Meet the Artists 2025 - #1
As we approach this year’s Furnished for Good event on May 2 at Next Fab, we will showcase our artists who have created pieces for the upcoming event and auction. This year, we are collaborating with 15 local artists selected by our Guest Curators, Damon Reaves and Lawren Alice. Each of these artists works with different mediums, has diverse styles, and offers new perspectives through their artwork. This week, we are highlighting Carolyn Hopper, Marc Akins, and Sean Lugo. These three artists created or donated pieces that were illustrated or painted! Stay tuned for more artist features as we get closer to the event.
Get your tickets to Furnished for Good on May 2nd below and bid on pieces starting April 21st!
Carolyn Hopper
@carolynhopperartist on Instagram
Carolyn Hopper is a Philadelphia-based artist and illustrator. Using traditional drawing and painting techniques, she creates grounded, fantastical environments and scenes that tell wordless stories. Carolyn is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with a Bachelor's in illustration. She has shown at the Annual Student Exhibition in 2019 and regularly as a student at the Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Festival. This is Carolyn’s second time creating an art piece for Furnished for Good, and we’re thrilled to see what she creates! Bid on Carolyn’s piece and more starting April 21st!
Marc Akins
@akinsartist on Instagram
Marc Akins is an experienced storyboard artist who has worked on several independent films and commercials. He particularly enjoys creating sequential art. Born and raised in Philly, he learned to love painting at Overbrook High School. Marc attended the now-closed University of the Arts on Broad Street, where he learned the technique of cinema and the love of traditional animation. Marc rushed out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Hollywood. He managed to get work as a storyboard artist for music videos and independent films. After finding the love of his life in California, Marc moved back to Philly to take care of his aging parents. The move didn't stop his creative aspirations, as he's continued to work remotely on several projects, including creating children's ebooks. Marc created a beautiful hand-drawn, layered piece for this year’s auction. Bid on it here starting April 21st!
Sean Lugo
@sean9lugo on Instagram
Enter into a world where things aren't just what they seem to be. Comfortable on the surface but itching at you in a way that be comes more clear the more you think. That is Sean 9 Lugo's world. His characters are known throughout city landscapes and as cute as they are, once a deeper meaning is felt, they take on a whole new dimension.
Wheatpasting his mark on Philadelphia and beyond, Sean 9 Lugo has been part of the Street and Art scene for the past decade. Having had exhibitions all over this city in prestigious art galleries, his recognized teddy bear head images leaves his audience guessing. One has to understand what these images really mean. It is a subversive way to explain how we really feel as human beings, a universal trademark on how we present ourselves. These 'masks' represent the complexity of mankind and the need to feel comfortable in one's own shell. They are adorable pungent reminders of how fragile we are. We’re lucky to be the recipients of one of Sean’s already created masterpieces which you can place a bid on starting April 21st!
