Few art mediums are as elemental as clay, wood and pigment. Some artists transform these basic materials, intentionally hiding the intrinsic nature and the rawness from the observer. But Chris Richard creates works of art that never obscure the substance of the medium. Instead, he transforms those elemental things with a unique style and vision.

Now living on the bank of the Choptank River in Denton, MD, Chris grew up in New Jersey. His mother was a gifted artist — a sculptor who created realistic work in plasticine and later bronze. But it was a high school ceramics teacher and her husband, also a ceramics teacher, who patiently inspired Chris to explore the craft and develop an important early aesthetic.

After earning his master’s degree from Edinboro University in PA, he first considered teaching. But when a solo exhibition at a prestigious gallery unexpectedly sold out, Chris became a full-time studio artist, focusing on creating work for collectors.

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is distinct for its tributaries, shorelines and transient tides. Layers of shapes and colors move languidly throughout the seasons as the crisp light of spring slowly transforms into the dull glow of winter. Photography and painting have traditionally isolated a moment, but mosaic art, using shaped bits of glass, tile and stone, changes with the vibrating reflection of water, earth and light. Mosaic artist and Eastern Shore native Jen Wagner is immersed in the area and creates work that shimmers like the landscape she loves.

Jen was born in Cambridge but moved to St. Michaels when she was only three. Now, she has a love for the town that nurtured her. She says, “When I’m in St. Michaels, I’m home.” Like many, the benefits of growing up in a small community were hidden by hopes of adventure. After moving away, she discovered what she had lost. Jen returned a few years later.