Blog / 2026 / My Favorite Fellows

Last week, I learned that I’d been named as a New Jersey Individual Artist Fellow, and, through this prize, I discovered a bunch of amazing artists in my state. Here are some of my favorites.

Though I don’t totally understand Christine Hong’s work because, as someone who deleted their Instagram account, I get shut out of that app before I can read much about her paintings, I do know I want to see them in person.

I feel the same about Gina Beavers’ 3D paintings on sculpted foam. It’s hard to imagine what it feels like to be in these works’ presence just by looking online, but I like trying.

Claire Sherman’s landscapes are a seemingly impossible combination of simple and complex that perfectly capture that feeling of being in nature. This piece is especially pleasing to me since sunlight-through-leaves is my favorite color in the whole world.

The vivid patterns and delightfully strange expressiveness of Diana Polanco’s art make me feel weirdly safe at a time when things are so chaotic and dangerous.

The intimacy of this painted paper construction by De’von “Divine” Downes makes me happy, and I adore it particularly because I love the idea of it juxtaposed with De’von’s large scale murals.

And the layered delicacy and bold storytelling of Sahana Ramakrishnan’s art fuels my imagination.

I am thrilled to be in such beautiful company!