38th Art in Gadsden Juried
Exhibition winners named
Submitted from Ruby Williams
QUINCY, FL – On Friday, July 25, the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum welcomed a standing room only crowd to celebrate 38th Art in Gadsden Juried Exhibition and hear award-winners announced. A longstanding regional tradition, the exhibition features contemporary artwork by artists from across North Florida, South Georgia, and Southern Alabama. Gadsden Arts is pleased to recognize the award-winning artists.
This year’s award winners were selected by Amanda Thompson. As an experienced art teacher, administrator, and maker, Thompson brings a unique perspective to her position. She is the founder of AKT Artful, an arts consulting platform focused on assisting clients with the production of public art, arts education, special events, and writing. This Tallahassee native offers over 20 years of experience in the arts and reviewed hundreds of submissions before selecting this year’s winners.
The 2026 exhibition features 105 works across a wide range of media and styles. Thompson selected the winners after considering six factors in every piece. She examined concept and originality, technical execution, visual impact, alignment of ideas and materials, innovation and risk taking, and emotional resonance.
Best of Show, sponsored by Gallagher-Doug Croley Insurance Services, Inc., was awarded to Beth Appleton for My Sister’s Earrings, a watercolor cut paper assemblage. Appleton is a master of her craft and has shown a lifelong dedication to supporting her local community. Appleton began making watercolor cut paper assemblages in 1989, the same year she founded Art in Gadsden, which later grew into the Gadsden Arts Center & Museum of today. Her piece, My Sister’s Earrings, displays incredible technical complexity in its layering of colorful paper. Its powerful sense of energy, movement, and unique style pushes it forward to Best of Show.
•First Place, sponsored by Iron Oak Wealth Management, was awarded to Scott Steppan for Shreds of Vision, Gasholder Park, a digital photograph. This piece holds the viewer’s attention with a masterful composition of reflections and negative space. Thompson describes how this piece invites you to look closely in an attempt to decipher the space, yet does not completely give up its secrets.
•Second Place, sponsored by Lines Hinson and Lines Law Firm, was awarded to Kathy Pilkenton for Magic Beach Motel, a pastel drawing. Pilkenton’s depiction of light and movement in this piece displays a masterful use of pastels. The drawing contains both a stylistic and narrative quality that holds the viewer’s attention as they wonder about the story behind the building.
•Third Place, sponsored by Full Earth Farm, was awarded to Kathy Wilcox for Slow Ride, made of vitreous enamel fused to copper and steel. This piece was chosen for its juxtaposition of spontaneous feeling and whimsical designs using very permanent and unforgiving materials. Thompson said of this piece, “The planning and control required to make this artwork with this medium is impressive.”
•Four honorable mentions were awarded to Robert Nelson for The Jackrabbit, a black gum wood sculpture; Roger Raepple for Ghosts of the Family Farm #63, a double exposure photograph; Leslie Anderson for Tidal Geometry Passage, an acrylic painting on wood panel; and Eileen McCann for Heading Home, a pastel drawing on Uart paper.
Join us for Conversations with Award-Winning Artists on Thursday, August 20 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. This Dine & Discover luncheon is in association with the 38th Annual Art in Gadsden Juried Exhibition and will feature some of this year’s award winners as they share their stories and creative processes. Become a member to participate in our upcoming Artists’ Studio Visits on Saturday, August 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event offers an opportunity to uncover artists’ creative processes and view works in progress. Event registration and museum membership can be managed on our website.
Gadsden Arts is located at 13 N. Madison Street, Quincy, FL, just 20 miles from Tallahassee, and open to the public Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for members, children ages 17 and under, and $3 – $5 for non-member adults. Join us for Free Family Saturdays every week at Gadsden Arts. For more information, please visit www.gadsdenarts.org.
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Free event set for Oct. 24
Faith Festival 2026 will
return to PCB this Fall
PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL – On Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, Faith Festival returns to Panama City Beach for its second year at Aaron Bessant Park. From morning until night, the Festival will feature Christian music, entertainment, food and activities, kicking off at 9:30 AM with the Todd Herendeen Band performing God Bless America – and concluding at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
Faith Festival 2026 will feature many of the same beloved vendors as were present last year, including Mika Goshien Designs, Taigi, She Free, and HomeMae’d Creations to name just a few. Food Truck favorites include Back Porch BBQ, City Streets, and Taste of Creole. From the big stage at Aaron Bessant Park, Festival goers will enjoy vibrant praise and worship music all afternoon by a variety of local bands. The Festival will also include children’s bouncy houses and games. As with Faith Festival 2025, a Prayer & Baptism Tent will provide one-on-one prayer by Faith Festival team members to uplift any hurts or needs of Festival goers, and community church tents will invite Festival goers in to learn about them and their church services.
The mission of Faith Festival is to bring Christians together, uniting many churches in worship with the singular goal of proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is the goal to grow Faith Festival every year. Faith Festival proceeds benefit and bring awareness to its host, The Ark Transitional Housing Ministry in Panama City Beach, which provides transitional housing to those currently without a home, offering shelter, meals, prayer, and love. For more information, please contact the following:
For general information on Faith Festival, visit www.faithfestivalpcb.com
For churches wishing to take part, contact churches@faithfestivalpcb.com
For musical entertainment information, contact music@faithfestivalpcb.com
For vending, contact vendor@faithfestivalpcb.com
For sponsoring and donations, contact sponsorship@faithfestivalpcb.com
To volunteer, please reach out to volunteer@faithfestivalpcb.com
Faith Festival to raise
funds for The Ark Transitional
Housing Ministry
In addition to Christian unity, Faith Festival seeks to raise funds for The Ark Transitional Housing Ministry. The Ark is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization which reaches out to those in need of shelter, providing temporary housing, clothes, food, and job placement; but its primary mission is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
There are currently over 100 precious souls that live at The Ark, many of which are children. It is the goal of the Festival team that sufficient funds be raised to not only cover the Festival’s overhead and production costs, but to raise funds to continue to improve and elevate the Ark’s residents’ lives. In 2025, Faith Festival raised $32,000 which allowed The Ark to purchase and install a playground for the children who live there. In 2026, we hope to raise funds to update The Ark’s Compassion Closet.
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Produce Safety Alliance
Grower Training Sept. 1
MARIANNA, FL – On Sept. 1, there will be a Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training hosted at the UF/IFAS Jackson County Extension Office (2741 Penn Ave, Marianna, FL) from 8:15 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CST. This is a one-day training to provide growers with knowledge and resources needed to satisfy the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule.
Cost to attend is $40. Upon completion of the training, attendees will receive an official certificate. Registration cost includes training materials, lunch, and refreshments. Advance registration is required. To register please visit: https://psa090126.eventbrite.com. Registration closes one week before the training date. For more informatin please visit: Save the Date: Produce Safety Grower Alliance Training- September 1 or click on the viewable flyer: PSA Training_Marianna. For questions or concerns, please contact crec-foodsafety@ifas.ufl.edu or call 850-482-9620.
The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. For disability accommodations such as sign language interpreters and listening devices, please contact payne.abigail@ufl.edu at least 2 weeks in advance. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.
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