Jay Reddish

I am an Atlanta-based artist, metalsmith, and educator whose practice bridges sculpture, textiles, metalwork, and environmental research. I create functional sculpture and jewelry from recycled and upcycled materials. My work combines traditional craft techniques such as quilting, hand-stitching, welding, and sand casting with contemporary technologies including CAD, 3D scanning, and digital fabrication.

My practice bridges the natural and material worlds, exploring transformation, sustainability, queer domesticity, and storytelling. By reclaiming discarded materials, I challenge ideas of disposability and preciousness, an act that mirrors my queer experience. Scrap aluminum, copper, worn textiles, and overlooked objects are transformed into pieces meant to last, becoming small offerings of care, connection, and everyday magic. In a time when ecological and personal renewal are urgent, my work invites joy, reflection, and a reimagining of value in the overlooked.

Since founding Forest Troll Art in 2018, I have shared my practice through teaching, workshops, exhibitions, and online platforms. I teach metalsmithing, sand casting, textiles, mending, and other hands-on craft practices for organizations including the Spruill Center for the Arts, the Metal Arts Guild of Georgia, and John C. Campbell Folk School.

I am also a co-founder of the Atlanta chapter of Queer Metalsmiths, where I help organize community events and opportunities for LGBTQ+ makers.

Through teaching and making, I aim to connect people to their environments and inspire a deeper sense of stewardship, curiosity, and wonder in everyday life.