Ordinary Turned Extraordinary

Creativity can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. We can see this with the works of these three passionate artists who reimagine everyday life and objects through their unique crafts. We spoke with them about the creative processes that shape their artistry and the inspirations that keep them going. 

Hannah Graber invites us to explore her journey of creating figure paintings on recycled cardboard, a medium she embraced to combat her fears of producing ​“bad art.” By celebrating the beauty of ordinary life, her work captures the essence of everyday moments through a playful yet thoughtful process. 

How did you choose cardboard as a material?

Hannah: My rationale was that if I wasn’t happy with the outcome of a piece, I at least didn’t waste a canvas. I wound up really enjoying the properties of the material itself, like its neutral tone, inherent absorbency, and paper-like texture, and adopted it into my everyday practice. 

Now, I paint nearly everything on cardboard. My references often depict one or more figures, which come from either my personal film collection or found vintage photos. I focus heavily on composition and enjoy choosing cardboard pieces that create a visually engaging and balanced layout. My work begins with a rough sketch, which is then broken up into flat blocks of acrylic paint. I implement my favorite elements of traditional illustration, such as contour lines and hatching, to add dimension and create the appearance of constant motion. The flat fields of matte color and clean, outlined style create a fondly reminiscent tone, as if the viewer is reading short stories about everyday life. 

What keeps you creating?

Hannah: When I first began my career as an artist, I quickly realized how much in-person interactions mean to me. I feel so lucky to get the opportunity to connect with so many people who come to my opening nights, galleries, markets, and any other events. The positive affirmations I receive from everyone are just insane, and I feel so grateful for the support. My favorite part of these interactions is hearing how everyone relates to certain pieces. It’s an amazing way for me to learn more about my audience and build meaningful relationships. 

What makes your work unique?

Hannah: Not many people view cardboard as a means for fine art, but I believe my work challenges that preconception. The use of cardboard gives each piece a laid-back, approachable feeling that pairs well with my themes of mundane, ordinary routine– something everyone can relate to.

Focusing on the natural beauty of ordinary materials, David Hooker of Hooker Pottery embodies the rhythm of daily life through functional pottery. With over 30 years of experience, the artist’s connection to the Midwest landscape enriches each piece, creating a tactile experience that resonates with both the creator and the user.

Tell us about your work/ creative process.

David: I make small batch functional pottery with an emphasis on showing the natural beauty of materials and process. I strive for surfaces that are rich, natural and tactile, as beautiful to the hand as to the eye. Increasingly, my forms and surfaces reflect the beauty of the Midwest landscape that surrounds me.

My work grows out of my artistic practice, which I have been carrying on for more than 30 years now. My practice is built upon a rhythm of regular time in the studio, seeking beauty in daily life and ordinary routines. Making pottery is a natural extension of that curiosity.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? 

David: I love the rhythm of making pots. I love the way making pots connects me to earth, to history, and to everyday life. Making pots both grounds me and centers me. I also love how pottery connects me to other people. When people share with me photos of my pots in use in their homes, or tell me that my mug is their favorite and they have to get it out of the dishwasher to have their morning coffee as part of their daily routine, those are special moments to me.

What led you to pursue a career as an artist?

David: In college, I studied both visual art and poetry. At the time, I wanted to make ​“big, important art” that involved all the senses: something totally new. A life of making pottery was not what I imagined. But then I took a ceramics course and had a revelation: I discovered that the type of art I was searching for, the kind that involved all the senses, had already been invented…it was called a cup. I realized that small, everyday objects had a unique power to connect to people on an intimate level that large scale work couldn’t. It could become part of their daily lives. That was a revelation.

Laurie Olefson redefines eyewear by handcrafting unique eyeglass frames that balance practicality with artistic flair. Her journey from recycled jewelry to innovative eyewear exemplifies her dedication to making art that not only enhances vision but also elevates personal style.

Tell us about your work/ creative process.

Laurie: I make handmade eyeglass frames (from scratch), artful readers and now 3d printed frames. Fourteen years ago, I took a two week class on how to make eyeglasses at the venerable Penland School in North Carolina. It took me another four years to make the tools needed to actually be able to handcraft my glasses. Before that I was making recycled jewelry from typewriter keys and aluminum cans but being accepted into craft shows was really iffy when you are a part of the largest segment of crafters — jewelers. So, being a long-time eyeglass wearer, I thought it would be an interesting departure from jewelry and the more I looked into it the more I saw the omission in the optical market and as I started to do high end craft shows I saw how wide open the field really was. Once I started showing my glasses people started asking for readers and I saw that this was the part of the designer high end eyeglass field that was rarely paid attention to and began to make ​“artful’ readers finished in unusual ways – gold and silver leaf, flowers, flocking, wooden veneer and more. I also noticed that the design of my glasses balanced facial features in a different way, the details on the corners of the frames force your eyes to see not only the shape of your face but also take into account your nose and your chin and therefore take some of the attention away from large noses and very square chins. 

What led you to pursue a career as an artist?

Laurie: I always wanted to be an artist and love making things. I spent most of my career as an art director/graphic artist at places like TIME, WOMAN’S DAY SPECIALS, NYT, WOMAN’S WORLD, etc. and now my second career is in the craft world making unusual eyeglasses and making people smile.

What makes your work unique?

Laurie: Most artists see the world differently. With my eyeglass frames the world will see you differently. Handcrafting eyeglasses is a culmination of all the at I have learned: the tools and techniques from art schools and opticians and thoughtful designs which are a little bit different. When someone wears my frames, they get noticed. Try a pair and you will ​“see.” 
 

You can see these incredible artists and hundreds more at the One of a Kind Show, December 4 – 7, 2025.