2021 Joan Mitchell Fellow Emily Gherard working in the studio on a painting. Photo by Meggan Joy.

2021 Joan Mitchell Fellow Emily Gherard working in the studio on a painting. Photo by Meggan Joy.

 


 

Two SAIC Alums Named 2026 Joan Mitchell Fellows

Two School of the Art Institute of Chicago alums, Erica Lord (MFA 2006) and Cameron Clayborn (BFA 2016), are among the 15 artists named 2026 Joan Mitchell Fellows.

Lord is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores contemporary Indigenous identity and experience through photography, performance, beadwork, and sculpture. Clayborn is a Memphis-based sculptor whose practice explores materiality, form, and scale. 

The fellowship gives each recipient $60,000 in unrestricted funding, distributed over five years, along with professional development opportunities, including peer events and workshops. This year's cohort was selected from 169 applicants.