ABOUT MERYL | @merylpataky

An artist of many disciplines and mediums, Meryl focuses on the relationship between her own hands and material. Informing her material selection is a meditation on the elements of the periodic table from noble gases to metals and organics. She is aware of the history of her elements from their origins in the universe to their applications in culture and myth. The artist derives deeper meanings from these histories to add layers to her concepts. Both a personal and process driven narrative drive the work further forward.

ABOUT ELISHA | @leeshag

Elisha Greenwell is a Northern California native and 14-year advertising vet. She is a graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Business Economics and Creative Writing, and the Academy of Art University with an M.F.A in Advertising Strategy. Throughout her career she has developed award-winning brand strategy for companies such as Intel, Nike, Target, Starbucks and Facebook. She is also a board member of the JD Sheth Foundation, and the founder of Black Joy Parade, a celebration of the Black experience and its influence on cultures past, present and future. The 2nd annual Black Joy Parade takes place on 2.24.19 in Oakland, Ca.

ABOUT CLAUDIA | @claudiamariamata

Claudia Mata is the co-founder of Vertly, a plant-based, clean beauty skincare line that focuses on the natural wellness properties of CBD. After relocating from New York City to the San Francisco Bay area in 2016, Mata immersed herself into a formal herbalism education, which she then merged with her husband’s background in cannabis to create what is now Vertly. Prior to this, Mata worked in fashion editorial in NYC for 12 years, most recently as the Accessories and Jewelry Director at W Magazine. She still continues her role as the Contributing Jewelry Editor at Elle Décor with a monthly column. Mata is based in Northern California, where she lives with her husband and their two children.