Mount St. Mary Academy art students recently competed at the 2026 Arkansas Young Artist Association (AYAA) Competition and Convention in Hot Springs on Friday, April 10, where they took home nine awards for excellence in the visual arts. Additionally, Tessa Hendon ’26 received one of the $750 AYAA scholarships awarded at the event.
According to AYAA’s Facebook page, the organization hosted approximately 60 schools and 1,300 students in this year’s art competition. MSM students spent months preparing for it, creating works of art in a wide range of mediums, styles and subjects. Many of these pieces were on display at Mount’s Arts Nite on Thursday, April 23.
Congratulations to our 2026 AYAA winners:
Ireland Galusha ’27 – honorable mention in mixed media 2-D (expressive)
Maggie Gangluff ’27 – 1st place in watercolor (realistic)
Isabelle Herring ’29 – 4th place first-year design/craft
Dafnee Luna ’27 – 1st place in pencil/graphite (expressive), 4th place in tempera (expressive) and 4th place in on-site pencil/graphite
Olivia Pannell ’27 – 1st place in acrylic (abstract/non-objective)
Blaire Potts ’29 – 1st place first-year pencil/graphite
Natalie Sansoulet ’28 – 4th place first-year painting
AYAA is the largest organization of high school visual arts students in Arkansas, with over 60 high school chapters and more than 1,500 student members. Founded in 1979, its mission is to encourage participation in the visual arts by Arkansas students through professional speakers, competitions, exhibitions and scholarships.