Cedric Mitchell

Cedric Major Mitchell, a Los Angeles-based glass artist originally from Oklahoma, honed his skills while studying business at Tulsa Community College. Quickly transitioning from student to apprentice and instructor at The Tulsa Glassblowing School, he furthered his education under mentor Joe Cariati in Los Angeles.

Cedric’s glass practice is deeply influenced by the innovative spirit of Post-Modernism. Through vibrant colors and intricate arrangements, he creates visually captivating sculptures and objects that embody both beauty and meaning. Drawing inspiration from street art and cherished childhood memories, Cedric’s work transcends boundaries to offer a profound representation of the human experience.

Cedric founded "Cedric Mitchell Design" in 2018, a creative endeavor dedicated to crafting stunning blown glass for retailers nationwide. He was the first glassblowing parter of NIKE, and has held prestigious residencies such as with Corning Museum of Glass.

Cedric’s time at Starworks is being funded in part by a grant from the Artist Alliance for Contemporary Glass. Thank you AACG for the support!

Janina Myronowa received her MFA at the Lviv National Academy of Fine Arts (Lviv, Ukraine) in 2012, an MFA  at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Wroclaw, Poland) in 2013, and her PhD at the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts and Design (Wroclaw, Poland) in 2019. Continually developing her work and practice, she has attended numerous residencies including opportunities’ at The Clay Studio (Philadelphia, USA); Archie Bray Foundation (Helena, USA); Northern Clay Center (Minneapolis, USA); New Taipei Yingge Ceramics Museum (New Taipei, Taiwan); Clayarch Gimhae Museum (Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea); Lefebvre and Fils (Paris, France); International Ceramic Research Center (Guldagergaard, Denmark); International Ceramics Studio (Kecskemet, Hungary).

His practice expanded as he began working with iron casting and steel fabrication, creating sculptures that merge the physical with the spiritual. The "temple-heart-vessels" series, inspired by his study of Tai Chi, reflects this balance and explores the harmony between form and meaning. Now based at Liberty Arts, Tripp continues to push the boundaries of sculpture, creating works that blend technique, philosophy, and imagination into a unique artistic voice.

Tripp Jarvis, a sculptor originally from Holly Springs, North Carolina, has been captivated by the world of art since the age of five when he first began copying the Sunday Comics. His early passion for drawing evolved through his studies, culminating in a BFA from East Carolina University, where he discovered his love for working with stone. A transformative experience with soapstone carving solidified his path as a sculptor, igniting his desire to shape the hardest materials on Earth with his own hands.

Tripp's work is influenced by his interests in science fiction, fantasy, and Jungian psychology. His exploration of these themes led him to combine metal casting and stone carving, techniques that became the foundation of his practice. He further honed his skills in Estonia, studying ceramics at the Estonia Academy of Art before returning to the U.S. to pursue an MFA at East Carolina University.

Thompson’s artwork has been exhibited in prominent galleries and museums, including the Mindy Solomon Gallery, the Society for Contemporary Crafts, Baltimore Clayworks, and the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. Her work is in collections across the U.S., New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. She has completed public commissions and has been an artist-in-residence at Medalta Ceramic Center (Canada), Guldagergaard (Denmark), and the Hambidge Center for the Creative Arts & Sciences.

In addition to her artistic practice, Thompson has held leadership roles at Texas Tech University, Mississippi State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She continues to shape the next generation of artists while maintaining her studio practice in Charlotte, NC.

Lydia Thompson

Lydia C. Thompson is a mixed media artist and professor in the Department of Art & Art History at UNC Charlotte. She earned her BFA from The Ohio State University and MFA from the New York College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Her work spans ceramics and mixed media, and she has received numerous accolades, including a Fulbright Hays grant to study traditional architecture in Nigeria, a Windgate Distinguished Fellow for Innovation in Craft, and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and South Arts.

Jared Forest

Guest Demonstrating Artist, Jared Forest, is a skilled borosilicate lampworker with over 10 years of experience. Forest finds great joy in sharing his functional art with the world, creating pieces that combine beauty and practicality.

Lampworking, the art of melting glass over an open flame, has roots in the use of oil lamps and bellows to manipulate molten glass. Forest’s work embraces this tradition while pushing the boundaries of abstract and expressive forms. His pieces often explore captivating, time-consuming designs that evoke emotion and contemplation.

Forest is deeply grateful for the opportunity to create and connect with others through his art, and he values the journey of sharing his creations with those who appreciate the craftsmanship and intention behind each piece.

Ian Thomsen

Guest Demonstrating Artist, Ian Thomsen, is an artist metalsmith working in Asheboro NC. He got his beginnings in blacksmithing through colonial reenacting as a child and has pursued the forging arts ever since.  He produces everything from early American tools, to art nouveau and modern gates and railings. His hope is to honor the heritage, while embracing the future of American artisanal forging and ironwork.