Originally from Maine and now based in Minneapolis, Baston is spending Feb. 9-22 creating new work in Cellar Press, the center’s fully equipped letterpress and printmaking studio in the basement.

During the residency, Baston is developing a triptych of reductive linocut prints, plus related pieces incorporating collage and screen printing.

The series juxtaposes images of decaying infrastructure, rusty signs, chain-link fences, overgrown landscapes, and restrictive “No Trespassing” signage with aggressive typography drawn from black metal and death metal subcultures.

Through these elements, the work examines societal attitudes toward mental health, what gets acknowledged versus what remains overlooked, hidden, or stigmatized.

Exposed screen detail: Yellow dendritic vines bloom on green emulsion—Braeden Baston prepping intricate collage elements for the triptych. Photo by Amy Zents

“A lot of my current work captures the feeling of abandonment in how the world perceives mental health,” Baston said. “It’s clearly saying something and demanding to be seen, but it’s so hard to understand. That mirrors how society approaches mental health issues: people look, but they don’t try to truly understand.”

Baston carves intricate details with tools like the V-chisel, starting from their own edited photographs. They draw and transfer compositions to the block, often using tracing for precision, then refine them during printing.

Baston is also experimenting with screen printing on delicate Kozo paper for collage elements, working primarily in a stark black-and-red palette.

“I love carving those tiny, intricate details, it’s challenging,” Baston said of the process. “It’s therapeutic, and there’s huge excitement when the final print emerges.”

Baston selected The Grand for its letterpress and intaglio equipment, ideal for reductive linocut. They’ve worked intensively, often from morning until late, while making occasional trips to Minneapolis for supplies.

Braeden Baston in the Cellar Press during their 2026 residency at The Grand Center—carving a bold reductive linocut amid historic printmaking treasures. Photo by Amy Zents

“I wanted to use their letterpress setup for reductive linocut, it’s a perfect opportunity,” Baston said. “I hope to finish the triptych and explore rural Minnesota for more photographic references on abandonment and overgrown spaces.”

The residency concludes with Baston’s return in fall 2026 to lead a community linoleum block carving workshop. In the meantime, they aim to complete the series and gather additional imagery from the surrounding area.

Baston’s detailed, observational style draws inspiration from artists like Carlos Barbarena, whose intricate compositions and explorations of social stigmas, such as immigration, encouraged Baston to embrace small-scale carving and narrative depth.

Baston also credit peers in the Boston-area printmaking community, including printmakers from both Lesley University and Shepherd & Maudsleigh, for ongoing support through critiques and collaboration.

Baston earned a BFA in Fine Arts, with a printmaking focus, from Lesley University in 2023.

Reductive linocut proofs in progress—chain-link barriers overtaken by vines, bold arrow signage demanding notice. Braeden Baston at The Grand Center residency. Photo by Amy Zents

Their practice was recently shaped by a studio assistant internship at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis.

“Being at Highpoint, surrounded by printmakers, has been incredibly beneficial,” Baston said. “I learned about gallery practices, art handling, and more–skills that will shape my future career.”

Baston’s work is deeply informed by personal experiences with mental illness and family history, including their father’s PTSD as a Desert Storm veteran and his death by suicide when Baston was 13.

Themes of abandonment and stigma recur, often amplified by bold, confrontational typography that reflects how mental health struggles are noticed, yet rarely fully understood.

Baston has exhibited widely, including in the ongoing International Printmaking Exhibition at The Art Center in Dover, New Hampshire (through Feb. 28.)

Their prints are available at Highpoint Center for Printmaking and Odd Mart in Minneapolis, and have appeared in group shows nationwide.

Future plans include solo exhibitions, potential graduate studies, teaching printmaking, and additional residencies.

For more on Cellar Press, residencies, workshops, or events at The Grand Center for Arts & Culture, call 507-359-9222 or email cellarpress@thegrandnewulm.org.

View Baston’s portfolio at braedenbaston.squarespace.com or follow them on Instagram @bbaston630.