Loretta Ana Kaufman is a highly accomplished sculptor and painter whose five-decade career has been dedicated to capturing the essence of the natural world through her art. Her work, spanning two- and three-dimensional forms in wood, fiber, metal, paint, and clay, is recognized for its organic forms and raw, unglazed surfaces. Her stoneware sculptures are celebrated for their balance of symmetry and fluidity, while her acrylic paintings feature bold, geometrically complex abstract imagery that invites contemplation of serious issues such as ozone depletion and animal awareness.
Ms. Kaufman’s career began in the 1970s when she moved to South Africa and devoted herself full time to her art. Initially working as a ceramist in Pretoria from 1976 to 1981, she produced utilitarian clay works for retailers in Pretoria and Johannesburg. She continued her practice in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from 1975 to 1976, then relocated to Piedmont, South Carolina, in 1981, where she focused on sculpture until 2001. During this time, she served as an artist-in-residence with the South Carolina Arts Commission from 1989 to 1994 and established a clay enrichment program with the Metropolitan Arts Council in Greenville in 1989.
Since 2001, Ms. Kaufman has been based in Nashville, Tennessee, where she continues to create as a multi-medium artist and instructor. Her work has been exhibited internationally since 1977 and is included in permanent collections worldwide. Additionally, she has contributed to various publications and projects, including authoring articles for NAWA Now Quarterly Magazine.
Ms. Kaufman has an extensive portfolio of creative works spanning writing, curation, and contributions to the arts. She has authored articles for NAWA Now Quarterly, including in the Spring 2023 issue for the National Association of Women Artists in New York, and conducted an interview with Susan G. Hammond, executive vice president of Who’s On Board. As a writer and contributor, she has participated in Micro Projects for NAWA Now Quarterly Magazine.
Ms. Kaufman’s work has been acquired by prestigious institutions, including the Czong Institute for Contemporary Art in South Korea in 2021 and the Tennessee Arts Commission in Nashville in 2020. Her earlier contributions included acquisitions by West Point Home in New York in 1993 and curatorial roles for exhibitions in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia in 1991. She also authored the catalog for a sculptors’ exhibition in 1991. Other notable accomplishments include collaborations with the Environmental Research Foundation in Washington, D.C., in 1990, the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in Texas in 1988, and Bank of America in London, England, in 1989. Ms. Kaufman’s international influence extends to Johannesburg, South Africa, where she contributed to the Ensemble Musicale Chambre Orchestra in 1978.
Ms. Kaufman’s educational background includes earning an Associate of Science from Palm Beach Junior College, now Palm Beach State College, in 1967. She also completed coursework at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in 1975 and Mohaczy-Matic in Pretoria from 1976 to 1979. Her education was significantly influenced by ceramic artist Mohaczy-Matic, who instilled in her the values of organization, craftsmanship, and technical knowledge.
In addition to her artistic achievements, Ms. Kaufman has been actively involved with industry-related organizations. She served as the South Carolina state representative on the board of directors for the Tri-State Sculptors Education Association from 1988 to 1995 and is a signature member of the National Association of Women Artists. Her civic contributions include chairing the Ceramic League of the Palm Beaches Annual Exhibition at the Norton Museum of Art from 1980 to 1982.
Ms. Kaufman has earned international recognition for her work in painting, sculpture, and mixed media. She was among 21 artists worldwide selected for Stillpoint Arts Quarterly, featuring her acrylic paintings in Minimalist Wisdom, and was also published in The Celia Series and Art of Isolation. Her oil painting Gate Posts With No Gate – The Leg Paint Project was featured in a book of poetry by Peter Waldor, endorsed by Sean Hemingway.
In light of her impressive undertakings, Ms. Kaufman’s work has received top honors in competitions, including an honorable mention in Black & White 2025 by Fusion Art and multiple awards from Light, Space, Time and Fusion Art in 2024 and 2025. She placed fourth in Everything Abstract 2024 and earned several special merit awards and honorable mention awards in artist’s choice, annual abstracts, and open exhibitions.
Ms. Kaufman has also been recognized by the National Association of Women Artists, winning the Zlowe Medal of Honor for first place in sculpture at the 131st Annual Members’ Exhibition in 2020 and an honorable mention in The Art of Healing exhibition at the New York Public Library in 2022. She received the Cecile Adler Cliffer Memorial Cutting-Edge Award for acrylic painting at NAWA’s 129th Annual Members’ Exhibition in 2018.
Ms. Kaufman’s achievements extend globally, including a purchase award from Bank of America in London in 1989 and first place in the Monarch Tile Ceramics Competition in 1988. She has also been honored in Canada, South Africa, and various international exhibitions, consistently earning top placements for her acrylic paintings, sculptures, and abstract works. Outside of her professional life, Ms. Kaufman was born in New York and enjoys photography, hiking, and spending time with her husband. Looking to the future, she plans to continue creating and producing art that reflects her passion for the natural world and its myriad complexities.