RISING HIGH SCHOOL ARTISTS TAKE OVER AVA GALLERY 

AVA Gallery and Art Center presents its 18th annual exhibition of high school artwork, featuring more than 100 works by emerging artists from 14 regional schools across the Upper Valley. The exhibition opens Friday, February 27, and runs through March 28, 2026. Students, families, educators, and art enthusiasts are invited to attend the opening reception and awards ceremony on Friday, February 27, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, where young artists will be celebrated for their creativity and technical skill. Awards will be presented at 6 PM by juror Amy Morel, a visual artist whose welded steel sculptures and paper collages have been exhibited nationally, and AVA Curator and Exhibition Manager Samantha Eckert.

Each year, AVA invites art faculty from Vermont and New Hampshire high schools to nominate students who demonstrate exceptional promise in their creative work. The exhibition brings together and puts the spotlight on young artists working across multiple disciplines including ceramics, drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, and wearable art. “This exhibition represents the future of art in our region,” said AVA Curator and Exhibitions Manager Samantha Eckert. “These young artists are pushing boundaries, experimenting with materials, and making art that challenges and inspires us. We’re excited to celebrate their achievements and show our community what the next generation is capable of.” Participating schools in 2026 include Cardigan Mountain School, Hanover High School, Hartford High School, Kimball Union Academy, Lebanon High School, Mascoma Valley Regional High School, New England School of the Arts, Proctor Academy, Rivendell Academy, The Sharon Academy, Stevens High School, Thetford Academy, Windsor High School, and Woodstock Union High School.

The exhibition is generously sponsored by Mascoma Bank and Blackberry Hill Art Center, Orford, NH.

About the Juror

Amy Morel is a visual artist whose work often reflects the natural landscape through the lyrical movement of abstraction. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Morel received her BA from Dartmouth College and her MFA from Tufts University/The School of the Museum of Fine Arts. She also studied at the New York Studio School. Morel is a recipient of a Joan Mitchell Foundation MFA Grant Award. Her work has been exhibited at the Cue Art Foundation, NY; the Boston Center for the Arts, MA; Burlington City Arts, VT; and Cristine Rose/Josée Bienvenu Gallery, NY, among other venues. She has exhibited extensively in the Upper Valley and recently participated in the Zero Art Fair in New York. Morel lives and works on a grass-fed beef farm in Barnard, Vermont, with her husband and three children.

Exhibition Details

Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony: Friday, February 27, 5:00–7:00 PM, awards presented at 6 PM.
Exhibition Dates: February 27–March 28, 2026
Location: AVA Gallery and Art Center, 11 Bank Street, Lebanon, NH
Admission: Free and open to the public

Image credits: winning artwork from AVA’s 17th Annual Exhibition. (top, l to r) Tougy Morrison, Jaiden Lee, Elena Wang, Silas Jukosk. (bottom l to r) Laura Hines, Rory Giguere, Henry Wagler, Gideon Trajman.