NYFA honors 3 alumni with grants

Three Skidmore alumni were among more than 100 artists named July 7 by the New York Foundation for the Arts as fellowship recipients.

Rensselaer County residents Cara Benson, UWW '04, a poet, and John Hampshire '94, a visual artist, and Washington County resident Adam Daily '03, a visual artist, received grants of $7,000 each. The unrestricted grants are part of NYFA's annual New York State Council on the Arts Arts Artist Fellowship Program.

Now in its 26th year, the program supplies artists statewide with funds and recognition to further their careers. This year, 105 fellows received $728,000 in grants, while 16 finalists also were recognized. A total of 3,692 artists applied in the categories of crafts/sculpture, digital/electronic work, non-fiction literature, printmaking/drawing/book arts, and poetry.

Hampshire and Daily earned master of fine arts degrees at the University at Albany.

Recipients and finalists were to be honored July 8 at the Bubble Lounge in New York City.