The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts recently hosted its 38th annual Spring Into Art Gala, which drew hundreds of attendees on April 7.
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A Celebration of Regional Art
The event was a celebration of regional art, featuring over 250 pieces of original art created by nearly 150 regional artists. These pieces were on display at the Turner Center until June 4.
- More than 250 pieces of original art created by nearly 150 regional artists were entered into the region’s most prominent art exhibition.
- The art exhibition included a diverse range of mediums, including painting, digital arts, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and more.
- The exhibition was curated by the Turner Center’s Curator, Madison Caldwell.
The exhibition was a huge success, with hundreds of attendees gathering to view the beautiful art on display. The event was a celebration of the artistic talents of the region, and it provided a unique opportunity for the public to engage with local art.
Award Winners
The top three winners in four categories were awarded cash prizes totaling $6,000. The award winners were:
- Best of show: Mary Ellen Free, “Spring Into Love”
- Painting: First place, Harry Ally, “Figure #71;” second place, D. Arthur McBride, “In Beggar’s Clothing;” and third place, S. Dean Little, “Sea Trout”
- Digital arts/photography: First place, Joe Morgan, “Banana King;” second place, Amanda Green, “Watched by Empty Silhouettes;” and third place, Rick Szymanski, “Reflections of Solitude”
- Drawing/printmaking/mixed media: First place, Suzanne Marcil, “Singing the Blues;” second place: Anda Chance, “Abyss;” and third place, Susan Wehling, “Letters From Home”
- Sculpture/ceramics/jewelry/crafts: First place, Kim Mazzilli,“Intertidal Zone;” second place, Pong Holton, “Numchai;” and third place, Billy Dykes, “Rolling in Dough”
- Ten honorable mentions:
- Adam Calvin, “I Spy: 12 Candles, 3 Cows, 9 Fingers;” Lily Lawson, “Last Summer;” Ellen Woodard, “Dekle Marsh;” Ramiro Santillan, “Arrow Vase;”
- Walter Hobbs, “Raku Form #2;” Cody Murray, “Technology Aged;” Jeff Byers, “LTSMUHM Tea Service;” Ruth Bren, “Butterfly & Moth Series;” Amber Moore, “Sanity’s Vessel” and Suzanne W. Ally, “Angels & Other Fallen Objects”
The judges for the exhibition were Madeline Beck and Jennifer Clinard, who served as dual judges for the Spring Into Art exhibition at the Turner Center.
About the Judges
Madeline Beck is the curator at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art in Marietta. She earned her bachelor of arts in art history, with a minor in classical studies, from Kennesaw State University. Beck began her curatorial career as a curatorial assistant at the Zuckerman Museum of Art at Kennesaw State University before joining MCMA in 2015. She was appointed MCMA curator in 2017, where she has since curated more than 50 exhibitions. In addition to her exhibition work, Beck manages the museum’s permanent collection and oversees special events. Jennifer Clinard is a landscape painter who currently works with a studio in Tallahassee, Florida. She is a retired member of the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800. As a scenic artist, she painted and sculpted for the San Francisco Opera and Ballet, 1979 to 2005. She worked on feature films, television shows, and commercials as a set painter and onset artist. Clinard has shown her paintings at various exhibitions, including the Turner Center, Gadsden Art Center, LeMoyne Arts, FSU Museum of Fine Arts, and Tallahassee State College.
Calendar Selections
Colson Printing selected 13 works from the exhibition to be featured in its 2026 calendar, which will be available to the public this fall.
Sponsors
The Loyce and Annette Turner Foundation and Patrick Parker are platinum sponsors of the 2025 Spring Into Art Gala. The Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts appreciates dozens of other sponsors that, along with the platinum sponsors, made the exhibition a regional success.
Exhibit Display
The exhibit is on display at the Turner Center until close of business on June 4. Participating artists, as well as individuals who purchased art from the exhibit, may pick up their pieces, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., June 5, or Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 6, at 527 N. Patterson St.
Contact Information
For more information, call 229-247-2787 or visit turnercenter.org.