For the past half-year, a group of creators from the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts community has thrived through the Artist Grant Initiative. Thanks to the Windgate Foundation’s support, eight upcoming artists received a $10,000 unrestricted grant along with an online mentorship program led by artist Vivian Chiu and designer Cedric Mitchell.
Cedric Mitchell expressed, “Spending time with artists who are forging their own paths and contemplating the role of their work in the world was truly inspiring. The group embraced curiosity, honesty, and openness, reinforcing that a creative life is as much about community and dialogue as it is about the art itself.”
Following a rigorous selection process conducted by jurors Curtis Arima and Annie Evelyn, the 2025 recipients include Aminata Conteh, David Gutierrez, Payton Harris-Woodard, Celina Hernandez, Jason McDonald, Alex Paat, David Vuong, and Tzyy Yi (Amy) Young.
This cohort covers a wide range of contemporary crafts, including painting, papermaking, glass, neon, ceramics, metalworking, and furniture design. Invitations to apply were sent to past participants of Haystack’s endowed and partner fellowships dating back to 2018.
Vivian Chiu stated, “As an artist working in wood, I was honored to support such a dynamic and innovative group of artists working in various craft mediums. I observed their deep commitment to their practices and their collective ambition to uplift surrounding communities.”
Aminata Conteh (Brooklyn, NY) creates metal baskets that encapsulate memory, grief, and the intangible. She is working on a basketry technique to archive recipes from her Sierra Leonean matrilineal lineage. Through video, repetition, and photography, she captures the intimacy of her pieces, which, although not wearable, are intrinsically connected to the body. The grant enabled her to expand into a new studio space.
David Gutierrez (Los Angeles, CA) delves into existentialism, mortality, and destiny. His work spans plasma vessels to planetary abstractions, showcasing his dedication to craftsmanship and community. Gutierrez is developing a mobile hot glass studio and education program for Los Angeles youth, using the captivating nature of glass to inspire a passion for handcrafted art in the next generation.
Payton Harris-Woodard (Chicago, IL) creates self-portraits in paint and collage that challenge viewers with the complexities of the Black female experience. Her symbolism draws from memorabilia, monsters, and deities. Her role as Southside Community Programs Manager at Arts of Life, a studio for artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities, enriches her practice. She used her award to pursue a papermaking residency, enhancing her compositions with sculptural paper techniques.
Celina Hernandez (Phoenix, AZ) grew up in a boxing family and found inspiration in the rituals of the boxing gym after relocating for grad school. She embarked on a study of the speed bag, appreciating its poetic form. Her work uses performance, video, and clay studies to explore the metaphorical connections between boxing and art.
Jason McDonald (Bakersville, NC) uses glassworking to express personal experiences, exploring themes such as the barriers BIPOC communities face in creative spaces and the trauma of living in a racially charged society. He recently opened a hot glass studio designed to be a safe, inclusive environment for accessing materials, tools, and community connections.
Alex Paat (Columbus, OH) merges ceramics and neon to create vibrant constructions reflecting themes of generativity and joy. Initially relying on fabricators, he has developed his neon skills to broaden his practice. The cohort facilitated his access to neon education, and he secured a neon residency at Pilchuck Glass School.
David Vuong (Matthews, NC) is a sculptor who uses ceramics, metal, and glass to narrate stories of diasporic transition and cultural endurance. His large-scale, hollow vessels create a dialogue between body and earth. His grant has supported a long-term residency at the Steel Yards in Providence, Rhode Island, and a research trip to Vietnam.
Tzyy Yi Young (Seattle, WA), also known as Amy, combines the unpredictability of handmade processes with functional design. Her collections evoke curiosity and invite deeper connections with surrounding objects. She is currently collaborating with design firms on a new collection, The Garden of Small Wonders.
For more information about the awardees, visit haystack-mtn.org.
Look forward to the 2026 cohort, which will be juried by Bryana Bibbs and Michael Velliquette, with mentors Malene Barnett and Susie Ganch.
