This April, Art Central Gallery had the honor of hosting a diverse field of talent for our Spring 2026 Juried Art Contest.
We are proud to announce this year’s distinguished winners:
First Place: Blurry Ruin by K. Thurkill
Kristina Thurkill is a figurative artist based in Sioux City, Iowa. Her work explores themes of peace through expressions of grief, often rooted in experiences of loss and trauma. Working primarily in watercolor, charcoal, and graphite, she creates pieces that balance emotional depth with quiet introspection. Thurkill has exhibited at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) and with Qarma Gallery, where her work was featured online during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is set to pursue her Master of Fine Arts at Alfred University beginning in Fall 2026.
Description of Art
In continuation from the graphite drawing (Lost), I was curious to make this image with color. A lot of my work initially started out as graphite and charcoal due to the grief of these subjects, but throughout my journey, I started to understand that not everything had to be somber and colorless. Grief has so many levels and color is very much still a part of it in all forms.
Second Place: Sculptured Mask by J. Quarle
I am an abstract artist that works with textures and acrylic paint. I express art through my emotions. I let art tell my story whether it’s good or bad. It’s my form of breathing fresh air. Sense of hope. Therapeutic in a sense where I feel better about what is currently going on. That’s what art should be. A way to express yourself unapologetically without worry. A space to growth. A space to heal. Abstract art allows one own interpretation to roam free. What you see is your own interpretation
Third Place: Intimacy by S. Goddard
Sharen Goddard is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, author, and creative visionary whose work explores healing, identity, transformation, and the beauty of becoming. Through abstract expression, language, and storytelling, she creates pieces that invite reflection, emotional connection, and deeper self-awareness. Her art is rooted in movement, intuition, and the unseen layers of human experience. Based in Virginia, with roots in Brooklyn, New York, she continues to use creativity as a vessel for truth, liberation, and soulful expression.
Description of Art
Intimacy (In-to-Me-Sea) is an abstract exploration of intimacy as the journey inward. Through layered tones of blue, fluid movement, and textured depth, the piece reflects the emotional currents that exist beneath the surface of self-discovery. It symbolizes vulnerability, healing, and the courage to truly know oneself before seeking connection elsewhere. Like the sea, intimacy holds both calm and depth, softness and power. This work invites viewers to enter their own inner waters, where true connection begins and evolution flows.
ART CENTRAL GALLERY 