Local Artists & Makers

An artist, author, illustrator, and textile designer, Alex Stadler lives and works in Philadelphia. Alex has written and illustrated several books, and has created artwork for Comme des Garçons, Saks 5th Avenue, and babyGap. Alex also designed a rug and a group of ottomans for loft work spaces in the Comcast Technology Center.

This second-generation family business has built its products in Philadelphia since 1965. Originally centered on aerospace, medical equipment, and industrial electronics, Amuneal expanded to offer custom fabrication services to architects and designers. Its nearly 10-foot-tall “X” Xfinity Sculpture references Comcast’s suite of products and was inspired by the visual strength and simplicity of vintage industrial signage. It is one of several Amuneal pieces featured in the Comcast Technology Center.

Astrid Bowlby makes drawings, prints, sculptures, and installations and has received four fellowships. Astrid is based in Philadelphia and has exhibited her work in many venues, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Made from thousands of ink and brush drawings cut from paper, Kiosk explores drawing as both a physical analogy to thinking and as a gateway from desire to acquisition.

A small American furniture company dedicated to the creation of well-crafted, timeless designs, BDDW is best known for heirloom-quality, traditionally joined solid wood furniture. The company’s founder, Tyler Hays, designs and makes all of BDDW’s pieces in his Philadelphia studio using select domestic hardwoods that are hand-rubbed with natural oil and lacquer finishes. Several of his tables are featured in the Comcast Technology Center.

From Abington, Pennsylvania, Ben Volta creates public murals and sculptures, working within the fields of education, restorative justice, and urban planning. His practice stands on the belief that art can be a catalyst for change. Composed with his wife, Eilish, and their sons, Milo and Thoreau, Synaptic Garden seeks to make visible a process of seeding, taking root, sprouting, connecting, and searching for the creative sparks that keep us reaching for the stars.

Blair Buchanan conceived of Brace and Bit as a way to merge both his love for furniture and design, with his passion for working with his hands. Blair is continuously working on expanding his knowledge and craft in woodworking to bring pieces to life that merge traditional, contemporary, and industrial design aesthetics for commercial and residential interiors.

At his artisan wood shop in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, owner Chris Zumpano handcrafts each piece of custom-made furniture with attention to detail and an eye toward the balance of form and function. He uses traditional woodworking techniques to ensure that the structural integrity of the product is durable, and he implements sustainable practices to minimize the company’s carbon footprint.

Brothers Jason and Adam Podlaski recycle broken skateboards into unique, high-quality furniture and other products at their Philadelphia area shop. Deckstool’s recycling program supports independent skate shops and parks across the country by transforming used decks into beautiful designs that showcase the scrapes, scars, and graffiti that occur over original skateboard artwork.

Born in Maryland, Dennis Beach received an MFA from the University of Delaware and a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art. After moving to the Philadelphia area in 2002, he started showing at Schmidt Dean Gallery and has since participated in more than 30 exhibitions. Curve #10 involves processes that transform materials into objects that combine the beauty and order that Dennis mines from the natural world.