2026 Festival Awards
Awards – $62,500 in Prizes
For more information about the Mainsail Art Festival awards, please read about our history.
2026 Festival Award Winners
| Artist | Category | Hometown |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Cornell |
Oil/Acrylic |
Chapel Hill, NC |
| Artist | Category |
|---|---|
| Christopher Buonomo | Sculpture |
| Artist | Category |
|---|---|
|
Andrew Abramov |
Oil/Acrylic |
|
Nicario Jimenez |
Mixed Media |
| Artist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Kidd, Ceramics |
Jeff Ripple, Oil/Acrylic |
Chris Roll, Oil/Acrylic |
Michael Nemnich, Graphics |
Mel Fleck, Graphics |
|
John Costin, Graphics |
William Kwamena-Poh, Watercolor |
Ashley Benton, Ceramics |
Athlone Clarke, Mixed Media |
Michael Delgado, Mixed Media |
| Artist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Emily Lavalier, Mixed Media |
Lisette Cedeno, Ceramics |
David Melnick, Jewelry |
Pam Fox, Jewelry |
Ummarid Eitharong, Mixed Media |
|
Jeffrey Pender, Graphics |
John Mascoll, Wood |
Kristina Hoover, Graphics |
Bud Scheffel, Sculpture |
Domenico Belli, Sculpture |
|
Nnamdi Okonkwo, Sculpture |
Michael Earley, Wood |
Peggy Miller, Jewelry |
Hernan Rodriguez, Oil/Acrylic |
Alexis Barbeau, Jewelry |
| Artist | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Linda Apriletti, Oil/Acrylic |
David Golzbein, Wood |
Joyce Slate, Jewelry |
Michael Everett, Graphics |
Beth Garcia, Ceramics |
|
Michael Bryant, Photography |
Trent Manning, Sculpture |
Dominice Gilbert, Sculpture |
Chris Charles, Graphics |
Astou Dioum, Fibers |
|
Nicholas Barnes, Wood |
Suhame Miralles Cantero, Oil/Acrylic |
Keyon Lovett, Oil/Acrylic |
Janet Montville, Ceramics |
Alice Pickett Lewis, Fibers |
|
Paul Tilton, Photography |
Wes Pratt, Sculpture |
Carolina Cleere, Mixed Media |
Christian Benoit, Mixed Media |
Janvier Ngamije, Fibers |
| Artist | Sponsor |
|---|---|
| Guanwen Wu, Oil/Acrylic | Chloe Firebaugh |
| Richard Fizer, Glass | Paciugo Gelato & Caffe |
| Ben Foster, Sculpture | Mahaffey Apartment Company |
| Michael Bryant, Photography | Wells, Houser & Schatzel, P.A. |
| Emily Lavalier, Mixed Media | Jane & Dave Ferguson |
| Annie Reif, Graphics | New City Signs by Mike & Joyce Grega |
| Jie Zhou, Oil/Acrylic | Carl & Donna Mainguth |
| Nathan and Mariella Favors, Mixed Media | John Yanchunis |
| Michel Delgado, Mixed Media | Harvey’s 4th St Grill |
| Rosa Chavez, Oil/Acrylic | Shapiro’s Gallery |
| Rocky Bridges, Mixed Media | ARTicles Fine Art Services by Leslie Curran |
| Curtis Whitwam, Watercolor | Ann & Dan Vickstrom |
| Linda Apriletti, Oil/Acrylic | The Honorable Tommy & Elise Minkoff |
| Amanda Fullerton, Watercolor | The Hakes Family |
| Michelle Mardis, Oil/Acrylic | Corrie & Bill Stover |
The 2026 Sponsors
