Seon-Young Jeong of Plumas Lake displays her artwork. Jeong was selected for a 2026 Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship for her work preserving and teaching traditional Korean Minhwa art. Photo courtesy of Nevada County Arts & Culture

PLUMAS LAKE, CA (MPG) - Plumas Lake artist Seon-Young Jeong has been selected for an Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship for her work preserving and teaching Minhwa, a traditional form of Korean art.

One of 15 artists selected from 243 applicants across Northern California for the 2026 fellowship, Jeong received the fellowship in the program's Emerging tier, which includes a $5,000 unrestricted award for her work in visual arts.

"For years, I have dedicated my practice to preserving and teaching the intricate beauty and symbolism of traditional Korean Minhwa art, while connecting with our Northern California community," Jeong said.

Her work focuses on maintaining traditional techniques and materials while bringing elements of Minhwa into contemporary art. Jeong also shares the Korean art form locally through workshops, classes and exhibitions.

"Receiving this fellowship provides vital support that allows me to deepen my creative practice, expand my series of works, and continue sharing this rich cultural heritage through local workshops, classes, and exhibitions," Jeong said.

The Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship supports artists and culture bearers working throughout a 19-county region of Northern California. Nevada County Arts & Culture administers the program in partnership with the California Arts Council.

Recipients work in visual, performing, literary, media, traditional and Indigenous arts. Organizers selected this year's recipients through a multi-round peer review process.

Sofia Vivanco Airaghi, grants manager for the fellowship, said the 243 applications demonstrated the range of artists working throughout Northern California.

"Evaluating these applications through a rigorous peer review process revealed the sheer depth, diversity, and resilience of Northern California's artistic workforce," Airaghi said.

For Jeong, the fellowship also provides an opportunity to continue exploring how a traditional Korean art form can find a place in contemporary work and within the local community.

"I am deeply honored to be recognized alongside such a talented group of regional creators," Jeong said. "This support allows me to bridge traditional and contemporary art by bringing the techniques, materials, and rich symbolism of traditional Minhwa into a modern context."

Jeong said she plans to continue researching traditional methods and materials while developing her own work and introducing Minhwa to others in the area.

"Through continued research into these traditional methods and materials, I look forward to furthering my personal artistic growth while introducing the beauty of Minhwa to our local community," she said.

More information about Jeong's work is available on Instagram at @sunhwadamart.