Evening of Art
Annual Student Achievement Awards

Evening of Art is our annual student achievement celebration, launched in 2007 to recognize and encourage young artists in our community. This youth-focused fundraiser showcases student artwork, presents awards in multiple categories, and helps create pathways for students to continue their artistic education. Community support makes this event possible, and you can get involved by sponsoring awards, contributing prizes, attending, or giving directly to youth programs.

Join us for our 19th Annual Evening of Art Details

The 19th Annual Evening of Art will be held
Saturday, April 18, 2026
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Hemet Public Library: 300 East Latham Ave, Hemet, CA 92543.

This special evening features student art and awards, member artwork available for purchase, a silent auction, live demonstrators, a gift basket raffle, and hors d’oeuvres with wine.

Admission is $15. Buy tickets at the gallery or online for Will Call only.

Gallery Location: 144 N. Harvard St., Hemet, CA 92543
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Call if you have questions: (951) 652-4592

5% Cover the Fee

Hemet Valley Art Association, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization Tax ID #95-3181720

Evening of Art Ticket
$15.00

Each year, many people step forward to make Evening of Art a success. Below are highlights of the student winners in Fine Art, Photography, 2D and 3D, and Ceramics, along with the corporate sponsors, demonstrators, sponsor level donors, auction and basket donors, and community partners who have generously supported Evening of Art in recent years. To everyone named here, and to the many members, friends, and supporters whose names may not appear on this list, we offer our deepest gratitude for believing in the power of art and investing in the next generation of creators.

18th Annual Evening of Arts 2025

  • 1st Place: Chrissie Bugendyment, “Hills Burn in California,” Hemet High School

    2nd Place: Valerina Hernandez, “Lost in the Forest,” Hemet High School

    3rd Place: Jasmine Martinez, “Man and Moth,” Hemet High School

  • 1st Place: Ethan Arevalo, “Pier Reflections,” West Valley High School

    2nd Place: Valerina Hernandez, “Bumble Bee,” Hemet High School

    3rd Place: Alexia Leon, “The Long Summer,” Tahquitz High School

  • 1st Place: Lillian Gutierrez, “The Vivid Platter,” Academy of Innovation

    2nd Place: Natalie Manquez, “Journey Through Peaks,” Tahquitz High School

    3rd Place: Dazy Delong, “Interlude,” Tahquitz High

  • 1st Place: Damien Ascencio, “Tooth and Brain,” West Valley High School

    2nd Place: Nadir Landin, “Moon Rocket,” West Valley High School

    3rd Place: Paula Terrazas, “The Bloom and the Burial,” Hemet High School

    • Valerie Drummer State Farm Insurance 951-658-2288

    • Steve Kosta Century 21 Masters 951-442-9125

    • Linda “Vivian” Baranek (basket making)

    • Nipa Swope (acrylic pour)

    • Jose Pacheco (sculpture)

    • Miyoko Whittelsey (watercolor)

    • Jenny Gagnon (gourds)

    • State Farm Insurance, Valerie Drummer Esther Feigenbaum

    • Alison Wieman

    • Mike Yeager & Earl McNeese

    • Centruy 21 Masters, Steve Kosta Diane Klewenhagen

    • Sherri Domenigoni

    • Leonard & Sandi Gleason

    • Richard Lacasso

    • Jacqueline Peterson

    • Linda “Vivian” Baranek

    • Esther Feigenbaum

    • Diane Klewenhagen

    • Teddy Oatey

    • Betty Pilley

    • Pamela Flinn Schanuel

    • Lynn Throckmorton

    • Miyoko Whittelsey

    • Alison Wieman

    • Cathy Woolery

    • Mike Yeager

    • Polly’s Pies

    • Rockin’ K Restaurant

    • Los Vaqueros Mexican Restaurant

    • Century 21 Masters, Steve Kosta

    • City of Hemet & Hemet City Council

    • Dr. Corey Jackson, CA State Assemblymember

    • Dr. Yxstian Gutierrez, 5th District Supervisor, Riverside Co. Harvard Street Bakery

    • Hemet Chamber of Commerce

    • Hemet Concert Association

    • Hemet Heritage Foundation

    • Hemet Police Department

    • Hemet Public Library, Kathye Caines

    • Historic Hemet Theatre

    • Ramona Hillside Players

    • State Farm Insurance, Valerie Drummer

17th Annual Evening of Arts 2024

  • Hemet High School

    2nd Place: Aries Luttrull - “Leviathan” - West Valley High School

    3rd Place: Valeria Morales - “Mandela Kin

  • 1st Place: Lusita Madera -“It’s Evoiving” - West Valley High School

    2nd Place: Alecxa Ruiz -“Sorry For Leaving So Early” - Hemet High School

    3rd Place: Ariana Maya Mateo -“Abnora Coral Crusted” - West Valley High School

  • 1st Place: Jackson Morgan - “Out of Time” - Temescal Canyon High School

    2nd Place: Johnny Becerra -“Streetlights” - Tahquitz High School

    3rd Place: IsaBel Chavez – Untitled - Tahquitz High School

  • Hemet High School

    • Greyson Biship, “Giraffe,” ceramic

    • Katelyn Brown, “Blue Denim” acrylic painting

    • Bransel John Mejia, “Flavors of Togethernesss,” mixed media

    Alessandro High School

    • BraNajah Lawson, Untitled, pencil drawing

    West Valley High School

    • Maureen Jimeniz, “The Racoon,” painting

    • Eric Giberson, Woodworking’

    • Betty Pilley, Watercolor

    • Igor Koutsenko, Mixed Media

    • Sean Spoto, Acrylics

    • Rachel Welch, Acrylics

    • Eric Giberson, Woodworking’

    • Betty Pilley, Watercolor

    • Igor Koutsenko, Mixed Media

    • Sean Spoto, Acrylics

    • Rachel Welch, Acrylics

    • $1,000 anonymous matching donor (Those who matched anonymous donor)

    • Valene Drummer, State Farm Insurance

    • Andrew & Amanda Kotyuk, SoCal Propane

    • Raising Cane’s

    • Sheryl Cooley

    • Diane Klewenhagen-Gutierrez

    • Oehler Ranch

    • Ladies of the Lakes

    • Mike & Linda Baranek

    • Leonard & Sandi Gleason

    • The Lakes at Hemet West

    • Jacqueline Peterson

    • Steve & Lesley Doyle

    • James Winters

    • Jan Fifield

    • Anna Ives

    • Dan Wagner, Sanctum Games, Temecula

    • Grocery Outlet, Hemet

    • Linda Greilich, Golden Era Productions, San Jacinto

    • Los Vaqueros Restaurant, Hemet

    • Michael William Salon, Hemet

    • Red Robin, Hemet

    • Raising Cane’s, Hemet

    • Rockin’ K Ranch Restaurant, Hemet

    • Sandra Dunn, Hemet

    • Target, Hemet

    • Starbucks, Hemet

    • Tractor Supply, Hemet

    • City of Hemet

    • Hemet City Council

    • Hemet Public Library, Kathye Caines

    • Hemet Chamber of Commerce

    • Hemet Heritage Foundation

    • Hemet Police Department

    • Harvard Street Bakery

    • Willdebietz Music Conservatory

    • All Out Printing Plus

    • Historic Hemet Theater

  • $10,000 RCNAF Grant
    HVAA submitted a Riverside County Nonprofit Assistance Fund (RCNAF) grant application to Riverside County District 5 in February. Alison Wieman did most of the writing, while Sheryl Cooley ferreted out the materials required to be sent with it. Apart from the hassle in locating all the documentation, the most difficult thing was responding to the questions and written requirements on the online form itself. The information typed into it kept “disappearing,” requiring endless hours of laying it in again. Finally, with the help of the grant adminis-trator (Inland Empire Community United Way) representative who reached out to us late in the process (and who, by the way, deserves to be sainted), Alison slipped the application in just under the wire!

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