Oak Spring Fellowship for Distinction in Fine Crafts and Design

Generously Supported by Tiffany & Co.

Purpose

In 2027, Oak Spring will award its inaugural Fine Crafts and Design Fellowship to an early-career craftsperson or designer whose work demonstrates exceptional skill, artistic vision, and meaningful engagement with the natural world. This fellowship celebrates the intersection where form meets function, while honoring the aesthetics, material integrity, and craftsmanship at the heart of fine craft and design. The fellowship is intent- and inspiration-focused, rather than outcome-focused, meaning that we seek artists whose work is consistent with the objectives of the fellowship, without an expectation that they complete a prescribed project while at Oak Spring.

This fellowship is generously supported by Tiffany & Co. in honor of their lasting association with Mrs. Mellon and especially with the jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger.

The fellowship also honors the legacy of our founder Rachel “Bunny” Mellon – an avid gardener, patron, and collector – whose discerning eye and deep appreciation for exquisite design are reflected in her collaborations with artists such as Jean Schlumberger, Hubert de Givenchy, Cristóbal Balenciaga, and Diego Giacometti. Ideal applicants will demonstrate a commitment to material exploration, sustainability, and/or reimagining traditional techniques. in innovative ways.

We welcome applicants working in a range of materials-based practices, including but not limited to:

• Fiber and textiles (natural dyes, weaving, felting, embroidery, quilting)

• Wearable design (e.g., shoe design, hat making, crafted wearables)

• Metalworking

• Jewelry

• Woodworking

• Furniture design

• Basketry

• Glass

• Ceramics

• Decorative arts

• Paper and book arts

The selected Fellow will receive a $10,000 grant and a 2–5 week residency at Oak Spring Garden Foundation in northern Virginia. The residency is intended to support time for studio practice, research, and reflection in a setting rich in inspiring natural beauty and vibrant cultural history.

The Fellow will reside alongside other interdisciplinary residents and fellows, with opportunities to share meals, explore Oak Spring’s gardens and collections, and engage with staff and peers across disciplines. These interactions enrich the residency experience and foster dialogue among artists, ecologists, scholars, and cultural practitioners. Fellows are also invited, but not required, to share their work in an informal presentation at the conclusion of their stay.

Application Process

The application portal opens on February 14th, 2026 and will close on May 31st, 2026. Please note that there is one application for all of our 2027 Residency and Fellowship programs, and you will be prompted to select which programs you would like to be considered for. You will be asked to submit the following specific items:

1. A resume/curriculum vitae (not to exceed two pages);

2. 200 - 300-word statement describing how concepts of craft and fine design are reflected in your practice. You may wish to discuss your relationship to materials, your approach to technique and precision, or how you situate your work within a tradition of handmade, functional, or aesthetically driven design.

3. 200 - 300-word statement describing your current body of work, creative projects, scholarship, or research.

4. 200 - 300-word statement explaining why Oak Spring Garden Foundation and why now. Please consider how your work aligns with our mission.

5. 200-word or less statement describing a time when you were part of a community. What role did you serve in the community, and what aspects of being in community did you enjoy the most?

6. 5 - 10 images, please include dimensions, year, medium, and title of each work sample. 

NOTE: When applying to this Fellowship, you will be asked if you are interested in being considered for our Interdisciplinary Residency, if you are not selected for the Fellowship. To learn more about our Interdisciplinary Residency, please visit www.osgf.org/residencies.

Eligibility

This fellowship is open to early-career* artists and designers working in the fields of fine craft, applied design, or interdisciplinary material practice. They must demonstrate exceptional skill, artistic promise, and a self-directed approach to creative practice. Ideal candidates will be excited by the opportunity to think deeply, experiment conceptually, or develop new ideas in a rural setting with limited maker facilities. They will also value the opportunity to interact with the Oak Spring community, and join a cohort of residents from varying disciplines, including researchers and scientists. International applicants are welcome, but the fellowship is conducted in English and international applicants are responsible for procuring the necessary visas as needed.

*Early career artists and designers will have a demonstrated track record of exhibitions or commissions, but will have not yet received national or international recognition. Indicators we will use to assess eligibility include: educational background, group shows, juried exhibitions, prior residencies, grants or other indicators of esteem. Most important will be the portfolio of prior work samples.

Dates

Fellows should arrive on the same start date of an Interdisciplinary Residency, or Botanical Artist Residency, and the Fellow will complete their introductory tours with other Residents. In 2027, these dates are:

• Monday, March 1

• Sunday, April 25 (maximum residency length of 3 weeks)

• Monday, May 24

• Monday, July 12

• Sunday, August 29 (maximum residency length of 3 weeks)

• Monday, October 4

Award

The $10,000 individual grant associated with this award can be put towards travel to and from OSGF, materials and supplies purchased for the residency, and other items that will support their work, before or after their stay at OSGF.

The selected Fellow should make travel arrangements to Dulles International Airport, from where Oak Spring will arrange ground transportation to the former Mellon estate in Upperville, VA. The Fellow will be housed in nicely appointed shared accommodations. The Fellow will have a private bedroom and bathroom, and share a living room and kitchen with 1 – 3 other Residents or Fellows.

Oak Spring does not currently have dedicated maker facilities (e.g., kilns, looms, a woodshop, or metal studio). As such, this fellowship is best suited for artists and designers who are self-sustaining in the materials they will need for their work, who will benefit from time for ideation, research, and incubation, and who can make productive use of:

• A private studio workspace,

• Access to the Oak Spring Library and other special collections,

• Direct connection to our sustainably managed landscape and gardens,

• A community of fellows across artistic and scientific disciplines.

This residency offers uninterrupted time to explore new directions, deepen existing work, or engage with the ecological and horticultural context of Oak Spring.

Selection

Fellows are carefully selected through a multi-round review process in which OSGF staff, residency alumni, and external jurors review and score applications. Final decisions are ultimately made by panels of external reviewers and OSGF staff. External reviewers are established artists, practitioners, or professionals specifically working in fields or practices relevant to the fellowships and OSGF’s mission. The primary criteria for scoring applicants include: an applicant’s current work and relationship to the OSGF mission; potential of applicant; and quality of work samples.

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unfortunately not able to provide individualized feedback to applicants who are not selected for a Residency.

Oak Spring Garden Foundation supports individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, creed, abilities/disabilities, or socio-economic status.