2019 ARTIST MARKET JUDGES

2-D Category Judges

Susan Joss

Susan Joss  attended Carnegie-Mellon University, Philadelphia College of Art, and Portfolio Center. She has spent her life working as a painter, graphic designer, illustrator, interior designer, and teacher. Along the way she has continued her studies with numerous painters and currently Michael David Singer of Fine Arts Workshop, with an emphasis on figurative painting and portraiture.

Her goal is to translate the social context of narratives into emotional imagery. Photographic reference is pivotal to her work. She is drawn to the immediacy and informality of snapshots. When photographing her subjects she is entering their world, both external and internal. She states, “We talk. We share stories. We build trust. Poses emerge naturally during our time together, allowing for the opportunity to capture an unguarded moment.”

Sifting through the photos gives Susan the chance to see them anew. She makes drawings from a number of the photos to see where the narrative starts to emerge. This forms the basis for the portrait. Her intention is the connection with her subject, not the painting.

She searches for pieces, while painting, that support this internalized, ongoing narrative, remaining vulnerable to their vulnerability. Susan sates, “However, there is something in their eyes, in my eyes, that has to remain strong, to show that WE have the strength to do this.”

Betty Lee Nichols

Betty Lee Nichols was born in Durant, Mississippi in 1950 and discovered her artistic abilities at age fifteen. Mrs. Nichols majored in Early elementary education at Eastern Michigan University , audited classes at the University of Michigan, Wayne State and Notre Dame.

Insurance companies, churches and private residences to render murals, have commissioned Betty. She has also exhibited in libraries, hotels, conferences, and universities in twelve states and internationally in Germany. Her work was displayed for five years in the Creative Arts Gallery and for two years in the Affordable Art Gallery.

As an instructor, Betty has taught various grades in the K-12 system and continues to work with the gifted, talented, and special need individuals through mentorship . Her mission remains to mentor and encourage others into their destiny using visual images and tangible objects.

Lisa Tuttle

Lisa Tuttle is an artist, curator and arts administrator based in Atlanta.

She has worked as a lead administrator with the Public Art Program of Fulton County Arts Department of Arts and Culture since April, 2003.

As a curator and arts administrator, she has curated, organized, and administrated either as director or part of the gallery staff, more than eighty exhibitions. She has served as juror for numerous exhibitions and festivals throughout the Southeast.

As an artist, Tuttle creates mixed-media objects, research projects, and interdisciplinary installations. She has completed a number of permanent and temporary public art projects. Her collaborative project with Alice Lovelace, “Harriet Rising” received the 2012 Americans for the Arts Public Art Network Year-in Review award as one of the best 50 public art projects in the country.

3-D Category Judges

Emily Augusta Wimbush

Emily Augusta Wimbush began creating jewelry when she was a child, collecting sea shells and sea glass from the beach near her home in south Florida and using them to create jewelry to give as gifts to family and friends. In 1999, looking for a creative outlet from her corporate job in entertainment marketing and public relations, she found a way to combine her creative talent with a love of fashion and started her own jewelry line for wedding parties and special events. It wasn’t long before people were recognizing Emily’s unique style of using an artistic combination of quality materials and detailed graphic patterns to create one-of-a-kind jewelry. After such a response to her designs, she decided to take the next step and start selling to local boutiques. The business grew rapidly and after only a few months, she decided to pursue it full time.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina prompted Emily to move from New Orleans to Atlanta. When looking to purchase a home in Atlanta, she decided to search for a property that would allow her to continue a home-based business, but have a distinct area where she could meet clients who were looking for custom pieces while also being able to sell jewelry in a retail store. The work-live townhomes at Kirkwood Station on the eastern side of downtown Atlanta were the perfect option; she lives above her studio space.

Since moving to Atlanta, Emily expanded her business by continuing her education, allowing her to use new techniques and materials to enhance her designs. While her favorite work is designing one-of-a-kind custom pieces, she is constantly experimenting with new techniques and material and is studying gemology through the Gemological Institute of America, working towards the distinction of graduate gemologist. She is Certified as a Master of Pearls and Accredited Jewelry Professional, (AJP) from GIA; is Precious Metal Clay instructor and earned her B.A. in Communications with Minor in Graphic Design, from Loyola University, New Orleans. To learn more about her work, please visit her website at www.augustadesigns.com.

Dale Sizemore

Dale Sizemore earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Crafts from the University of Georgia in 1977 and his Master of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of North Texas in 1981. In addition to exhibiting and selling his work, he was a National Board Certified teacher in art, teaching ceramics for 30 years.

He retired from full time teaching in 2010, but has since continued to serve as an adjunct art faculty member of Brewton Parker College. He and his wife Nancy Sizemore, started and continue to coordinate the only statewide ceramic arts awards exhibit and workshop currently hosted by various University and College Ceramic Arts programs like the University of West Georgia, Piedmont College, with this coming year at LaGrange College. He has served as juror over the past seven years for various shows and festivals including the Atlanta Arts Festival, Virginia-Highland Summerfest, and the Art Festival of Carrollton. Dale is married to fellow ceramic artist Nancy Sizemore and currently resides in Moreland, Georgia.

Nancy Sizemore

Nancy Sizemore earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Crafts and Art Education in 1977 and did post graduate studies in Jewelry and Metalwork at the University of North Texas from 1978-1980. From 1990 to 1999, Nancy worked as a full time ceramic artist and has exhibited and sold her work at various shows and galleries. Nancy served 23 years as an art educator, retiring in 2015.

Nancy, in partnership with her husband Dale, started and continues to coordinate the only statewide ceramic arts awards exhibit and workshop currently hosted by various University and College Ceramic Arts programs like the University of West Georgia, Piedmont College, with this coming year at LaGrange College. Nancy met Dale in art history class in 1974 and they have been married 42 years, have two sons, and maintain an art studio complex, Sizemore Studios, with their son James, who makes collectible monster toys he markets through his company website, WonderGoblin.com