Steve Smith

Cropwell, AL

Glass, Recycled Bottles

Jewelry, Mosaics

Guild member since 2016

Steve Smith has always been an artist, it just took him about 50 years to realize it! A friend moved, sold him her kiln, and he began experimenting with whatever he could find to melt. Whit Steve’s love of nature and hope to leave this world a better place for those come after us, re- configuring bottles otherwise bound for a landfill seemed a good path to follow. The reflective and sensual nature of the glass invites visual as well as tactile examination. He seeks to create works with balance, harmony, and reflectivity that allows for ever-changing imagery. His pieces are not transparent like stained glass- they look back at you, inviting deeper exploration.

Candace Spurzam

Ridgeland, MS

Glass

Fused Glass

Guild member since 2011

Candace has been exploring color and art for a lifetime. She says, “It doesn’t feel like a ‘calling’ as much as it’s at the core for me. I minored in art in college, not finding the medium that captured me. I’ve trained in painting, pottery, sculpting, and welding. Welding came closest, until I took a course at the Craft Center from Jenny Thomas in fused glass. It’s a more unusual form of expression, but the biggest joy for me is the tactile piece. For me, the most successful pieces of art practically beg to be touched. They invite an authentic and personal interaction. As in writing my dissertation or ‘Occum’s Razor’ the simplest solution is the best. I gravitate towards clean, simple design. My design aesthetic mirrors how I prefer life- straight-forward and intellectually sound.”

Sherry Stewart

Pearl, MS

Glass

Stained

Guild member since 2021

Roger Sturdivant

Florence, MS

Glass

Fused Glass

Guild member since 2014

For Roger Sturdivant, it wasn’t until on his travels around North America that he found his love for fused glass after seeing several pieces of it in shops in New England and Canada. In 2009, he purchased a small kiln to learn the trade, making mostly Christmas ornaments and other small items for gifts or to sell at local shows. Then in 2011, he purchased a much larger kiln to allow him to do larger pieces. While laborious to some, Roger says that to him creating fused glass is a labor of love, hand cutting each piece of glass and creating his own frit to create beautifully colorful and smooth functional and decorative pieces. Whether it’s through the process of pot melting, twisting, or slumping the glass, all of his pieces are bright, colorful, and functional, appealing to all age groups.

Leigh Taylor

Brandon, MS

Beads

Beadwork

Guild member since 1996

Jenny Thomas

Chesterfield, VA

Glass

Fused

Guild member since 2007

Jenny’s process for fused glass is based on her foundation as a painter, usually beginning as a sketch. She then assembles the glass, with different colors and layers, by cutting each piece and assembling them to then place in the kiln. The basis of everything she creates is her belief in God as the ultimate Creator. In Genesis 1:26-27, God says [to Jesus and the Holy Spirit] “Let us create man in our image, in our likeness... So God created man in his own image.” When asked why this is important to her, Jenny responds, “In light of this being spoken on the sixth day of creation, we are all clearly made in the image of One who is quite creative. Our gifts and abilities differ, but each one of us brings glory to God when we shine in the ways He has equipped us.”

Jeanne Wakeman

Fort Walton Beach, FL

Glass, Metal

Fused, Jewelry

Guild member since 2016

Ashley Williamson

Ashley started making beaded jewelry in 2022 and quickly fell in love with the art of crafting unique, handmade pieces. What began as a creative hobby has grown into a passion for designing jewelry that blends style, personality, and craftsmanship. Each piece she creates is made with attention to detail and a love for color, texture, and design.

Brandon, MS
Glass
Member since 2023

Haley Yurkow

Brandon, MS

Glass Canvas

Mixed Media

Guild member since 2018

Maureen Missel

Maureen has been designing fuselages for 20 years and continues to enjoy doing it everyday!

Madison, MS
Glass
Member since 2024

Walter Montambault

Walt was born in Munich Germany and is self taught artist that has always had an interest in mosaic glasswork. Awards he has been honored with include Mexico Beach Art and Wine Festival- 1st place and the Chimneyville Arts Festival 2019 - 1st place in Glass.

Jackson, MS
Glass
Guild member since 2013
Fellow since 2022

Jane Mullins

Jane Mullins is a long-standing member of the Mississippi Craftsmen's Guild in the mediums of stained glass and wool felting. She employs the lead method and copper foiling to create works in glass. In her wet felting and needle felting, she uses wool and silk fibers to fashion designs. Keeping alive traditional craft forms while venturing into diverse and eclectic creations is what Jane most enjoys about her works.

Raymond, MS
Glass
Guild member since 1987
Fellow since 1996

Kathy Myers

Madison, MS

Glass

Mosaic

Guild member since 2024

Kit Davis Barksdale

Bay St. Louis, MS

Glass / Beader/Beadmaker: Guild member since 1997

Mixed Media / Mixed Media

Guild member since 2015

One of the founding members for the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, Kit Davis Barksdale graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor of arts in education. She continued to create art from her personal studio in Jackson and build the Guild until 1993. Just two years after this, the Craftsmen Guild asked her to be its executive director. After having to rethink her plans to build a studio on the Coast after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Barksdale discovered Mustard Seed in Jackson, a center for developmentally challenged adults, where she became the executive director in 2006. Since then she has continued producing her bead work while also helping enrich the lives of those with disabilities through art at the Mustard Seed.