A true Renaissance man, Michael Ricigliano successfully balances two careers at once. In recent years, he developed a career as an artist, writer, and film producer, while also still practicing law in Long Island, New York. He has exhibited his abstract work at the Union League Club Gallery and the Lilac Gallery in Manhattan, as well as The Huntington Art Gallery on Long Island.

Every month here on Wandering Educators, we share the coolest artists and photographers. This fall I found the VERY coolest artist, Liam Hughes, of Liam Shard Jewelry. Liam creates amazing jewelry. I've already seen many, many pieces that I would just love to wear! His unique artistry showcases the best of many different patterns and designs - truly, there is something for everyone.  I was lucky enough to sit down and talk with Liam about his art, and the process of creating it. Here's what he had to say...

As you look at Paul McMahan's watercolors, you cannot help but recognize the colorful influence of his coastal New England environment. The coastal colors and watery influences of maritime history and quaint small towns show up in each piece.

Serene, peaceful, calm and trans-portative are the words which pop into my head each time I see one of Dianne McNaughton’s paintings. She gathers a great deal of inspiration from the natural beauty found around her home in South Africa and her travels.

Lost in happiness, beauty, color, joy. That is how I feel when I dive into the art of Kim Rodeffer Funk, our Artist of the Month.  One look at these swaths of color, these fireflies of light, these feelings of deep artistic beauty, and you, too, will fall in love.

You know the drill - scroll through social media sites, see what pops up. I don't really like the cat and dog photos, the gifs of people doing the same thing over and over again every half second. I look for beauty, creativity, originality. And each day, I am rewarded by artist Jennifer R. Cook.