LeMair Handcrafts is the work of Lisa M. LeMair and Christopher Proto. Their functional, handcrafted art, which includes wearable art, jewelry, accessories, and functional and decorative stoneware pottery, is inspired by the elements, natural forms, and the tension found at the edge.

Lisa grew up in a family of makers and has been designing and making since she was a little girl. She learned to sew on an old treadle sewing machine, and remembers with some fondness playing with all of the strange attachments, trying to get the leather band back onto the wheel, and pumping away to see how fast she could get the machine to go (and only sewed through her finger once or twice, thankfully). Since then, she has moved on to more complicated devices and has learned to thread countless numbers of machines. Her jewelry work was inspired by her love of texture and unusual materials and is a direct complement to her wearable art. She is primarily self-taught, and has enjoyed expanding her work to include metalsmithing.

Lisa has a diverse creative and professional background, including theater, dance, project management, costume design, graphic design, and painting. She has traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, and Central Asia, and has been very influenced by the landscapes of these journeys. Lisa has a degree in Russian language from Georgetown University. She is a member of the American Craft Council, the Surface Design Association, and the Dare County Arts Council.

Christopher designs and creates a diverse range of pottery. It is primarily wheel-thrown, high-fired stoneware. Most pieces feature deep surface textures that reflect natural and organic shapes, complemented by food-safe glazes. These pots are meant to be used and enjoyed.

Christopher first experienced the joy of throwing pottery in a high-school art class. It took quite a few years before he was able to make his way back to the wheel at a professional studio in Washington, DC, and since then, he has continued to grow and evolve his work. Christopher has a diverse, creative and professional background ranging from writing and video production to starting software companies.  The common thread is a passion to make a difference in our community and in our world. Christopher has a degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, and is a member of the American Craft Council and the Dare County Arts Council.

Prior to moving to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Lisa and Christopher lived and worked for many years in Washington, DC.