Investing in Artistic Growth Through the Park Gables Gallery Grant
The VMRC Juried Art Exhibition celebrates creativity and artistic achievement, but one opportunity extends beyond the exhibition itself. At this year's awards ceremony, Dana Frostick of Richmond, Virginia, was named the recipient of the 2026 Park Gables Gallery Grant, receiving $1,500 to support continued growth as an artist.
The grant was inspired by the experiences of David Shombert, Director of VMRC's resident-led Juried Art Committee. Earlier in his own artistic journey, Shombert received grants from the Tamarack Foundation in Beckley, West Virginia. Those opportunities inspired the creation of a similar program at VMRC. The program began in 2023 with three $500 grants and evolved in 2024 into a single $1,500 grant available to one artist from any division of the exhibition.
“The Tamarack Foundation made it possible for me to attend Arrowmont Craft School in two different years,” says Shombert. “I know how much that meant to me, and I wanted us to be able to provide that same level of assistance to one of our artists.”
Funded through donations and fundraising efforts coordinated through the VMRC Foundation, the grant allows recipients to attend art or craft schools, study with a mentor, or pursue other educational experiences that will advance their artistic practice.
Receiving the grant was especially meaningful for Frostick.
"As a member of Arts Space, a nonprofit in Richmond, I’ve gotten a lot of grants for the organization. I’ve never gotten a grant for my own. It’s just really exciting. It’s wonderful. It’s a great feeling to have this support and be able to investigate a new field."
She plans to use the grant to explore a new artistic process involving oils, collage, and cold wax techniques while studying with her mentor.
"I’m always layering with Sharpie and acrylic. The layers are really important to me because it’s kind of like history and a record of what happened. Especially with Sharpie and acrylic, you can’t really erase anything; you just have to build on it. And to me, that’s like life: you can’t change the past. You can just add to it. I thought it’d be really interesting to explore a different avenue to express the layers. I want to build the layers differently. I’ve never done this before.”
Just a few years after its creation, the impact of the program is already visible in the accomplishments of past recipients. JoEtta Deaton, the 2025 grant recipient, presented a solo exhibit at VMRC's Park Gables Gallery in May 2026 featuring works created both before and after receiving the grant. Beth Wiseman, the 2024 recipient, was selected by jurors to participate in the 2025 Juried Art Exhibition, while Ainsley Bloomfield, one of the 2023 grant recipients, was selected by jurors for this year's 2026 exhibition.
As an additional benefit, grant recipients are invited to display one piece of artwork in the following year's Juried Art Exhibition without completing the juried selection process. This opportunity allows the community to see the artist's growth and the impact of the grant. For Frostick, that growth is part of a lifelong artistic journey. "I’ve been an artist my whole life. I don’t ever remember not being an artist."
2026 Juried Art Exhibit Award Winners
Division 1
Best in Division 1: Alexander Gray — Red Mandy
Honorable Mention: Brianna Gilpin — Caught In A Moment
Honorable Mention: Michael Meredith — Afternoon
Honorable Mention: Arena Shawn — Sweet As Sunshine
Juror's Choice (Pierleoni): Elizabeth Magness — Riverbend
Juror's Choice (Evans): Stephen Previtera — Remembrance
Division 2
Best in Division 2: Ken Carson — Locked
Honorable Mention: Caitlin Garvey — Luminous Journey
Division 3
Best in Division 3: Anne Zaleski — Fragmented Habitats Hats
Honorable Mention: Rosan Hunter — The World Egg
Honorable Mention: Michael Sorge — Manta Ray Box
Juror's Choice (Manning): Hanna Traynham — Open Flame Vessel
Special Awards
Best in Show: Nancy Dietz — In The Air (Division 1)
Anne Pauley Award: Jacqueline Dulin — Calibration: Stretch Marks
