Our April Artist of the Month is
Emma Kostopolus

I was born and raised in a small town in the middle of Missouri, where I did just about everything except visual art — theater, music, debate. I didn’t start exploring being a maker until college, when I took up embroidery and knitting. Drawing and pottery classes soon followed in grad school, but no medium ever seemed like home.

In 2021, after finishing my PhD, I took a job in the English department at Valdosta State. Looking for something to do, I started taking classes at the Turner Center for the Arts. Once I discovered the glass studio, I immediately fell head over heels, and soon was there every weekend. The studio is my happy place — breaking glass is both creative and cathartic. I also really love my work there as an instructor, helping people see themselves as creative and artistic in their own unique ways.