Clifton Cultural Arts Center has named visual artist Gabrielle Siekman its 2026 New Woman fellow.

The announcement happened earlier this month during the opening reception for “New Woman,” the arts center’s biennial exhibition highlighting emerging women artists in the Greater Cincinnati region. The exhibition is on view through April 3 at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center on Clifton Avenue.

A jury selected Siekman for her painting “Holding That Pain Is Holding You Back.” Jurors cited the work’s emotional clarity, technical strength and its exploration of the pressures people internalize and the ways pain is often pushed downward rather than confronted. The painting uses bold color and an intimate portrait to examine those themes.

“Since the announcement, I have had this rush of creative energy and so many ideas to add to my new body of work,” Siekman said. “I am grateful for this opportunity to build my first solo show, and honored to have been selected from such a talented group of artists.”

Honoring Elizabeth Nourse’s legacy

CCAC’s signature first-floor gallery is named for Elizabeth Nourse, the Mt. Healthy-born artist who became one of the earliest American women to achieve widespread recognition and make a living as a professional painter. The gallery aims to follow Nourse’s tradition by showcasing the work of women artists from Cincinnati and beyond, including the “New Woman” exhibition and fellowship.

This year’s exhibition includes work by dozens of prominent artists, including Erika NJ Allen, Tracy Casagrande Clancy, Kendall Hall, Ciara LeRoy, Brittany Mathis, Kat Rakel-Ferguson, Hannah Russell, Charity Rust-Jordan and Yufeng Wang, among others.

As part of the exhibition, CCAC issued a call-to-artists for the third edition of “New Woman,” a juried group exhibition and accompanying fellowship for one selected artist. The winning artist is chosen from the group show for the biennial New Woman Fellowship, which includes a solo exhibition in the Nourse Gallery, and honorarium the following year.

As the 2026 fellow, Siekman received a $2,500 artist stipend provided by Sara Vance Waddell and Michelle Vance Waddell as well as materials budget to support a class, workshop or community project at CCAC, and participation in the Women in the Arts dinner hosted by the organization.

By Movers and Makers