On display in the Betty and Art Robins Group Gallery
July 29 - September 4, 2025
Reception: August 8, 6 - 8 pm
Ribbons will be given out at the reception ~6:45 pm
We believe an artist’s job is to mediate beauty to the world. Though we may never truly replicate the perfection of the natural world, what is born from our attempts is the true and honest work of encapsulating the world’s wonders. Leaving us gobsmacked, stopped dead in our tracks, wonder is a visceral emotion we all experience in our lifetime. We challenge artists to show us the moment when they felt wonder.
Wonder is a juried show open to all artists 16+ years old, all media welcome.
Congratulations to our ribbon winners! Keep reading for the Juror’s statement!
First Place: Ambrosia McCord, Fleeting
Second Place: Joy Amuedo, Meet Phylis
Third Place: Ruthie Moccia, The Scuba Dive
Honorable Mentions:
Brooke Cameron, Oregon Forest Floor
Juliana Blackburn, Applicability
Juror’s Statement
It was truly a pleasure to review artwork submitted for “Wonder”, the juried exhibition at Columbia Art League. I want to begin by thanking every artist who applied. Submitting your work to be seen and considered by others takes both effort and vulnerability—it’s a brave act, and one that makes this kind of exhibition possible.
As juror, I was presented with a remarkable variety of pieces in a wide range of media—paintings, photography, printmaking, ceramics, fibers, and woodwork among them. While the theme of “Wonder” often calls to mind the grandeur and mystery of the natural world, I found myself particularly drawn to works that explored a quieter, more internal sense of wonder: the kind sparked by fleeting moments, expressive characters, and the magic found in everyday life.
Ambrosia McCord’s “Fleeting”, awarded first place, stood out for its evocative stillness. A solitary figure, seated in a warm orange, savors a post-shift cigarette. For me, it felt like a meditation—on exhaustion, on reflection, on what comes after. Other works drew me in through texture, narrative, and unexpected detail. Joy Amuedo’s “Meet Phylis” awarded second place, at first glance appears to be a humble goat. But on closer inspection, it reveals itself as a portrait—rich in personality, layered with expressive brushwork and surprising intricacies. Ruthie Moccia’s “The Scuba Dive”, awarded third place, offers a delightful undersea world. It is playful yet tender in color and form, while hinting at emotional depths beneath the surface.
Honorable mentions were awarded to Moons Rays’ “What Is?”, Brooke Cameron’s “Oregon Forest Floor”, and Juliana Blackburn’s “Applicability”, whose works captured wonder in beautifully diverse ways: through the steady, unflinching gaze of a cat; the rich textures of a lush forest floor; and even the overlooked poetry of a sticker-covered street sign. These works remind us that wonder often lives in small moments—emerging softly, in things we might otherwise overlook.
Kristen Martincic
Juror, “Wonder” Exhibition
Columbia Art League, 2025
