COLUSA, CA (MPG) – Colusa County artist Laura Kate “LK” James has been selected for an Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship, placing her among 15 artists chosen from 243 applicants across Northern California.
James, a printmaker, arts publisher and visual artist, received the fellowship in the program’s Established tier. The award recognizes her body of work and provides $10,000 in unrestricted funding to support her continued work as an artist.
“To me, receiving this fellowship is a strong signal of recognition from a peer panel that the work that I’m building in this rural region has broader value in our state,” James said.
James lives and works in Colusa County. Her work includes drawing, printmaking and publishing, often using food, music, nature and everyday objects as subjects.
She publishes work through Slow Burn Books and co-produces Paper Choir, a quarterly collaborative print publication. James also belongs to Salmon Bend Art Studios, an artist-run gallery in the Sacramento Valley.
James said she plans to use the fellowship to continue developing her work.
“I am thrilled to be recognized alongside such a talented group of creators,” James said. “This fellowship will allow me to expand my studio practice and engagement within the community over the coming year.”
Nevada County Arts & Culture administers the fellowship in partnership with the California Arts Council. The program covers 19 counties and provides unrestricted funding, meaning recipients determine how to use their awards.
This year’s recipients work across visual, performing, literary, media, traditional and Indigenous arts. Fellows were selected through a multi-round peer review process.
Sofia Vivanco Airaghi, grants manager for the fellowship, said the review of 243 applications demonstrated the breadth of work being produced in the region.
“Evaluating these applications through a rigorous peer review process revealed the sheer depth, diversity, and resilience of Northern California’s artistic workforce,” Airaghi said.
More information about James is available at lkjames.com. A list of the 2026 fellowship recipients is available at http://www.upstateiaf.org/2026fellows