2026 Emerging and Guest Artists

Fine Art Fair Poster Artist: Merrell Hickey

Growing up with an artist mother makes it no great surprise Merrell Hickey ended up where they are today. Hickey received her BS in Interior Design from Southern Illinois University and also studied fine art at Illinois State University. After several years working at architecture firms, Hickey desired an escape from the confines of design to hone her art skills. Hickey states that her incredible architect husband has always been her most supportive fan. 

At her home studio, Hickey creates stitched wall art, jewelry, and objects that sometimes take months to complete. The beads are hand sewn into place with some pieces containing thousands of beads. Hickey is inspired and passionate about pure color, textures, and the addition of unusual ephemera and small objects. Hickey has made memorials, guitar straps, and enjoys customizing work with clients. “Bead embroidery is a study in patience but it's not about finishing the project, it's about seeing how the pieces come together,” she says.

Merrell Hickey's work is in the Museum of Beadwork in Portland Maine. She was a 2017 Peoria Art Pop billboard winner, a Peoria Fine Art Fair guest artist, 2025 Best of Show winner for the Peoria Art Guild Member Show, and now excitedly the 64th Fine Art Fair poster artist. She is thrilled to be included with all these Incredible artists! Hickey’s work “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” will be featured on this year’s Fine Art Fair poster, her work “A Ride for Me and My Friends” will be featured as the Fine Art Fair annual community mural.

You can find Hickey’s work on Instagram @merrellhickey

Emerging Artist: Abigail Jackson

Abigail Jackson is a representational artist based in Peoria, IL. She creates paintings and sculptures that center everyday people, focusing on posture, expression, and presence to capture moments that feel real and grounded. Her work is rooted in observation but pushed further through intentional composition and symbolic elements that shift how her subjects are seen.

Jackson’s practice is driven by the idea of elevating individuals who are often overlooked. Through recurring motifs like crowns and a focus on the human figure, she challenges traditional ideas of power, beauty, and value, especially within African American communities. Her work invites viewers to reconsider who is seen as important and why.

Working across oil painting and sculpture, including bronze, she combines technical skill with strong conceptual focus on identity, visibility, and dignity.

You can find Jackson’s work on Instagram @Abbey_Jayyy and Facebook at Abigail Jackson

Emerging Artist: Heidi Parker

Heidi Parker loves collecting, creating, and sharing. A graduate of the University of Iowa's Center for the Book, she works in book arts and fiber arts as well as letterpress and leather in addition to whatever medium she can get her hands on. As an avid lover of knowledge, she also teaches art classes with the Peoria Art Guild such as DIY Weaving and Intro to Letterpress.

You can find Heidi’s work on Instagram @winterwesterly and in her Etsy Shop.

Emerging Artists and Guest Artists for the Fine Art Fair are invited to exhibit by the Peoria Art Guild Fine Art Fair Director in partnership with Fine Art Fair volunteers, the Fine Art Fair committee chair, and our community partners. The Peoria Art Guild does not accept unsolicited applications for Emerging or Guest Artists.