Dad. Alan reconnected with his jewelry tools and took comprehensive formal training through many classes and workshops. Alan began teaching at Chastain Arts Center in 2000. He has put his full energy and heart into exploring the potential of the metal worker’s art. He creates and exhibits his own jewelry and serves on the board of the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia. Alan’s teaching style is aimed at those just beginning to explore metalworking to very advanced artists. He creates demos appropriate to students’ skill levels and emphasizes hands-on work as well as a collegial, non-competitive, fun-loving class environment. Students become enthralled with the art of metalworking and spark one another’s creativity and sense of humor. Alan’s goal is to enhance opportunities for people to grow in their skills, engagement and excitement with hand-crafted art. ARTIST STATEMENT I love the sculptural quality and scale of jewelry. Jewelry is body ornament and talisman, personal but public. It is a work of art that is chosen to be displayed in public on the body. It is in motion--not static in a case or on a wall. As simple as a bobble or as complex and meaningful as any art, jewelry is personal and public for the creator as well as the wearer. Alan Bremer

< Back Georgia Talent Growing up in Franklin, NC, the gem hub of the Southeast, rocks were always grabbing my attention. Sometimes it was just a nice piece of gravel or a rock from the woods, sometimes it was a baggie of colorful stones from my favorite rock shop/gem museum, often, it was a piece of jewelry for a family member at Christmas or a birthday. Once I got a real job, the rocks got nicer and more plentiful until it was a little embarrassing how big my gem collection was because it was doing nothing but gathering dust. In December 22', I was shopping for gems at the Bellpoint gem show, and one of the guild members was helping out at one of the booths. She asked me what I was going to do with them, and I said, "I don't really know. I'm really looking for settings to put them in because the ones online are too expensive." Then she told me about MAGG and recommended I try taking a class there to learn how to make my own settings. (I'd rather make something myself than pay somebody extra to make it for me.) So I started taking classes the following January and I've been taking them ever since. I still can't draw a good stick figure... but I'm having lots of fun putting my passion into practice and discovering that creativity can be learned (slowly). I'm proof that you don't have to be an artist to make art and if you're willing to risk embarrassing yourself, you might have fun and make something you will be proud of. Ben Horton

< Back Georgia Talent May Engelhardt is a jewelry artist and educator based in Atlanta, GA, specializing in unique, hand-crafted and sculptural jewelry. Born in a small town in Southern Maine, May moved to Brooklyn in 1998, where she lived and worked for 18 years,focusing primarily on painting and photography. Over the past decade, May’s creative focus has evolved toward sculpture and jewelry design, blending her fine art background with a love for form, texture, and wearability. Working primarily with mixed metals, May’s pieces are known for their organic textures and bold, minimalist designs created to be light enough for everyday wear. May Engelhardt

< Back Visiting Artist Jill Herlands, the self-taught jewelry artist behind the eponymous brand “JILL.HERLANDS,” possesses a unique creative spirit that knows no bounds. Unfettered by conventional rules and traditions, Jill’s approach to jewelry design is a remarkable journey where she skillfully employs hand fabrication to transform precious metals into abstract forms of wearable art. Jill’s artistic journey is a testament to her willingness to venture into experimental techniques and her discerning eye for materials that offer intriguing contrasts. Her creative process unfolds with an air of spontaneity, where each piece’s form and composition take shape organically, guided by the muse of the moment. With an unwavering belief in the allure of imperfection over perfection, Jill places her trust in the realms of imagination, innovation, and fearless experimentation. Her artistic sanctuary thrives amidst controlled chaos, where materials themselves often dictate the outcome of her meticulously crafted pieces. To Jill, the absence of a predefined plan is not a risk but a source of inspiration. Her art mirrors her unbridled spirit, and, like her creations, she refuses to conform to convention. Jill Herlands is an artist who embraces the freedom of artistic expression and cherishes the unpredictable beauty that accompanies her creative journey. Herlands’ award-winning work is featured in fashion magazines including recent editions of Bazaar, Paper, and Nylon. Her designs are carried in galleries and boutiques worldwide. Jill Herlands currently lives and works in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. https://www.jillherlands.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jill.herlands/ Jill Herlands The Sun-Smart Collection Jill Herlands Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent Rita McMorris, is a professional grills fabricator, and educator and the Founder of 7Metalworks Studio. Serving as Lead Instructor- Custom Grillz Fabrication, she approaches oral jewelry as a precise craft that balances artistry, anatomy and function. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Biology and Associate degree in Art, Rita brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to custom Grillz fabrication, combining scientific understanding of oral structures with creative metalwork. With years of hands on experience, she is committed to ethical fabrication, technical excellence and educating the next generation of skilled grillz artisans. Artist Assistant - Nyla Battle Nyla Battle's creative foundataion begain in childhood through singing, dancing, and performance, where she developed a strong sense of expression, rhythm, and discipline. As an adult, her background in contracting deepened her understanding of structure, process and craftsmanship. Through mentorshop and training under metal artist and educator Rita McMorris, Nyla discovered her passion for jewelry making and metal arts. As a student, she has developed foundational skills in mold-taking, waxing techniques, and material preparation, gaining hands-on experience in the precision and patience required for metal fabricaiton Nyla is committed to continued learning and view the challenges of the craft as an essential part of artistic growth. http://instagram.com/icy.shiny.grills http://instagram.com/7metalworks Rita McMorris