Whimsical handmade ornaments by local artists
Photography by Jeffrey E. Tryon
Milee Ahn is an interior architect with an ongoing interest in designing and creating goods. After receiving two master’s degrees — one in interior architecture and one in weaving — she taught graduate students at Chung Ang University in Seoul, Korea, while directing her own architectural firm. Milee also served as a director of a textile studio in Seoul, where she taught weaving and textile art to adults and children. Based on her diverse experiences, she now runsher own design shop, MIRIVINCI, where she makes pottery goods, clothing, jewelry, and textile goods. She also teaches weaving and embroidery to adults and children at the West Windsor Arts Council.
Nelly Kouzmina is an award-winning fiber artist who works with natural fibers and dyes to create a variety of pieces from wall art to wearable, exploring the broad possibilities of felt making. Her work is original, one-of-a-kind, and inspired by nature and imagination. She participates in various juried art shows in New York City, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Nelly taught and continues to teach classes and workshops in Plainsboro Township and at the Artists of Yardley (AOY), Pa.; West Windsor Arts Center; Trenton City Museum; ArtWorks Trenton; Ground For Sculpture; and at her private studio in Hopewell. Her blog is at http://feltinelli.blogspot.com.
Eva Mantell’s artwork is concerned with the changes that can occur when simple rules and gestures engage with the possibilities of everyday materials. She has exhibited her art widely, including the Hunterdon Museum, Monmouth Museum, Jersey City Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, ICA Boston, and Institute Library, New Haven. She teaches at Creativity House, Douglass College, Rutgers University, and the Arts Council of Princeton, and has lead professional development at Teachers as Scholars at Princeton University, Society for Arts and Healthcare, Visual Arts Center of NJ, National Center for Creative Aging, and more. Eva has a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts, NYC. For more, visit https://www.instagram.com/evamantell/ or evamantell.com.
Diversity in media and materials is integral to Donna Payton’s creative process. Born in St. Louis, MO, Payton received her MFA from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, Calif., in sculpture and painting. Payton creates high relief collages as well as installations combining recycled objects, natural materials, and constructed sculptures. An award-winning artist, she has exhibited in galleries and museums in California, Florida, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Washington, D.C., and New Zealand. Her work is also in in private and corporate collections. Donna has taught painting, drawing, and 2D and 3D design classes at Brookdale Community College, Ocean County College and high schools in the Midwest. She currently teaches at the Arts Council of Princeton. For more, visit www.donnapayton.com.