The Great Book of Art Makers 2026 | Meet our Award Winners
At Arts to Hearts Project, every book we create begins with an idea, but it is the artists who bring that idea to life. With every new publication, we get to meet artists from different parts of the world, learn about their creative practices, and discover the many ways they approach their work. Putting these books together takes a great deal of thought, care, and collaboration from our team, and seeing the finished collection come together is always a special moment for us.
The Great Book of Art Makers 2026 is one such project. Created to celebrate the people behind the art, this edition brings together artists, their work, and the stories that shape their creative journeys. We wanted to create a book that would allow readers to look beyond individual artworks and spend a little more time getting to know the people who make them.
An important part of this journey has always been recognizing the artists whose work leaves a lasting impression on us. Through our books, we have awarded more than US$10,000 to artists over the years. These awards are one of the ways we acknowledge the time, dedication, and thought that artists bring to their practice. We know that making art takes patience, experimentation, and a willingness to keep going, and we are grateful to have opportunities to celebrate that commitment.
Just like our other books, The Great Book of Art Makers 2026 has its own award-winning artists. This edition recognizes one Award Winner, who receives a $500 cash award, along with two runners-up whose work we are equally delighted to celebrate.
We are excited to introduce you to this year’s award recipients and share a little more about the artists and their work.
About The Project
The Great Book of Art Makers is a celebration of the people, ideas, and experiences that shape contemporary art. Rather than focusing only on finished artworks, the project gives artists an opportunity to share more of their creative journeys through dedicated features and conversations.
For this edition, we brought together a diverse group of artists working across different styles, mediums, and approaches. The book features cover artist Remus Grecu, guest curator Sonia Borrell, conversations with Julia Collins, Carolina Pavia, and Anne Siems, and a dedicated section introducing our award-winning artists.
Each contribution brings a different perspective to the book. Some offer a glimpse into an artist’s personal experiences, while others explore the ideas, questions, and influences that continue to shape their practice. Together, they remind us that behind every artwork is a person with a story worth discovering.
At Arts to Hearts Project, we put a great deal of care into creating these publications, from selecting the artists to bringing their stories together on the page. Our hope is that The Great Book of Art Makers becomes more than a collection to browse through. We want it to be a place where artists can find recognition, readers can discover new creative voices, and the stories behind the work can have the space they deserve.
Our Cash Award Winner: Feyzan Alasya
Artist Bio:
”Feyzan Alasya (b. 1976, Istanbul) is a figurative painter with an MFA from Mimar Sinan University. Her work employs symbolic imagery as a timeless framework, exploring human contradictions, fragmented modern life, and the search for wholeness through non-linear compositions”
We are delighted to recognize Feyzan Alasya as the Award Winner of The Great Book of Art Makers 2026, receiving a $500 cash award.
Feyzan’s feature in the book, Feyzan Alasya Trusts the Painting to Find Its Own Order, offers readers an opportunity to get closer to her artistic practice and the thinking behind her work. Through this conversation, we invite readers to discover more about the artist, her creative perspective, and the ideas that inform the way she approaches painting.
One of the things we value about artist conversations is the opportunity to understand what happens beyond the finished artwork. The decisions, instincts, and experiences that shape an artist’s process are not always immediately visible, but they are an important part of what makes each practice personal.
Through Feyzan’s feature, readers can spend time with the person behind the work and learn more about her relationship with painting. We are happy to celebrate her contribution to this edition and recognize her as our Award Winner.
Congratulations, Feyzan! We are grateful to have your work and story as part of The Great Book of Art Makers 2026.
1st Runner Up: Yoh Ko
Artist Bio:
“Yoh Ko is a Japanese artist based in Italy. Her bizarre images are often identified by the monsterlike surreal creatures that can resemble Yokai or other mythological creatures. Her inspiration also comes from Japanese manga, Italian Renaissance, pop surrealism art.”
Our first runner-up for this edition is Yoh Ko, whose work and creative journey bring another distinctive perspective to the book.
Yoh’s feature, Yoh Ko Paints a Language Built from 3 Countries and 20 Years, offers a closer look at the experiences and perspectives that have shaped the artist’s practice. The title itself points toward a creative journey informed by different places and years of artistic development, inviting readers to explore the story behind the work.
Artist interviews give us a chance to understand how personal history and lived experience can become part of an artistic language. The places we encounter, the experiences we carry, and the ideas we return to can all influence how we see and make art. Through Yoh’s conversation, readers have an opportunity to learn more about the journey behind the work and the perspective that continues to inform it.
We are pleased to recognize Yoh as our 1st Runner Up and to include this feature in a book dedicated to the many stories behind contemporary art.
Congratulations, Yoh! Thank you for being part of this edition and sharing your creative journey with our community.
2nd Runner Up: Dominika Łuszcz
Artist Bio:
“Dominika Łuszcz is a Polish contemporary painter whose figurative practice explores emotion, identity, and human connection. Blending expressionist and minimalist influences, her psychologically charged paintings draw on travel, textiles, photography, and folk traditions to create contemplative, emotionally resonant narratives.”
We are so happy to recognize Dominika Łuszcz as the 2nd Runner Up of The Great Book of Art Makers 2026.
Her feature, Dominika Łuszcz on Beginnings That Live in Every Ending, brings attention to the ideas and experiences that shape her artistic journey. It offers readers an invitation to look more closely at the relationship between beginnings, endings, and the experiences that connect them.
An artist’s journey is rarely a straightforward path. Creative practices continue to evolve as artists encounter new experiences, revisit old ideas, and find different ways of understanding the world around them. Sometimes, what feels like an ending can become the starting point for a new direction. These shifts are part of what makes learning about an artist’s process so meaningful.
Through Dominika’s conversation, readers can discover more about the person behind the work and the thoughts that inform her practice. We are delighted to celebrate her as our 2nd Runner Up and to share her story with the artists and art lovers who will explore this edition.
Congratulations, Dominika! We are so pleased to have you as part of The Great Book of Art Makers 2026.
Celebrating The Artists Behind The Book
Creating The Great Book of Art Makers 2026 has been a meaningful project for our team at Arts to Hearts Project. Every artist who contributes to one of our publications becomes part of a larger collection of creative voices, each bringing their own experiences, ideas, and ways of seeing the world.
Our award recipients hold a special place in this edition, and we are grateful for the opportunity to recognize their work through these awards. At the same time, we know that every artist featured in the book has brought something valuable to the project. It is the combination of these different perspectives that makes a publication like this possible.
We hope this edition encourages readers to look a little closer, discover artists they may not have encountered before, and take an interest in the stories that exist behind the finished work.
To Feyzan Alasya, Yoh Ko, and Dominika Łuszcz, congratulations once again. Thank you for sharing your work and your stories with us. And to every artist who contributed to The Great Book of Art Makers 2026, thank you for helping us bring this project to life.
We cannot wait for readers to discover the artists, conversations, and creative perspectives held within these pages.
Discover The Great Book of Art Makers 2026
The Great Book of Art Makers 2026 brings together a collection of contemporary artists and the stories behind their practices. Featuring cover artist Remus Grecu, guest curator Sonia Borrell, artist conversations, and our award-winning artists, this edition invites readers to spend more time with the people and ideas shaping art today.
If you would like to explore the book and discover the artists featured in this edition, you can find it in the Arts to Hearts Project shop.
We hope this book finds its way into the hands of artists, collectors, and art lovers who enjoy discovering new creative voices and keeping their stories close.
