James Carter Studio, School of Jewelry Arts originally opened its doors in Pensacola, Florida in December of 2007. After a successful 2 ½ years of teaching students from all over the country, the economy of Northwest Florida took a dive with the event of the BP oil spill. Pensacola as a destination was temporarily lost and it was in this timeframe that we made the decision to move our school to a more economically sound area. We chose Carrboro because it has great appeal as an artist town, with overflowing energy and diversity. We were lucky enough to find a perfect location in the historic Carr Mill Mall in the middle of town. Carr Mill Mall is a renovated mid-19th century cotton mill with soaring windows and lots of character. It is now home to many retail shops and businesses. With its rich history and architecture, Carr Mill Mall was the perfect location for us to settle. We are very excited to now call Carrboro home!
About James Carter
James Carter is well known among his colleagues. With an MFA in Metalsmithing and 30 years in the field, he is a source of unending information and resources. His business experience compliments his studio experience and allows his students to be educated in the business of jewelry while learning and advancing their jewelry making skills.
James Carter has just been awarded 1st place in enameling in this year’s
prestigious Saul
Bell Design Award Competition, an international jewelry competition
sponsored by Rio Grande jewelry supply. James is the recipient of an Individual
Artist Fellowship from the Florida State Council of the Arts and several
Awards of Excellence from the Trustees of the American Craft Council.
His work has been shown at many galleries across North America, including
the Helen Drutt Gallery in Philadelphia, the Nancy Yaw Gallery in Detroit,
and Cellini in New York City. He has shown his work in several group shows
and one person shows including SOFA Chicago, the Biennale of Enamel in
Limoges, France, and the Downey Museum of Art in Los Angeles. (See
full bio)
About Sheila Stillman 
Sheila Stillman has been making jewelry in precious metals for over 30 years. Starting out apprenticing with a master European goldsmith in the Virgin Islands, her degree in anthropology and passion for ancient cultures led her from contemporary fabrication to the classical technique of granulation. She now lives in North Carolina where her current work synthesizes ancient and contemporary approaches in 22kt and 18kt gold and precious gemstones.
