Visual Arts Center of Richmond names Featured and Emerging Artists for the 62nd annual Craft + Design   

The Visual Arts Center of Richmond (VisArts) is proud to celebrate Richmond-based ceramic artist Hali Armstrong of Hechizo as the Featured Artist at its 62nd annual contemporary craft show, Craft + Design. Additionally, VisArts names Queens-based milliner Rowell Concepcion of Binata Millinery as this year’s Emerging Artist at the show. Craft + Design will return to Richmond’s Main Street Station on November 21 and 22, 2026, featuring two full days of shopping museum-quality handmade craft, live artist demonstrations, family-friendly workshops, and more. Tickets for the show go on sale Monday, October 5 with special early bird deals.  

Hali Armstrong is a Richmond-based ceramic artist and the designer behind Hechizo. Hechizo (Spanish for ‘spell’ or ‘handmade magical charm’) is a ceramic and mixed-media studio specializing in craft lighting, jewelry, and home wares. Armstrong explores decorative art and American craft traditions in her studio practice by pairing contemporary themes with playful applications. Inspired by her family’s legacy of tailoring and carpentry, a diversity of materials and techniques are the starting point for most Hechizo designs.  

For the 62nd annual Craft + Design, Armstrong created a custom artwork—a table lamp both sculptural and functional—that marries her embroidery, drawing, and carving practices. The work features a cylindrical, unglazed ceramic base with 360-degree tramp-style textures and patterns, nodding to this American folk tradition often found in woodworking. The one-of-a-kind lamp shade is decorated in hand-embroidered shapes and appliqued images, eliciting her personal, familial legacy of textile craft. This artwork will be displayed across the show’s advertisements, print programs, and the banners that hang outside Main Street Station during the event.  

“Being recognized by VisArts as Craft + Design’s Featured Artist is such an honor and feels full circle. I took classes at VisArts as a young teenager, and I remember looking up to my teachers who were working artists, wondering how they made that happen. My younger self would be proud and glad we are still choosing to lead a creative life. Maybe it will even inspire kids at VisArts today to see my version of being a working artist.”  

— Craft + Design Featured Artist, Hali Armstrong of Hechizo

 Armstrong received a BFA in Sculpture and Extended Media from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2006 and started her studio practice in NYC in 2014. In 2024, Armstrong was recognized as the overall winner of Garden and Gun’s 15th Annual Made in the South Awards in 2024. She lives and works near the James River in Richmond, VA with her husband and three young daughters. 

“Perhaps surprisingly,” shared Abby Holcombe, Deputy Director of the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, “this is the first time we have recognized a Richmond-based artist for this annual distinction for Craft + Design. Our team was immediately drawn to Hali’s playfulness across media, which is something we are always seeking at VisArts. Hali has been such a delight to work with, and we are thrilled to celebrate her work and connection to Richmond’s vibrant community of makers.”

For the third year in a row, VisArts is spotlighting an Emerging Artist—an artist who has been in their current practice for ten years or less—who will be exhibiting at the event. For the 62nd annual Craft + Design, VisArts names New York-based milliner Rowell Concepcion of Binata Millinery as this year’s Emerging Artist. Though still categorically “emerging” in his practice and a newcomer to the craft show circuit, Concepcion has already made a huge splash in fashion and entertainment: His work has been worn by artists including Lady Gaga and Janelle Monáe and has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar. Concepcion will be among 31 other first-time exhibitors at Craft + Design.  

“Richmond has such a strong creative community through VCU and its artists and makers. I’d encourage anyone who’s curious to simply come by the show and try a hat on. People often tell me, ‘I’m just not a hat person,’ but I almost never find that to be true. It’s usually about finding the right hat and giving yourself permission to wear it with confidence. That’s what I hope people take away from my work. Hats really are for everyone.”

— Craft + Design Emerging Artist, Rowell Concepcion of Binata Millinery

For the 62nd annual Craft + Design this November, 375 artists from across the country submitted applications for 134 exhibitor booths at this increasingly competitive show. Exhibitors are selected by a jury and demonstrate expertise across a variety of craft media. This year, 54 of the 134 juried booths will feature the works of Virginia-based artists. In addition to juried exhibitors, other booths will feature partner arts organizations, local makers, and VisArts teachers. Altogether, more than 170 artists will be selling museum-quality craft at the show. 

 The Visual Arts Center of Richmond’s Craft + Design is more than just a craft show: Kicking off the weekend of shopping, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond will again host its annual Patrons’ Preview Party on Friday, November 20, where ticketholders can preview the artwork and awards will be announced, alongside cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. During this preview, judges will select 13 exhibitors who will be awarded cash prizes in a variety of categories. 

Early bird tickets and the full list of 170+ exhibitors will be available online at craftanddesignrva.com on Monday, October 5.