★★ Catania Fish Market ★★

Even at an early age, Marissa has shown an enthusiasm for illustration. She can recall spending hours creating and illustrating stories inspired by the many books her parents shared with her. That inspiration has led her to some of her greatest artistic passions, including children’s book illustration and portraiture.

Marissa earned her BFA in Illustration at the Hartford Art School in Connecticut, where she found new inspiration in her professors. While there, she received many distinctions for her work, including the best portfolio in each of her departmental portfolio reviews. She has also had the honor of having her work featured in numerous exhibitions, including the Society of Illustrators Annual Student Scholarship Competition in New York City.

Since graduating from Hartford Art School, Marissa has continued to follow her passion as a freelance illustrator and portrait artist. After completing her first children’s book illustration project, she went on to be featured in numerous publications and television appearances. Her projects have included collaborations with ESPN, as well as creating illustrations for Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s yearly concert production “Tales of Halloween”.

My artwork is very much inspired by visual storytelling. The thing I love most is capturing my subject’s likeness through vitalizing details – both on the surface of the artwork, as well as the narrative behind it.

I often use a mixed media approach combining acrylic and colored pencils. Working this way combines the freedom of laying bold washes with the tight control of drawing. As the piece is built up in many thin layers, I can carefully explore all the details. Quilting these details together as a visual story is where I find my greatest artistic passion.

★★ Cloud ★★

Jason Shih was born in 1972 in Taiwan. In 1991, he began to specialize in metal sculpture when he was a sophomore in the Fine Arts Dept of Taipei National University of the Arts. In 2001, he graduated from the School for American Crafts, Rochester Institute of Technology, USA, and majored in Metal Sculpture. And then, he served as the metal sculptor Albert Paley’s assistant, involved in crafts and public art work practices. Furthermore, he earned his Ph.D. in Art from the China Academy of Art, China (2015). Now, he lives in Taiwan and consistently engages in both areas of sculpture and public art.

Jason Shih’s artistic vision is shaped by a diverse array of influences, from contemporary dance to avant-garde fashion. He cites German choreographer Pina Bausch and British designer Alexander McQueen as significant inspirations. Bausch’s explorations of time and space resonate with Shih’s interest in sculpture’s capacity to embody kinetic energy and spatial imagination. McQueen’s innovative approach to contemporary imagery and themes provides Shih with a broad canvas for creative expression.

Shih’s work is also influenced by the aesthetic principles of Futurism and Constructivism, movements that emphasize dynamic energy and continuous motion. These influences are evident in his pursuit of capturing the beauty of movement and the elegant restraint of natural forces. Shih’s sculptures often depict moments of defying gravity, capturing the fleeting beauty of motion in a static form.

As a professional sculptor, Jason likes to experience the taste of life with perceptual observation in the subtle moments, and also likes the ever-changing situation of game shapes in the poetic imaginary space. For Jason, art creation is to share various moods and stories in daily life.

Sculpture is to interpret the beauty of light and shadow, rhythm, and volume through the visual techniques of color, shape, and texture. The qualities that the creators of sculpture pursue to touch people’s hearts are actually as abstract as temperature and smell, but rich in profound, penetrating power. This aura that directly points to people’s hearts and the aesthetic sense that makes people enter the drama in resonance may also be like nostalgia, embodied in the nostalgia of seeing things and thinking about them, and the timid expectation of being close to the hometown.

Sea breezes, mountain mist, morning sun, sunset, and, in addition to shape and color, there is also the memory of temperature. Cooking smoke, hot soup, wooden tables, pottery cups, and the echo of the smell are the gradual tone of nostalgia. In people’s daily aesthetic experience, the memory of temperature and smell accompanied by touch often becomes a kind of fuse to revisit the journey of old dreams. The work involved in sculpture creation is to “condense” and record all kinds of beautiful presence in this beautiful time and space in an appropriate way and with true emotions.

★★ Clownin’ Around ★★

Born and raised in a diverse cultural environment, Mills developed a keen eye for capturing the subtle nuances of human expression and the hidden beauty in everyday objects from an early age. Her family’s creative background and encouragement significantly influenced her artistic perspective, allowing her to see the world through a unique lens.

Mills’ journey as a photographer began with a Canon EOS Rebel G film camera, a teacher who understood her, and a deep fascination for fleeting moments and undercurrents that often go unnoticed or are purposely overlooked and hidden in our everyday lives. Her education in visual arts, combined with her natural talent for observation, has shaped her into a thoughtful and precise image-maker. She fancies herself a life-long learner and continuously hones her skills, exploring new artistic paths through workshops and classes with renowned photographers and visual artists.

Mills draws inspiration from the contrasts in her surroundings and human nature. Her work seamlessly blends elements of documentary-style photography with conceptual storytelling, creating images grounded in reality and imbued with a sense of the extraordinary.

From intimate portraits to studies of overlooked objects, she often explores themes of introspection, transience, and the poetry of the mundane.

Ultimately, I aim to create images that pique the viewer’s curiosity and encourage them to form their own interpretations and connections. Having primarily created in black-and-white for much of my journey in photography, I believe my ability to see in black-and-white led to a better understanding of the depths of color contrast and their impact on creating an image.

In my portraiture, I strive to capture genuine emotion and candid-like moments, even in staged settings. My approach is characterized by a deep respect for my subjects, allowing their true selves to be seen, understood, and welcomed.

A deliberate concept credited to the models, Clownin’ Around captures a brief moment in an authentic friendship dripping in color and movement.

★★ Colorful Celebration ★★

Joy Saha is a Bangladeshi photographer who focuses on human stories. His work has been featured in over 100 leading international publications, including The Guardian, National Geographic, and TIME. Being a photo enthusiast, he has been traveling near and far to depict interesting human stories for the last few years. His passion is to explore the different aspects of human life and document them. Capturing the human element is the key to his photography. Through his photos, he wants to share his unique perspective and experience with all.

Happiness, to me, is found in the vibrant moments that bring people together. In my photo, I captured young girls joyfully playing with colors during the Spring Festival in Bangladesh—a celebration of renewal, hope, and togetherness. The blazing yellow hues, traditional attire, and festive spirit reflect the pure joy of welcoming a new season. Through this image, I want to share how happiness transcends boundaries and finds its voice in culture and nature. It’s a reminder that joy is often found in the simplest, most colorful expressions of life.

★★ Dreaming Of Jerusalem #1 ★★

Melanie Kline is a master silversmith and painter whose career has been defined by a deep reverence for Jewish tradition and a lifelong devotion to craftsmanship. Best known for her handcrafted sterling silver Judaica, Kline created ceremonial objects that have been featured in numerous State of Israel Bonds campaigns and are held in the permanent collections of Hebrew Union College and Park Avenue Synagogue. Her work has also been widely collected by synagogues and private patrons across the United States. In recognition of her artistic contributions, she was honored with a solo exhibition celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C.

After retiring from metalsmithing, Kline shifted her creative focus to oil painting in her studio in Montrose, Colorado. Continuing her fascination with materiality, she enriches her paintings with gold and copper leaf, mixed media, and occasional gemstones, echoing the precision and detail of her decades as a jeweler.

Kline’s artistic vision is rooted in the mystical stories and symbolism of Judaism. She approaches both painting and metalsmithing as pathways to illuminate spiritual narratives, striving to bring forward their deeper meanings with elegance and clarity. Whether working in silver at the jeweler’s bench or layering oils and metallic leaf on canvas, her goal is to reveal “the light of understanding.”

Her transition to painting began in 2021 after a diagnosis of macular degeneration altered her depth perception and brought her metalsmithing career to a close. Rather than diminish her creative spirit, the shift opened a new and exhilarating chapter. Painting—with its vibrant color, expanded scale, and freedom of expression—quickly became a source of joy, renewal, and gratitude. She describes the process of combining oil paint with copper and gold leaf, semiprecious stones, and pearls as both thrilling and transformative, a natural extension of the intricate work she always loved.

Today, Kline continues to explore storytelling through texture, luminosity, and layered materials, creating works that honor her heritage while embracing the possibilities of a newly discovered medium.

This painting is a visual journal of my journey through Jerusalem, composed not as a single viewpoint but as a tapestry of memories stitched together through color, light, and space. Each vignette captures a different moment of the city as I experienced it: ascending stone stairways, wandering through sunlit courtyards, pausing in quiet cafés, and exploring the archeology digs. Rather than recreating a literal map, the work collects fragments of experience and arranges them in a way that reflects how a traveler remembers a place—imperfectly, emotionally, and with special attention to the details that linger in the mind.

The warm tones of the stone arches echo the ancient architecture of the Old City, their textured surfaces layered like the history beneath them. Bougainvillea climbs along balcony railings, softening the stone with bursts of pink and magenta. In the midst of domestic calm, the Israeli flag rises, a symbol of present-day identity and continuity. Birds perch on walls, musicians appear in open spaces, and narrow corridors unfold like paths waiting to be explored.

The work also carries the weight of deeper time. My visit to the City of David archaeological site revealed a Jerusalem beneath Jerusalem: tunnels carved by early inhabitants, pottery fragments resting in dust, and foundations older than recorded history. These encounters informed the composition of the painting, reminding me that every modern moment exists above centuries of human life. As a visual journal, the piece captures the interplay between everyday experiences and the enduring presence of the past. It invites viewers to walk through the city with me, to feel its warmth, and to see Jerusalem as I did—alive, layered, and full of stories.

★★ Easter Prayer ★★

As an elementary art teacher, Alston has been grounded and blessed by the vastness of art that “bubbled up” from young students. “It was like being a Rock Star teaching art alongside little people. They opened my artist’s eyes like no other life experience”

It is now, Alston’s opportunity to give back this spark that students gave to her. Weaving a lifelong passion for painting, Alston Beckman has planted roots in her native South Carolina heritage with renewed energy in depicting a generational icon: Quilts. Having always loved painting textiles, connectivity in 2022 with a crafting Prayer Quilt ministry helped to marry these two gifts.

These Pawleys Island artisans have given Alston a new mission. Capturing stitches, patterns, and color in watercolor and colored pencil, Alston is hopeful in documenting the soul and warmth in quilt portraits.

The collection, The Ties that Bind Us is an ongoing body of “peace work”, with reinvestment back into random acts of kindness.

My watercolor and pencil series is a journey, a mission really, that was born out of a need for connectivity in 2022. A lifelong artist, and elementary art teacher, a soulful discovery of local SC prayer quilters spoke to my heart. A spark to capture unique portraits of these textile treasures was divine intervention. In making a quilt, now painting them, I am privy to a history of connectivity that highlights milestones and family, uplifting in spirit, with a purpose of comfort. I have been humbled and energized by the opportunity to capture these heirlooms as they pass from person to person. Giving away time and talent in stitches, now in an opportunity to spotlight these stitches that bind so many of us.

★★ Flow ★★

Yuliya is an abstract artist who was born in Kazakhstan. She spent her college years in Beijing, China. During her time in Beijing, she had the opportunity to explore Asia and was particularly fascinated by the spiritually charged places she visited, such as the Angkor Watt in Cambodia, temples of Siam Reap, Laos, Kuala Lumpur, monasteries and temples in China.

In 2013, Yuliya relocated to the United States where she started her own business running a personal shopping agency and launched a lingerie brand. At the same time, she pursued a Master’s degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. It was during this time that Yuliya discovered the power of colors and shapes in affecting the mood of the viewer, even having a healing effect. She incorporates these techniques in her art to create pieces that deeply connect with the viewer.

Yuliya’s art is a unique combination of kineticism and color therapy, abstraction, and spirituality. Her pieces are infused with a deep sense of spirituality, taking inspiration from philosophy, nature, music, sacred geometry, and quantum physics. Yuliya’s work has been recognized for its interdisciplinary nature, engaging various academic disciplines, including philosophy, mathematics, and the natural and social sciences.

Yuliya’s passion for art has taken her on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, and she hopes that her artwork will inspire others to find their own path toward inner peace. Her pieces are infused with a deep sense of connection to the world around her, drawing inspiration from philosophy, nature, music, sacred geometry, and quantum physics. Yuliya’s work has been exhibited in various galleries across the United States and has received critical acclaim for its beauty, depth, and resonance with the human experience. Her art invites viewers to contemplate the mysteries of the universe and engage with something larger than themselves.

As a modern artist, I strive to create artwork that transcends the physical boundaries of the canvas and connects with the viewer on a deeper level. My artwork is a fusion of kineticism and color therapy, abstraction, and spirituality, where each element is intertwined, creating pieces that evoke emotions and stimulate the senses.

I believe that art has the power to heal and transform, and my work reflects this philosophy. Through the use of color and movement, I aim to create a harmonious balance between the visual and emotional elements, allowing the viewer to experience a sense of tranquility and inner peace.

My creative process involves allowing myself to be guided by intuition, allowing the colors and forms to take shape organically. Each piece is a unique expression of my innermost thoughts and emotions, as well as a reflection of the beauty and complexity of the world around us.

Ultimately, my goal as an artist is to create artwork that connects with the viewer, allowing them to experience the beauty and wonder of the world in a new and profound way.

★★ Folded Memory ★★

Yu Hsuan Hua is a young sculptor whose work spans ceramics, stone carving, and FRP, as well as public art design. Her creative practice centers on exploring the “essence of the soul,” often using marine creatures such as sea hares and jellyfish as metaphors for the unique, ever-changing nature of human beings. Through her sculptures, she invites viewers to reflect on themselves and reconnect with their inner truth.

Her works translate emotions into tangible forms, blending meticulous craftsmanship with expressive form and color to create pieces rich in narrative and vitality. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, nature, social phenomena, and personal experience, she distills these elements into a distinct artistic language that bridges introspection and imagination.

Yu Hsuan Hua has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including:
2025 Fusion Art International Competition for Women Artists, 3D Category – First Place
2025 Taitung Art Exhibition, 3D & Traditional Craft Category – Second Place
2025 72nd Central Art Exhibition, Sculpture Category – First Place
2025 Taichung Chenggong Junior High School Public Art Installation Project – First Place
2025 Yushan Art Award, Craft Category – Finalist
2025 Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery “Animals” International Competition, 3D Category – 4th Place
2024 3rd XinTao Award – Ceramic Design Professional Award

My creative core revolves around the “essence of the soul.” I believe that throughout life, we often drift away from our truest selves, gradually covered by layers of social norms and personal experiences. I often express this through streamlined abstract works, using smooth curves and overlapping inner and outer layers to reveal that memory is not a flat surface, but something layered and intertwined. The exterior of my pieces is usually rough, while the interior is rich, colorful, and smooth—this contrast symbolizes the impact and pressure of reality, while also reflecting the kindness and positivity I maintain within. These collected experiences, at certain moments in life, quietly emerge like the colors revealed within my work, reminding us of the richness and complexity of our inner world.

For me, artistic creation is not merely a form of expression but also a translation of emotions and a flow of energy. Working with ceramics allows me to materialize my inner feelings, making my thoughts and emotions visible and tangible. My inspiration often comes from everyday experiences—whether from nature, social phenomena, or personal emotions—which I distill and transform into my artistic language. Each piece is meticulously crafted and thoughtfully composed, weaving form and color to reveal a unique narrative and vitality.

★★ Just Jump ★★

Rylee Breese (b. 2002) is an American contemporary painter from Covington, Georgia. Her work explores the tension between adulthood and childhood by depicting grown bodies interacting with nostalgic, childlike objects. Rendered in an intentionally oversaturated palette, her paintings blur the line between memory and reality through distorted forms and expressive compositions.
Guided early on by her grandmother, a painter and photographer, Rylee developed a deep appreciation for experimentation and material play. Nostalgia serves as a driving force in her practice, allowing her to revisit personal history while questioning its permanence.

Experience is a virtue, but our childhood daydreams never really leave us. They quietly tag along, shaping who we are, how we see the world, and even the choices we make as adults. My work exists at the intersection of memory, movement, and identity, where the adult body interacts sometimes awkwardly, sometimes playfully, with the nostalgic objects and sensory triggers of its past.
Using vibrant colors and dreamlike palettes, I create sculptural and mixed-media pieces that investigate how childhood nostalgia transforms the way we inhabit our adult selves. My practice has expanded to include food, household items, and other sensory cues from youth, such as candy wrappers, cereal, pool floats, and stuffed animals. These details are more than just visual; they carry stories, comfort, and emotional weight.

I’m drawn to the strange, often surreal relationship between physical form and emotional memory, how a cartoon-branded snack or brightly colored toy can become a portal to a different time. My art plays with scale, distortion, and setting to evoke a world where these familiar artifacts aren’t just relics, they’re part of an ongoing, lived experience. In some pieces, the body becomes exaggerated or fragmented, echoing the disjointed way memories morph over time. In others, the interaction between figure and object becomes almost performative, reenacting moments we didn’t even know shaped us.

At its core, my practice is about the emotional residue of play and comfort, how simple things from our past continue to ripple through our present. I explore how nostalgia can soothe, confront, and even reshape our sense of self. Through it all, I aim to hold space for reflection and joy and to remind myself (and others) to enjoy the now. Even as we revisit the past, there’s magic in being fully present in the moment.