November 28, 2025 - January 4, 2026
McKelvey Charitable Fund Gallery
Artist Reception Saturday, December 13th, 5-7PM
The Standing Out exhibition honors three artists selected from the previous year’s The Big Wave! showcase by the 2024 guest juror, Joe Schenk the former director of the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi for their exceptional work and artistic merit.
2025 Merit Artist Winners
JEANNA PEÑA
Ceramics, Installation Sculpture
South Padre Island, TX
DINAH BOWMAN
Gyotaku, Collage, Nature-printing
Portland, TX
MICHELLE BELTO
Encaustic Painting
San Antonio, TX
Standing Out 2026
During The Big Wave! exhibition, a guest juror selects three artists to participate in a special group exhibition on view from December 2026 through January 2027. Artists must have artwork in The Big Wave! exhibition to be eligible for the Merit Artist Award.
The esteemed guest juror for 2025 is Aleida García, Director of the San Benito Cultural Arts Department. A Rio Grande Valley resident and University of Texas–Pan American alumna, García brings over twenty years of experience as an artist, curator, and community leader. Her background spans studio practice, artist-run initiatives, and community-focused cultural programming—perspectives that strongly inform her approach as a juror. García’s selections will shape a thoughtfully juried, high-caliber three-person exhibition.
Each artist selected for the 2026 Merit Artist Award will receive a studio visit from a member of the Rockport Center for the Arts Exhibition Committee. These visits are intended to support and guide artists as they develop a body of work for Standing Out 2026.