Every year, as part of our DIY Fest Unity Initiative Program, Craft Lake City awards scholarships to select applicants for the 17th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons. The program helps to ensure that makers from all walks of life get the chance to share their crafts. Since 2017, Craft Lake City has awarded scholarships to budding entrepreneurs from socially and/or economically excluded communities through our Scholarship & Mentor Program, which includes waived booth fees, business training and one-on-one mentorship to offer guidance and support to newly established makers. This year, thanks to our fantastic sponsors’ generous support, Craft Lake City has awarded 16 recipients with scholarships. Read on to learn more about the scholarship recipients & their crafts!
Meet The 2025 Program Mentors
Camille Nugent of Camille Nugent Design
Camille Nugent of Camille Nugent Design hails from Jamaica. She is a multidisciplinary artist and designer. Nugent’s art reflects her passion for equality and representation. She creates collages that explore the nuances and complexities of human emotions. Nugent focuses her work on people of color and the beauty of her culture. It’s not a stretch to say that her experiences are what give her work vibrancy and create dream-like images.
Rochelle Jahdi of Rochelle Jahdi Co.
Rochelle Jahdi of Rochelle Jahdi Co. is a miniature artists whose creativity anything but. Her miniature creations capture the imagination and are full of magic and whimsy. Her tiny worlds are so detailed and colorful that you could almost step inside.
Linda Brown of Lyman & Brown Leather Goods
According to Linda Brown of Lyman & Brown Leather Goods, quality and craftsmanship is at the core of her brand. Using full grain leather sourced from and tanned here in the US, you’ll feel the quality! Their fine leather goods are cut and stitched by hand. Every inch of the belts, bags and wallet was thought out with care.
“We call it slow fashion.” With such well produced products, even time adds a little panache to these goods allowing them to develop character and evolve with you.
Ivy Watrous of The Salted Roots
Ivy Watrous of The Salted Roots is spicing up your kitchen. Her flavor infused sugars and salts give your dishes that extra kick to put it over the edge. Everyone knows connection starts in the kitchen and that is the ethos of The Salted Root. From Tequila Salt to Whiskey Sugar, Salted Root guarantees a whole new world of flavor.
Meet The 2025 Scholars
Artisan Scholar:
Mickaila Hinnen of Rune Child
Mentor: Camille Nugent Designs
Mickaila “Mickey” Hinnen of Rune Child has been crafting for as long as she can remember. Working with a variety of media Rune Child a plethora of crafts from Stained Glass, to jewelry to adorable prints and stickers! Rune Child is bringing a mystic vibe to DIY Fest!
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Whitney Wilde of Wildeflower Creations
Mentor: The Salted Roots
Whitney Wilde of Wildeflower Creations is an embroidery machine. They create detailed and whimsical designs and bring them to life with simply a needle and thread. This SLC fiber artist’s patterns are the perfect addition to any home!
Artisan Scholar:
Ai Nelson of Who Loves Sushi?
Mentor: The Salted Roots
Ai Nelson of Who Loves Sushi? Creates adorable sushi crafts that capture the color and ingenuity of this famous Japanese cuisine. The crafts are both detailed and practical.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Toby Ledbetter of TotallyTobobo
Mentor: Camille Nugent
Toby Ledbetter of TotallyTobobo is a talented illustrator. His love for art extends to prints, stickers and charms. Fascinated by flora and fauna and with a penchant for beautiful character designs, he perfectly captures the feeling of stepping into a fairytale.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Jay Kimpson of Homebodie Goods
Mentor: The Salted Roots
Jay Kimpson of Homebodie Goods is a multidisciplinary artist with a passion for textiles. Creating adorable designs his pieces perfectly capture the nostalgia of childhood wonder. These textiles are the perfect homegoods to add warmth to your life.
ArtAbility Scholar:
Kayla Elliot of Ellimental Crafts
Mentor: Lyman & Brown
Kayla Elliot of Ellimental Crafts harnesses the power of nature to create beautiful book accessories. Using recycled materials like vintage music pages and pressed flowers, her crafts are the perfect addition to your book nook.
Artisan Scholar:
Sarah Rosser of Yuji Clay Studio
Mentor: Rochelle Jahdi Co.
Sarah Rosser of Yuji Clay Studio is a talented jewelry designer. Taking inspiration from nature, especially her summers in South Korea, Yuji Clay Studio creates one-of-a-kind eye-catching jewelry pieces that are perfect for any occasion. Her attention to detail has no rival.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Zoe Staley of KillingZoeCo.
Mentor: Rochelle Jahdi Co.
Zoe Staley of KillingZoeCo is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist. Her signature pieces include her urban skate and street scenes. Capturing the grungy and colorful looks the skate parks are known for through her detailed jewelry holders. They put the FUN in FUNCTIONAL.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Lee Markham of Eclectic Fruity Crafts
Mentor: Rochelle Jahdi Co.
Lee Markham of Eclectic Fruity Crafts is life-long crafter who is always hungry to learn. Markham boasts a number of crafty skills, from sewing and crocheting to drawing and sculpting. No matter how daunting the discipline, if Markham feels inspired they make it.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Brandee of Witch Named brandee
Mentor: Lyman & Brown
Brandee of Witch Named brandee is a surrealist artist who uses Tarot card readings to inspire herself and create whimsical pieces of art. Her practice of witchcraft fill her pieces with magic and color. She also creates wand, spell jars and fortune so we can take a bit of her magic with us.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Blythe Harmon of Wild Root Press
Mentor: Lyman & Brown
Blythe Harmon of Wild Root Press creates adorable plushies inspired by the nature and wildlife of the Great Salt Lake. These crafts are Harmon’s way of educating and building community. Their crafts help people familiarize themselves with the beauty of Utah.
Artisan Scholar:
Michelle Wentling of Handwoven by Michelle Wentling
Mentor: Lyman & Brown
Michelle Wentling of Handwoven by Michelle Wentling is a textile practitioner and weaver. The craft is ancient and intricate which leads to beautiful detailed patterns. Wentling uses a floor loom to weave wall hangings, table linens and much more. Her products are full of personality and perfect for showing off.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Melissa Beasely of The Beaz Knees
Mentor: Lyman & Brown
Melissa Beasely of The Beaz Knees creates one-of-a-kind crafts that combine her love of the delicate, yet bold details of Art Nouveau and her nostalgia of the bright and poppy aesthetics of the ‘90s and ‘00s. She has created a style all her own. Would the name be Art 90s-veau?
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Fletcher Monson of Whasurn
Mentor: Camille Nugent Design
Fletcher Monson of Whasurn is a talented muralist and illustrator. Monson’s use of color creates warm and inviting illustrations. Their prints pop with color and are sure to stop people in their tracks. The images themselves evoke a sense of joy and connection.
Artisan Scholar:
Angie Pareja of Pachamandala “Earthisanal Creations”
Mentor: The Salted Roots
Angie Pareja of Pachamandala “Earthisanal Creations” art ethos is plain as day. An Indigenous Latina and lover of nature, Pareja creates beautiful handcrafted pieces of jewelry from anything she can find like sticks, seeds and even fruit peels. She sees herself as Mother Nature’s collaborator, and she uses her art to reflect her culture and beliefs. She crafts her jewelry as a way to promote oneness with nature.
LGBTQ+ Scholar:
Sarah Eve Benson of Hallowed Eve Apothecary
Mentor: Camille Nugent Design
Sarah Eve Benson of Hallowed Eve Apothecary brings the spooky fall vibes to DIY Fest. Her talents as an herbalist allow her to concoct all sorts of potions. From aromatic perfumes to soothing soaps and creams, Benson’s artisanal products make sure you feel ready to embrace the changing of the seasons.
Craft Lake City wouldn’t be able to highlight so many wonderful makers without the support from our sponsors. It is because of this funding that underrepresented groups can now have a voice and reach wider audience and these same artisans can go on and teach their skills to even more aspiring artisans, filling the world with art and talent.
About Craft Lake City:
Founded in 2009 by Angela H. Brown, Executive Editor of SLUG (Salt Lake UnderGround) Magazine, Craft Lake City® is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission to educate, promote and inspire local artisans while elevating the creative culture of the Utah arts community through science, technology and art. Craft Lake City strives to further define the term “Craft,” by modernizing the definition to include all handmade works of art.
craftlakecity.com @craftlakecity
Craft Lake City’s year-round programming is supported in part by the residents of Salt Lake County through the Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) Program, Utah Arts & Museums, the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation, Salt Lake Arts Council and SLUG Magazine.
The 17th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons is Utah’s largest local-centric art, music, science and technology festival. The DIY Fest features over 500 local artisans, vintage vendors, foodies, youth entrepreneurs, performers and STEM exhibitors over three days the second weekend of August. The 17th Annual Craft Lake City DIY Festival Presented By Harmons features the GFiber STEM Building, the 90.9FM KRCL Stage, the GOFHA stage Presented By KUAA, the SLC Stars Kids’ Area, Bike Valet Presented By Cyrusher and the Dog Oasis Presented By PupTub Club. Additional support is provided in part by the Willard L. Eccles Foundation, Stephen G. and Susan E. Denkers Family Foundation, Lawrence T. & Janet T. Dee Foundation, McCarthey Family Foundation, Utah Afterschool Network, Falbaum-Caillet Family Foundation, PBS Utah, 90.1 KUER, Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office ACE Grant, Creative West, Marathon Petroleum, Project Rainbow, STEM Action Center, Hypha, 24tix.com, Big Cartel, Central Milling, Compass Billboards, Utah State Fairpark, Water and Wellness, XMission, Tombow, VentureLab, Urban Food Connections of Utah, Visit Salt Lake Commerce and Craft, Lucero Hair and Wellness, Sewciety, Utah’s Own, University of Utah Health, City Weekly and Utah Stories.