A stone sculptor by day, the 2012 Bele Chere image artist Collene Karcher resides in Bakersville, North Carolina with her husband John. Collene has over 20 years of experience in the art of carving stone. Having studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and in Italy, Collene received a bachelor of arts degree while apprenticing under sculptor George Wagner. One of only a handful of stone carvers in the United States still practicing the lost art of hand-carved letters, her background also includes restoration work on the Michigan and Ohio state capital buildings. In 1994 she discontinued exhibiting in galleries and art shows while opening her studio to the public. She was recently juried in as a member of the prestigious Southern Highland Craft Guild. Over the years Collene has remained skilled in graphic design and has since expanded her creative repertoire to include this medium. Whether it’s graphic design or stone carving- everything she creates is not only figurative and striking but conveys a sense of the artist’s serene and willing spirit.

Collene welcomes visits to her studio by appointment. Simply call or email a few days in advance:
828 688 • 2827
collenekarcher@frontier.com
www.collenekarcher.com