Chelsea Bighorn Expands Sculptural Language in New Grant-Supported Work Awarded the Emerging Native Arts Grant for an Architecture-Driven Practice

Chelsea Bighorn Expands Sculptural Language in New Grant-Supported Work

Awarded the Emerging Native Arts Grant for an Architecture-Driven Practice

-- The Walker Youngbird Foundation, a Native-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting emerging Indigenous artists, announces Chelsea Bighorn as a 2026 recipient of the Emerging Native Arts Grant. Her winning proposal centers on a new body of sculptural work that pushes her pleated canvas and bead practice into a more architectural form, drawing equally from Native garments and the cityscape she encounters on her daily train commute.

A cornerstone initiative of the Foundation, the Emerging Native Arts Grant supports early-career Native artists whose work advances contemporary Indigenous practice. Awarded twice annually, the program provides a $15,000 unrestricted grant, along with structured support focused on sustaining an independent art practice, concluding with a public presentation of new work.

Born and raised in Tempe, Arizona, and of Lakota, Dakota, and Shoshone-Paiute heritage, Chelsea Bighorn weaves fiber, form, and cultural memory into a sculptural language grounded in material rigor and lived experience. Drawing from both her Native American heritage and her Irish-American background, Bighorn reinterprets Indigenous design through a personal lens, translating ceremonial references into contemporary forms using textiles, canvas, and beadwork. Her practice emphasizes scale, pleating, and repetition as narrative tools—linking memory and place through the physical act of making.

"This grant gives me the opportunity to push myself further in the realm of pleating and explore what I can accomplish with the right support behind me," said Bighorn. "Creating has always been my happy place, but it hasn't always been feasible to fully realize my ideas. This moment allows me to bring those ideas together into something monumental, drawing from both Native garments and the architecture I encounter during my daily train rides through the city."

Bighorn received her MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2024 and is a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts. She lives and works in Chicago and has exhibited at institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Native Art, SITE Santa Fe, Catharine Clark Gallery, and the Center for Native Futures.

"Chelsea's work stood out for its formal clarity and ambition," said Reid Walker, founder of the Walker Youngbird Foundation. "She's using material and structure to think seriously about place—how it's remembered, inhabited, and rebuilt. This project marks a real expansion of her practice, and that's exactly the moment this grant is meant to support."

The grant will support Bighorn as she develops a new body of work expanding her material practice into a more architectural register. Continuing to work with canvas and beadwork, she will transform pleating into dimensional form, with beads functioning as a visual language that traces structure, movement, and process. Drawing inspiration from both traditional Native garments and the built environment of Chicago, the project brings cultural memory into dialogue with contemporary urban space.

For more information on the Walker Youngbird Foundation and the Emerging Native Arts Grant, visit https://walkeryoungbird.org.

For more information on Chelsea Bighorn, visit https://chelseabighorn.com.

About the Walker Youngbird Foundation
The Walker Youngbird Foundation supports emerging Native artists through funding, visibility, and curatorial connection. In addition to unrestricted grant support, recipients receive six months of active engagement, including strategic guidance and access to a network of curators, gallerists, and arts leaders through the Foundation's Advisory Council.

To learn more, please visit https://walkeryoungbird.org/.

SOURCE Walker Youngbird Foundation

#walkeryoungfoundation#chealsebighorn#fineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine#sunstrnfineartmagazine.com#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot

The Glass House Exhibition of Tomashi Jackson, and Robert Rauschenberg ApriL16, - December 14,2025 . See "The Catch One"

The exhibition, " the Catch One" marries the innovative abstract expressionist Robert Rauschenberg with the newer offerings by Tomashi Jackson, and others. Both major artists employ photographs, color blocks, texture as a picturesque collage of iconic dialogue in the current of the time. Works  address diffreing undercurrents of social prejudice, and injustice.  Rauschenberg's work unlike any other artist is the standard of this motif/style. His drive for change coupled with an inventive mentality drives  seems to have sparked the works of Jackson.  Make a trip to New Canaan Connecticut see what you see in the combination of all  the artists displayed at the Glass House, in "The Catch One" exhibition, April 16, -December 14, 2025.

Tomashi Jackson, Constant Craving (Jewel Thais Willians and Friend at Jewel's Catch One, 1970s/ Spottswood Thomas Bolling, et al., Petitioners, v. C. Melvin Sharpe, President of the District of Columbia Board of Education, et al. 1954), 2025. Photo by Joseph Frantz. Courtesy of the artist and Night Gallery, Los Angeles.

Robert Rauschenberg, Recital (Spread), 1980. Collection of The Glass House. Photo by Andy Romer Photography. Art © 2026 Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / Licensed by VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One April 16 - December 14, 2026  - To mark the centennial of Robert Rauschenberg’s birth, The Glass House together with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation proudly presents Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One. Featuring newly commissioned paintings by Jackson in dialogue with works by Rauschenberg from the historic site’s permanent collection, the exhibition contributes to a global slate of 2025–26 initiatives that reexamine Rauschenberg’s legacy, honoring his expansive creativity, spirit of curiosity, and commitment to change.   Rauschenberg was one of the most innovative artists of the twentieth century who influenced the trajectory of American art. In 1961, the artist made the Combine First Landing Jump, which Philip Johnson purchased and later gave to the Museum of Modern Art, New York; it was the first painting by Rauschenberg to enter the museum’s collection.  In 1967, Rauschenberg designed costumes for a performance choreographed by Merce Cunningham on The Glass House grounds, set to a score by John Cage and debuted alongside a concert by the Velvet Underground. Three works by Rauschenberg remain in The Glass House’s permanent collection.   Drawing inspiration and materials from his surroundings, Rauschenberg famously collaged images and everyday objects into his work. "There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting," Rauschenberg said. This exhibition includes two artworks from the Spread series (1975–83) by Rauschenberg from The Glass House collection: Ring Master and Recital—both made in 1980 and collected by Johnson and Whitney. These works are composed of plywood panels on which Rauschenberg variously applied acrylic, paper, fabric, solvent-transferred imagery, and commonplace objects, such as a fan. Additional works from The Glass House permanent collection and the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation will also be featured in the exhibition.   While distinct in approach and context, Tomashi Jackson’s practice has affinities with Rauschenberg’s: she employs painting, printmaking, photography, and performance to examine how abstraction, color theory, and social histories intersect in shaping perception and everyday life. Rigorous and experimental, her work is rooted in archival research while pushing the material and conceptual boundaries of painting.   Jackson was invited to respond to the Spreads in The Glass House collection during a summer 2025 Rauschenberg Foundation residency in Rauschenberg’s former home and studio in Captiva, Florida. While reflecting on the Captiva compound and The Glass House as creative sanctuaries fashioned by white queer men, Jackson recalled memories of her mother’s involvement with sanctuaries for and by Black lesbian women in her native Los Angeles. Jackson’s new paintings feature archival images related to Jewel’s Catch One, a Black lesbian-owned nightclub in Los Angeles that provided a welcoming space for Black and queer communities, offering cultural programming, health services, and social support when many mainstream clubs excluded them. Under the leadership of its owner, Jewel Thais Williams, The Catch One became a vibrant community institution that fostered a sense of joy, care, and belonging.   “At The Glass House, we have long understood the site as a place of exchange between past and present, architecture and art,” says Kirsten Reoch, Executive Director of The Glass House. “This exhibition carries that vision forward by placing Robert Rauschenberg's historic work in dialogue with Tomashi Jackson's powerful contemporary practice; by pairing pieces from our collection with new commissions, we seek to create an experience that deepens engagement with the site and underscores our commitment to exhibitions that provoke reflection, spark dialogue, and invite discovery.”   “This exhibition demonstrates the power of dialogue across time, place, and lived experience,” says Courtney J. Martin, Executive Director of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. “Bringing Tomashi Jackson’s newly commissioned works into conversation with Rauschenberg’s Spreads invites us to encounter both artists anew, each attuned to the social textures of their moment and to the ways material, image, and history shape how we see and understand the world. Jackson’s response echoes Rauschenberg’s conviction that art is not separate from life, but an active force within it. We are proud to partner with The Glass House on this ambitious project, which honors Rauschenberg’s centennial as a living exchange grounded in care, experimentation, and the enduring capacity of art to foster connection and change.”   Tomashi Jackson and Robert Rauschenberg: The Catch One is curated by Cole Akers and organized by The Glass House, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in partnership with the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation.   This project is supported in part by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Special thanks to Night Gallery, Los Angeles.   About the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation builds on the legacy of artist Robert Rauschenberg, emphasizing his belief that artists can drive social change. Rauschenberg sought to act in the “gap” between art and life, valuing chance, and collaboration across disciplines. As such, the Foundation celebrates new and even untested ways of thinking.   About Rauschenberg 100 Robert Rauschenberg’s (1925-2008) strong conviction that engagement with art can nurture people’s sensibilities as individuals, community members, and citizens was key to his ethos. Centennial celebrations seek to allow audiences familiar with him and those encountering the artist for the first time to form fresh perspectives about his artwork. A series of global activities and exhibitions in honor of Rauschenberg’s Centennial reexamines the artist through a contemporary lens, highlighting his enduring influence on generations of artists and advocates for social progress. The Centennial’s activation of the artist’s legacy promotes cross-disciplinary explorations and creates opportunities for critical dialogue. For more information and continued updates on Centennial programming and news, visit rauschenberg100.org. About The Glass House The Glass House, created between 1949 and 1995 by architect Philip Johnson and curator David Whitney, is a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, located in New Canaan, CT. This pastoral 49-acre landscape comprises fourteen structures, including the Glass House (1949), and features a permanent collection of 20th-century paintings and sculptures, along with annual contemporary exhibitions. The campus serves as a catalyst for the preservation and interpretation of modern architecture, landscape, and art, and as a canvas for inspiration and experimentation. The tour season runs from mid-April through mid-December, and advanced reservations are required. Members receive 10% off tour tickets. About The National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities maintain and enhance the power of historic places. Chartered by Congress in 1949 and supported by partners, friends, and champions nationwide, we help preserve the places and stories that make communities unique. Through the stewardship and revitalization of historic sites, we help communities foster economic growth, create healthier environments, and build a stronger, shared sense of civic duty and belonging. Visitor Information: The Glass House Visitor Center + Design Store          199 Elm Street, New Canaan, CT. 06840 Open Thursday – Monday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Closed Tuesday + Wednesday Tour season runs April 16 - December 14, 2026                                                                                                                 Advance tour tickets are required. theglasshouse.org#theglasshouse#sunstormfneartmagazine#fineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine.com#fineartmagazineblog.blogspot#thecatchone#robertrauschenberg#tomashijackson

Paris, and Berlin crafts are show exhibitied at Kostia, the Petit Palais, Paris, "The Art Making: Craft, and Design from Berlin,and Paris " February 24th-March 1, 2026

Studio Kostia, wil be featured in the upcoming exhibition THe Art of Making: Craft and Design from Berlin to Paris. Works displayed cover a 100 year period of time. The marquetry seen in the box with drawers  below is a fine contemporary example from Studio Kostia, a participant in this showcase. If your in Paris stop in to see all of the fine crafts as art displayed. Jamie Forbes, Fin Art Magazine Blog. Send you art news to info@fineartmagazine.com. Maybe we will feature you too!!!  "The Art of Making: Craft and Design from Berlin and Paris" February 24th - March 1st, 2026  Petit Palais, Av. Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris

MORE INFORMATION

CRAFTSMANSHIP: A BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO CAPITALS The exhibition "The Art of Making 2026: 100 Years of Creation between Paris and Berlin" celebrates more than a century of creation, transmission and exchange between artisans from the two capitals, bringing together a selection of contemporary works illustrating the richness, diversity and excellence of the arts and crafts, from Art Nouveau to contemporary design.   Covering 300 m² within the ornate Petit Palais, the exhibition brings together 73 works created by artisans from the Paris region and Berlin. Stained glass, embroidery, goldsmithing, paper art, screen printing, lighting, stone or straw marquetry, neon, wig-making, decorative painting, frescoes, leather goods, featherwork, illumination... The diversity of the crafts, materials and techniques on display testifies to the vitality of an artistic craftsmanship that is both rooted in traditional skills and open to innovation, new technologies and environmental concerns.  Fishing box, 2025 Walnut, red lacquered with ash burl marquetry, curly sycamore, walnut wood and fruit L 60 cm x l 44 cm x H 60 cm © Kostia

A COFFRET BOX For the second year in a row, Kostia has been selected for their work in marquetry, lacquer, cabinetmaking and constant aesthetic research. An exceptional box will be presented, whose red lacquer and gold leaf exterior depicts a fishing scene on the seabed, paying homage to Far Eastern art.   Closed by two doors, it opens to reveal refined marquetry combining American walnut, blackened pear wood, ash burl and maple, depicting a stormy landscape on the coast of Brittany. A true showcase, this box stands out for its mechanism and solid walnut drawers, whose delicacy illustrates the rarity and refinement of Kostia's craftsmanship, at the crossroads of everyday objects and objects of exceptional mastery.

About KOSTIA Constantin Laan & Rodrigo Dausch-Ibañez © Kostia   Founded in 2012 by Constantin Laan, Kostia is a studio that creates contemporary furniture and art objects, located in the heart of Paris, in the historic Faubourg Saint-Antoine district. Fuelled by a deep passion for materials, textures and craftsmanship, Constantin Laan has developed a unique universe where sculpture, cabinetmaking and decorative arts come together. Each piece, whether unique or produced in limited editions, oscillates between functional object and work of art, sublimating noble materials through an extreme attention to detail in the finishes.   Now partnered with Rodrigo Dausch-Ibàñez, Kostia collaborates with private collectors, architects and prestigious institutions in France and abroad. Present at major design events and recently awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label, the studio embodies a demanding and contemporary vision of French craftsmanship, based on transmission, excellence and creative freedom.

FAVORI | +33 1 42 71 20 46 Grégoire Marot - Amy Drillsma - Tanguy Diener T : +33 6 34 02 44 82 / +33 7 83 20 86 53  amy@favoriparis.com - tanguy@favoriparis.com #pititepalais#favori#craftasart#fineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine.com

Laffanour Gallerie, Paris will be a participant at MAZE/ ART GSTAAD February, 19- Feb. 22- 2026 featuring work by Brazilian Designer Jose Zanine Caldas.

The Fine Art Magazine Bogg  has posted several galleries, including Faori Gallery, showcasing at Maze/ ART GSTAAD, which is growing in prominence. Laffanour Galerie, another fine art gallery is showcasing works February 19-22. So if your skiing or planning to go to Gstaad, shop for your art at Maze. Happy skiing, and artshopping all! Jamie Forbes, 

Laffanour | Galerie Downtown Paris is delighted to announce its participation in the third edition of - From 19th to 22nd February 2026 - For his second participation in MAZE Art Gstaad, François Laffanour will present an exclusive and previously unseen piece by the Brazilian designer José Zanine Caldas. A major figure in 20th-century design, internationally recognized for his work with solid wood, Caldas unveils here an exceptional work that combines his iconic craftsmanship with the particularly rare use of ceramic tiles in his production. This piece, previously held in a private residence in Ibirapuã, Brazil, will be presented to the public for the very first time. RECEIVE THE HD VISUALS

This rectangular dining table, resting on two massive bases, is crafted from solid Sucupira wood.  Of exceptional rarity, it stands out for its tabletop adorned with ceramic tiles, a feature rarely documented in the work of José Zanine Caldas, which gives the piece a remarkable formal and material uniqueness. It shows Caldas's radical approach, for whom furniture is rooted in a direct, almost primal, connection to material and process. Crafted entirely by hand, from wood sawn by hand and then sculpted with traditional tools, the table retains the visible traces of the manual labor involved. The surface treatment, achieved through sanding and waxing, reveals the density and depth of the wood, while accentuating the subtle tension between the massive structure, its unusual proportions, and the delicate integration of the ceramic decoration. This piece stands out as a seminal work, firmly establishing José Zanine Caldas within a broader and more discerning interpretation of 20th-century design.

José Zanine Caldas (1919-2001) Dinnig Table , 1978 H. 77 x  L. 450 x D. 11 cm © Laffanour | Galerie Downtown

The gallery will also present a rigorous curatorial selection, conceived as a manifesto around furniture, architecture and objects from the mid-20th century, with a strong emphasis on the 1950s, a pivotal moment when design became structure, function, and language.

Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) Bench 'Les Arcs', 1968   Pierre Jeanneret (1896-1967) Pair of armchairs 'High Court', Ca 1955-1956

Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) Sunshade panel  'Cameroun', 1964   Jean Prouvé (1901-1984) Stem 'Vantoux', 1950

Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) Coffee table with groove, Ca. 1958   Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999) Straw armchair, Ca. 1947

At MAZE Art Gstaad, Laffanour | Galerie Downtown Paris reaffirms its commitment to the preservation and dissemination of this heritage while celebrating the current relevance of these creations in the world of contemporary design. #laffanourgalleriejosezaninecadas#fineartmagazineblog#sunstormfineartmagazine#sunstormfineartmagazine.com