Moorefield, W.Va. — Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Eastern) held its 2025 Community Art Show in the Charles D. Terrell Gallery at its main campus from Tuesday, May 27, to Friday, June 13. The show was co-judged by Kristen Colebank and Donna Davy, and an awards reception was held on Tuesday, June 3, where artists could connect to discuss their work and speak with the judges. St. George Medical Clinic in Tucker County sponsored the event.
A total of 13 artists from the surrounding area submitted up to three pieces of art to be displayed, with at least half of the submissions coming from students. There were no limitations on art mediums, with the exception of AI-generated art, which was not allowed. The gallery was set up with student submissions on the right wall and nonstudent submissions on the left. A mix of mediums displayed included painting, digital art, photography, sculpture and drawing.
Awards
Judges Colebank and Davy selected the prize winners using a graded rubric and spent over an hour deliberating. Impressed by the overall quality of submissions, they ultimately requested the opportunity to name a third piece as an additional honorable mention. The winners are as follows:
– First Place – Than Htay Maung with Moorefield Under Moonlight (Painting)
– Second Place – Steven Wilson with Naked Raku (Pottery)
– Third Place – Kara Barb with Frozen Reflections (Photography)
– Honorable Mention – Emilia Smith with Girl at Mirror Recomposition (Painting)
– Honorable Mention – Josh Redman with Bear Skull (Sculptural Carving)
– Honorable Mention – Dr. Thomas Striplin with Untitled (Photography)
– Student Award – Kaylee Turner with Celestial Aquarius (Digital Painting/Illustration)
The community had the chance to select their favorite artwork through the Easton’s Choice Award, named after Easton the Eagle, Eastern’s mascot.
– Easton’s Choice Award – Emilia Smith with Memory of Mom and Baby Postpartum (Painting)
Upcoming Art Events
Eastern is committed to supporting the arts on campus and in the local community, with plans to hold more events in the future. A Plein Air event is in development, with a tentative date of Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, at Eastern’s main campus. The next Community Art Show is tentatively planned for Tuesday, May 26, to Friday, June 12, 2026. Other opportunities available for community involvement is the Art Club, held on the second Wednesday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Student Lounge at Eastern’s main campus. The art club is free to attend, with supplies, food and drinks provided, however, attendees are welcome to bring their own materials.
For questions about any of the art events on campus, email trent.montgomery@easternwv.edu.
About the Judges
Colebank works primarily in watercolor and is a Signature Member of the WV Watercolor Society and a 2024 Creative Entrepreneur Fellow with the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts. Her website is https://waitesrunstudios.com.
Davy’s work is predominantly in acrylic. She holds a Master of Arts degree with a concentration in painting and drawing from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and has nearly completed coursework for her Master of Fine Arts degree, also from AAU. Find her work at https://www.mainstreetgallery231.com.
