Meet the Jurors
Meet the Jurors for the 2025 Established Artist Grant
The Seattle Metals Guild is honored to introduce the three distinguished jurors for this year’s Established Artist Grant. Each brings a wealth of expertise, a deep commitment to craft, and a unique perspective on metalsmithing and the broader art world.
Matthieu Cheminée — Jeweler, Metalsmith, Author, Educator
Matthieu Cheminée is an award-winning French-born jeweler, metalsmith, author, and educator, celebrated for his dedication to preserving and teaching traditional jewelry-making techniques from diverse cultures. His journey began in New Mexico, where he studied Navajo stamp work, and later took him to West Africa, apprenticing with master jewelers and documenting their craft in his book Legacy: Jewelry Techniques of West Africa. Cheminée is the creator of “Stampclastic,” a distinctive technique blending stamping with anticlastic forming. Based in Montreal, he teaches widely and co-founded the Toolbox Initiative, a nonprofit providing donated tools to West African artisans.
Dawna Holloway — Founder, studio e gallery
Dawna Holloway is the founder of Seattle’s studio e gallery, which represents both emerging and established artists from the Northwest and beyond. Known for its multi-disciplinary programming — from formalist painting to craft- and design-based practices — studio e enriches the regional arts community through frequent collaborations with curators, collectives, museums, and writers, as well as through innovative off-site projects. The gallery participates in national art fairs, including the Seattle Art Fair, New York’s Future Fair, Volta, and Art on Paper. Holloway holds a B.A. from The Evergreen State College and has been based in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood since 1997.
Sarah Perkins — Enamelist, Professor Emerita
Sarah Perkins, Professor Emerita at Missouri State University, has been a leader in the metals field for decades. She received her BA from San Diego State University and her MFA from Southern Illinois University–Carbondale, heading the Metals Program at Missouri State for 23 years. A past board member of the Enamelist Society and current trustee at the Metal Museum, Perkins was named the Metal Museum’s 2019 “Master Metalsmith.” Her work has been exhibited internationally and is held in prestigious collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Yale University Art Gallery. She has authored and contributed to numerous publications, served as juror for 500 Enameled Objects, and taught workshops across the United States and abroad, including in India, Taiwan, and the UK.
Looking Ahead
With such accomplished voices guiding the selection process, this year’s Established Artist Grant promises to highlight exceptional artistry and innovation in the metals community. The Seattle Metals Guild is grateful to Matthieu Cheminée, Dawna Holloway, and Sarah Perkins for lending their insight and expertise to support artists at the highest level of their careers.
Are you an established artist considering this grant application? Check out our article for more details on this grant, or apply at the application link here.
For questions or additional information, please contact grants@seattlemetalsguild.org.