Fiber alumna Lexie Millikan receives Emerging Leader Award
05.18.2026
Lexie Millikan (‘15 Fiber) received the Golden Scissors - Emerging Leader Award for her expansive impact on arts administration and education
Alumna Lexie Millikan (‘15 Fiber) recently received the Golden Scissors - Emerging Leader Award presented by the Craft Industry Alliance. The honor was awarded live at the h+h americas convention in Rosemont, Illinois, recognizing exceptional achievement and leadership across the global crafts industry. Established to celebrate individuals whose work elevates and drives the field forward, the Golden Scissors Awards are judged by a distinguished panel of industry experts. Millikan was presented with a beautifully engraved, personalized pair of golden scissors to commemorate her outstanding contributions to the craft community.
Millikan was selected for the Emerging Leader category due to her expansive impact on arts administration and education. The Craft Industry Alliance highlighted her recent position as Executive Director of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, where she supported thousands of quilters providing comfort to veterans, as well as her previous role leading the Yeiser Art Center in Paducah, Kentucky. True to her passion for fostering creativity, Millikan continues to inspire the next generation by teaching art at Caldwell County Middle School, a role the judges praised for helping students discover their own artistic voices and confidence.
A Dedicated Approach
Beyond her leadership roles, Millikan maintains a vibrant and deeply rooted studio practice. Her multi-disciplinary artistic practice explores deep domestic themes by seamlessly blending traditional textile processes, such as quilting, weaving, and surface design, with collage, installation, and performance art. Dedicated to preserving and sharing craft traditions, she actively incorporates community education and international collaboration into her studio practice, exhibiting her work and teaching students globally. This specialized expertise in textile techniques, particularly indigo dyeing, has earned her recognition within the UNESCO Creative Cities network and featured spots in Quiltfolk Magazine and on the Magnolia Network.
This award arrives amidst a season of remarkable momentum for Millikan's artistic career. She currently has pieces on display in two invitational exhibitions: Revolutionary Stitches in Paducah, Kentucky, and The Initiative of Craft in Busan, South Korea. Looking ahead, she shows no signs of slowing down. Millikan will participate in a summer artist residency at Kress Contemporary in Ybor City, Florida, before embarking on her next major academic chapter. She recently accepted an offer to continue her exploration of contemporary craft by pursuing her MFA at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Photo: Lexie Millikan, Golden Scissors - Emerging Leader Award