Visual Arts Achievement Winners Announced

Every February, the Mobile Arts Council hosts the Visual Arts Achievement Program (VAAP) and Young at Art. VAAP is an arts in education program of the Alabama State Council on the Arts, and it awards students in grades 6 through 12 that are participating in arts programs within their academic institutions. Young At Art is a display of elementary visual arts talent (and those ineligible for VAAP) from District 1 schools. Our judges for this year’s VAAP were Allison Shaub, Cat Pope, and Lisa Warren. All first place and judge’s choice winners will advance to the statewide competition in Montgomery. The show will be available to see during our gallery hours, between 9 AM – 4 PM on weekdays through February 21.

This year, 17 District 1 schools are participating in the competition, including Baldwin County Virtual School, Bay Minette Middle School, Bayside Academy, Bryant High School, Causey Middle School, Covenant Christian School, Cranford Burns Middle School, Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School, Fairhope High School, Foley High School, Gulf Shores High School, Mary G. Montgomery High School, Monroe Academy, Snook Christian Academy, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, Theodore High School, and UMS-Wright Preparatory School. Teachers include Catherine Black, Austin Boyd, Leigh Brown, Pamela Jones Coffman, Linda Duffis, Vikki Finch, Haley Hall, Pier Hardin, Catherine Helmsing,

Young at Art has over 19 participants, including Bayside Academy, Collins-Rhodes Elementary, Covenant Christian School, Dawes Intermediate School, Delta Elementary School, E.R. Dickson Elementary School, Foley Elementary School, Pearl Haskew Elementary, Mary B. Austin Elementary School, Meadowlake Elementary, Morningside Elementary School, Old Shell Road School of Creative and Performing Arts, Perdido Elementary School, Pine Grove Elementary School, private students of Stephanie Bromley, Rockwell Elementary School, Snook Christian Academy, St. Paul’s Episcopal School, and Whitley Elementary School. Teachers include Monica J. Beasley, Cindy Becker, Pamela Jones Coffman, Haley Hall, Warren Jackson, Tarin Majure, Karin Marrero, Jessica Peppers, Cindy Robles, Ella Smith, Kristy Snell, Tracy Wilhelm, and Amanda Youngblood.

District 1 Honorable Mentions (not advancing to state)

Group 1 (Middle School)
Painting – Gianna Estrada, Translucent, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Drawing – Madisen Howard, Me, Myself, and I, Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School
Mixed-Media – Julia Hall, Calico, Bayside Academy
3D Crafts – Kenny Johnson, Polka Dot Monster, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Photography – Victoria Slade, Beauty after the Rain, Covenant Christian School
Printmaking – Tri Pham, Environment, Cranford Burns Middle School
Computer Images – Brantley Bauer, Thinking outside the box, Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School

Group 2 (High School)
Drawing – Hannah Wieland, Fabric Ghost of Kaylin, Bayside Academy
Painting – Shelly Barcelona, Timothee Chalamet, Foley High School
Mixed-Media – Claire Tatum, Goodbye, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
3D Crafts – Elsa Engeriser, Quilt Landscape, Bayside Academy
Photography – Ana Koulianos, George, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Printmaking – Sydney Eubanks, Sneaky Shark, Bryant High School
Computer Image – Coleman Turnipseed, Orchadelic, St. Paul’s Episcopal School

Advancing to State: District 1 First Place Winners

Group 1 (Middle School)
Painting – Anne Stockman, Blue People, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Drawing – Amy Ramer, The Effect of Marine Debris, Covenant Christian School
Mixed-Media – Serena Golabek, Untitled, Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School
3D Crafts – Kendall Lee, What If… Robots were Us, Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School
Photography – Anne Elise Sherrod, Neverending WAVES, Covenant Christian School
Printmaking – Elyjah Boria, Anikin, Cranford Burns Middle School
Computer Images – Stella Duren, Line and Color, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Judge’s Choice – Annie Tran-Vo, The Monarch, Causey Middle School
Judge’s Choice – Antonio Plascencia, El Buro and His Flower Baskets, Bay Minette Middle

Group 2 (High School)
Drawing – Jeremy Bankston, Bloom, Theodore High School
Painting – Magaret Zheng, From Books, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Mixed-Media – Caroline Seale, Redemption, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
3D Crafts – Abbey Armbruster, Nevermore, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Photography – Elizabeth Casey, Ignite, Bayside Academy
Printmaking – Honor Seaman, Tile Pattern, Bryant High School
Computer Images – Anna Sirk, City of Lights, Fairhope High School
Judge’s Choice – Emma Mueller, Limitless, St. Paul’s Episcopal School

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July Organization Member of the Month

By Angela Montgomery • July 28, 2026

Congratulations to our July Organization Member of the Month Innovation Portal

Graphic for July Member of the Month Vanessa Quintana

July Artist Member of the Month

By Angela Montgomery • July 28, 2026

Congratulations to Vanessa Quintana, our Mobile Arts Council July Artist Member of the Month!

June: Jubilee and Proud & Free

By Angela Montgomery • June 30, 2026

The Mobile Arts Council (MAC) is proud to announce two insightful community exhibits hanging in their gallery through June 27 with an opening reception during Artwalk on June 12. The Jubilee exhibition showcases Black artists and the richness of creative voices within our community during this Juneteenth celebration month. MAC is honored to have local Black artists share their stories through art in this special exhibit highlighting the cultural identity and diverse perspectives that shape the tapestry of our region’s creative community. Erica Wells is the sponsor of Jubilee . She is a dedicated community leader and advocate who is passionate about serving others and creating opportunities for growth and success. Through her professional work and volunteer efforts, she actively supports education, youth development, leadership initiatives, and community engagement throughout the Gulf Coast region. Erica is committed to empowering students, supporting educators, and building meaningful partnerships that strengthen communities. Her leadership is guided by a desire to make a lasting impact and to inspire others to serve with purpose, integrity, and compassion. As a part of Pride Month, the Proud & Free exhibition spotlights voices, experiences, and viewpoints of LGBTQ+ creatives in our community. This show provides a platform for queer artists to present their work, tell their stories, and connect with a broader audience through powerful artistic expression. The Proud & Free exhibit is sponsored by Dr. Kristin Rager, the Chief of Adolescent Medicine at the University of South Alabama, and Mobile’s only board-certified specialist in adolescent and young adult health. Dr. Rager serves as the Medical Director for AIDS Alabama South and is passionate about ending the HIV epidemic through education, treatment and prevention. Both exhibits can be enjoyed in the Mobile Arts Council Art Gallery, Room 1927 at 6 South Joachim Street in downtown Mobile. Gallery hours are 11 till 5 on Tuesday through Friday and 11 till 2 on Saturday. The opening reception for these exhibits will be held from 6 to 9pm on June 12 during Artwalk. Everyone is welcome and admission to the gallery is always free.