Emilie Grace Lavoie
Ralph Simpson
Sebastien Landry
The Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of three awards recognizing achievement, artistic vision, and the continued development of New Brunswick’s visual arts and fine craft communities.
Marie Hélène Allain Fellowship Awards celebrate mid-career artists who have distinguished themselves as unique and compelling creators and who are taking their practices in new directions. The Emerging Artisan Awards recognize an emerging artisan whose work demonstrates exceptional promise and a commitment to excellence in fine craft and design. Together, these awards reflect the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to supporting artists at important stages in their careers and encouraging the development of ambitious new work.
In 2026 SHMF is proud to present two Marie Hélène Allain Fellowship Awards of $10,000 based on the recommendation of an independent jury.
Emile Grace Lavoie is an Edmundston based, multi-talented artist, who has a distinctive presence in contemporary visual art of the province. Moving between contemporary art and traditional forms, her provocative works in ceramics, installation, and interdisciplinary forms have been exhibited widely, engaging diverse audiences. Ms. Lavoie has distinguished herself as a creator, a writer, curator, and educator. During her fellowship year, Ms. Lavoie plans to build on ceramic trials undertaken at the Banff Centre at the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris.
Ralph Simpson of Fredericton as noted by his nominator, Bruno Vinhas, is “a craftsman of rare integrity and mastery, a thoughtful leader and generous mentor whose work strengthens the cultural and ecological fabric of Canadian craft.” His artistic career emerged following a distinguished career as a forest ecologist and research biologist with the Canadian Forest Service. His practice is rooted in the slow meditative process of gathering, preparing, and weaving local plant fibres. He is now pushing the boundaries of heritage basketry and textile arts to explore the potential of his medium in contemporary sculpture. His Fellowship project will explore technical research and development of pulp to use in sculptural creation.
Through the Emerging Artisan Award, SHMF supports the newest generation of makers who are bringing fresh ideas and perspectives to the field.
This year, Sebastien Landry is named the recipient of the Emerging Artisan Award, an enduring tribute to Nel Oudemans. Mr. Landry is an emerging artist based in Edmundston specialising in leatherwork and design. Self-taught, he has a keen eye for functional design and exhibits technical mastery of materials. Exhibiting widely in New Brunswick and Québec, Mr. Landry has also launched the Bare Hands Jewelry Company creating high-quality products in a range of media. He has been selected by an independent jury for the 2026 Emerging Artisan Award valued at $4000 and is eligible for additional funding for an educational opportunity in the next calendar year.
The Board of Directors of the Sheila Hugh Mackay Foundation will host a celebration in honor of these artists on November 6. “These three awards demonstrate the remarkable range of talent in New Brunswick,” said Dan Steeves, chairman of the Board of Directors “They celebrate artists who are continuing to challenge themselves and expand their practices. We wish them every success as they pursue the next stages of their creative journeys. We are grateful to Alanna Baird, Paul Édouard Bourque, Suzanne Hill, Peter Laroque, Andrew Kierstead, and Carol Miller for their in-depth review of all portfolios and thoughtful deliberations around these awards.”