Youth artists shine in Redlands Art Association’s 2025 Expo

REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Art Association’s annual Youth Art Expo returned over Memorial Day weekend with its largest showing since before the pandemic, drawing more than 120 entries from student artists across the region.

Hosted in conjunction with Art in the Park, the 2025 show introduced two new award categories—High School 3-D Art and the MCAEEF Special Award—and recognized winners in five age divisions, plus overall Best in Show recipients.

The art was displayed in an exhibition tent on Eureka Street outside Smiley Library. Hands-on art activities were available to children of all ages next to the exhibits.

Top honors went to:

• K–2nd Grade: First Prize – Aubrey Wang, Birds Singing Spring

• 3rd–5th Grade: First Prize – Eva Tacchia, Echos of Self

• 6th–8th Grade: First Prize – Fuhan Xue, Oscar Howe

• 9th–12th Grade: First Prize – Anna Song, Homesick

Best in Show awards went to Jackson Grenfell (Santa Barbara Mission) in the K–5 division and Eva Rodriguez (The Princess of Childhood) in the 6–12 division.

The new High School 3-D Art category recognized Amber Phillips’ ceramic sculpture The Jolly Gator with first prize. Other winning pieces included Blue Glazed Bust by Shyla Cerbantes and Whale Shark by Clarise Cameron.

A special award from the Margaret Clark Art Education Enrichment Fund (MCAEEF) was presented to Redlands High School senior Trinity Hernandez for her sculptural piece Quetzalcoatl Y Xolotl, honoring the twin Aztec gods through expressive form, color, and historical reflection.

“Much of their mythology has been lost through time and colonization,” Hernandez wrote in her artist’s statement. “I used what we know of the pair to sculpt this piece, taking from the known colors and remaining depictions.”

Organizers say the show’s revival and growth post-COVID reflect the community’s strong support for arts education and creative expression.

2025 Youth Art Expo Winners

Kindergarten – 2nd Grade

• 1st Prize: Aubrey Wang – Birds Singing Spring

• 2nd Prize: Yesmeena Alshyoukh – Untitled

• 3rd Prize: Elizabeth Guo – My Family

• Honorable Mention: Rickesh Taj Gehlot – Bananas

3rd – 5th Grade

• 1st Prize: Eva Tacchia – Echos of Self

• 2nd Prize: Maximilian Velasco – Rainy City

• 3rd Prize: Calvin CEO O’Donnell – Our Camp Site

• Honorable Mention: Yuhong Pan – Comics: Super Duper Beats

6th – 8th Grade

• 1st Prize: Fuhan Xue – Oscar Howe

• 2nd Prize: Hancock Li – Praying Hands

• 3rd Prize: Sophia Che – Embracing Peace

• Honorable Mention: Rhiannon Haire – A Peaceful Place

9th – 12th Grade

• 1st Prize: Anna Song – Homesick

• 2nd Prize: Rhyan Reed – The Shadow of the Forest

• 3rd Prize: Tyler Kalanjian – Veiny Paint

• Honorable Mention: Kouture Rudedas – Wave Over Face

Best in Show

• K – 5th Grade: Jackson Grenfell – Santa Barbara Mission

• 6th – 12th Grade: Eva Rodriguez – The Princess of Childhood

High School 3-D Art

• 1st Prize: Amber Phillips – The Jolly Gator

• 2nd Prize: Shyla Cerbantes – Blue Glazed Bust

• 3rd Prize: Clarise Cameron – Whale Shark

• Honorable Mention: Maya Francisco – Fairy House (cookie jar)

Margaret Clark Art Education Enrichment Fund (MCAEEF)

2025 Special Award for Unique Interpretation, Use of Color and Materials

• Recipient: Trinity Hernandez – Quetzalcoatl Y Xolotl, Redlands High School, 12th Grade

Arts, Community Spotlight article by Stephanie Hastings Miranda, Community Forward Redlands, 2025. Read the original article here.