2026 Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition

It is my honor to welcome you to the 15th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition – a celebration that reminds all of us why Delaware’s public workforce is truly extraordinary.

Every day, state employees work tirelessly to maintain public spaces, support families, protect public health, and keep essential services moving across our state. This exhibition offers a different kind of window into that workforce — one that reveals the creativity, imagination, and personal stories that exist in every agency and department across Delaware.

Creativity is at the heart of innovation, and Delaware state employees embody that every day – whether through problem-solving, collaboration, or finding new ways to serve the people of our state. The arts strengthen that spirit. Engaging in creative work enhances problem-solving, builds connection, and fosters an environment where innovation can flourish. The talent on display in this exhibition is a testament to the whole people who make up our public workforce – people with passions and perspectives that extend far beyond the workplace.

This year, I was proud to introduce three Governor’s Choice Awards, one from each of Delaware’s counties, to honor outstanding works that reflect the remarkable talent found in every corner of our state. These awards are my way of personally recognizing the creativity that exists across all of Delaware, and of ensuring that no part of our state goes uncelebrated.

To every artist and family member who submitted work for this exhibition – thank you for sharing your creativity and your stories with your colleagues and your community. To all who came to view the gallery, I am grateful for your support of Delaware’s public servants and the arts.

Delaware is stronger because of the dedicated, talented, and creative people who serve it. This exhibition celebrates exactly that.

– Governor Matt Meyer

On behalf of the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Delaware State Arts Council, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 15th Annual Delaware State Employee Art Exhibition. To the 220 artists and family members who submitted work this year – congratulations! Your willingness to share your creativity with your colleagues and your community is what makes this exhibition such a meaningful tradition.

Creativity is not separate from public service – it strengthens it. The imagination, perspective, and discipline on display throughout this gallery are the same qualities that help state employees solve problems, serve the public, and find new ways to make Delaware better. This exhibition is a powerful reminder that the arts thrive within our state agencies, and that the people who serve Delaware bring remarkable depth and talent to everything they do.

Reaching a 15th anniversary is a milestone worth pausing to appreciate and it would not have been possible without the dedication of Deputy Director Kristin Pleasanton, who has helmed this project since its very beginning. For fifteen years, Kristin has worked to build a welcoming, community-centered exhibition that honors artists at every skill level, from youth entries to professional-level work. Her vision, care, and commitment are woven into every aspect of what this exhibition has become, and we are deeply grateful for her leadership.

Whether you are a seasoned artist or someone who picked up a brush for the first time this year, your participation matters. The act of creating, and of sharing that creation, enriches our workplaces, our communities, and each other. I encourage you to keep pushing your creative boundaries and to continue bringing your full selves to both your art and your work.

Thank you to all who submitted, to everyone who came to celebrate, and to the many partners who help make this exhibition possible year after year. We look forward to the next fifteen years.

– Director Jessica Ball

Exhibit Dates: February 23 – March 20, 2026

People’s Choice Voting: February 23 – March 20, 2026

Reception: March 8, 202

Click here for a visitor’s guide and map of Delaware State University’s campus.

Sponsored by the National Arts Program and the Delaware Division of the Arts, this program is designed to give Delaware state employees and their families, at any skill level, a unique opportunity to exhibit their artwork and compete for ribbons and cash prizes. Each year, the exhibit is judged by different professionals in the visual arts.

2026 National Arts Program Award Winners

Best of Show ($400): Thomas Del Porte – Ineffabilis Colloquium, Academia Charter School, Wilmington

Art Education Award ($200): Ethan Egloff – Heisenberg, Appoquinimink School District, Middletown

Governor’s Award:

New Castle: Tom Livingstone – Big Monster, Department of Justice, Newark

Kent: Nancy Wheeler – Springtime Splendor, Adult Education Resources, Smyrna

Sussex: Kristen Corbi – Overwhelmed, Cape Henlopen School District, Harbeson

People’s Choice Award:

Online: Amanda Colton – Jojo, Brandywine School District, Wilmington

In-Person: Christopher Foster – Family, Department of Health and Social Services, Magnolia

Special Awards:

Portrait: Taylor Gordon – TBABW (To Be a Black Woman), Smyrna School District, New Castle

Animal: Trudi Costa – Intensity, Caesar Rodney School District, Dover

Landscape: Cyndi Holbrook – January 2026, Red Clay School District, North East

Group Scene: Sharif Sadiq – En Plein Air, Department of State Housing Authority

Fantasy: Sarah Pohlman – Sent From a Tin Can and a Tangled Piece of String, Red Clay School District, Hockessin

America 250^th Award: John Guthrie – Eagle Dance, Department of Transportation, Dover

Professional Category:

First Place ($350): Rick Burrow – Vacuum Row, Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dover

Second Place ($250): Kiley Chafin – Time’s Delusion, Delaware Tech Stanton Campus, Dover

Third Place ($150): Amy Bandy – Amber Horizons, Indian River School District, Milton

Honorable Mention: Grume Abraham – Alkebulan (Mother of Mankind), Department of Transportation, Newark

Honorable Mention: Derek Carlson – Sparrow, Department of Transportation, Dover

Honorable Mention: Ainsley Fischer – Seafoam and Pearls, Christina School District, Newark

Honorable Mention: Cindy Morris – The World of Her Own, Red Clay School District, Hockessin

Honorable Mention: Chad Cortez Everett – May the Jawn Be With You, Red Clay School District, Landenberg

Intermediate Category:

First Place ($350): Logan Farro – Drinks With Old Friends, Department of Child Support Services, Farmington

Second Place ($250): Cassie Hilliard – Soha ne felejtsd el! (Never Forget!), Caesar Rodney School District, Magnolia

Third Place ($150): Kristina Levering – Private Storm, Caesar Rodney School District, Dover

Honorable Mention: Q Hernandez – No Matter Where You Go, There You Are, Division of Legislative Services, Dover

Honorable Mention: Elyse Crowe-McGuinness – A Study of the Hand, Academia Charter School, New Castle

Honorable Mention: Emma Denneny – Path, Appoquinimink School District, Middletown

Amateur Category:

First Place ($350): Akeana Boyd-Douglas – Jewel Tones Luminary, Delaware State Police, Townsend

Second Place ($250): Paul Solano – Moose at Mount Denali, Department of Agriculture, Lewes

Third Place ($150): Adrienne Livingstone – Fortitude, Department of Justice, Newark

Honorable Mention: Cynthia Westhoff – A Taste of Spring, Appoquinimink School District, Smyrna

Honorable Mention: McKenzie Lavoie – Dread Within Beauty, Justice of the Peace Court, Bear

Honorable Mention: Ben Ables – Molly’s Rise & Shine, Indian River School District, Georgetown

Teen Category:

First Place ($150): Leah Cooper – Sweet Comfort, Department of Finance, Milford

Second Place ($100): Julie Pent – Outskirts of Paris, Lake Forest School District, Camden

Third Place ($50): Elly Wendel – Stitches, Red Clay School District, Wilmington

Honorable Mention: Bella Burgett – Paintings With Ranger, Lake Forest School District, Magnolia

Honorable Mention: Evie Sierra – Flutter, Smyrna School District, Clayton

Honorable Mention: Kayla McClure – Ozempig, Department of Corrections, Smyrna

Youth Category:

First Place ($150): Tom Livingstone – Big Monster, Department of Justice, Newark

Second Place ($100): Zoey Cooper – Chickie, Red Clay Early Intervention Program, Newark

Third Place ($50): Mia Truscott – The Dolphin, Department of State, Springfield

Honorable Mentions: Noelle Rambo – The Hammerhead Shark of the Blue Sea, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Harrington

Honorable Mentions: Emily Dallas – Elephant Dish, Delaware Military Academy, Newark

Honorable Mentions: Mary-Jeanne Fennemore – Eyes, Department of Corrections, Middletown

Honorable Mentions: Stephen Douglas III – Oak & Black Walnut Pencil Holder, Delaware State Police, Townsend

Honorable Mentions: Mariano Barrios – Patterned Landscape, Appoquinimink School District, Townsend