Meet the 2026 Jurors

Brie Hayden

Brie Hayden is an American artist renowned for her hyperrealistic graphite drawings of antique bottles. A freehand artist, she is drawn to the challenge of capturing meticulous detail through long hours of devoted work. Her work explores the intersection of imperfection and beauty, craftsmanship, and history, transforming overlooked artifacts into striking contemporary works of fine art that function as both portraits and historical records.

Hayden has exhibited widely at galleries and juried fine art festivals across the Mid-Atlantic and has received numerous accolades, including Top Artist Under 40 at the MOCA Boardwalk Art Show and several Best in Show awards, including at the Bethesda Row Arts Festival. Her drawings are held in private collections nationally and internationally, including those of high-profile celebrity collectors such as Dwayne Johnson, and her work has been featured on local news outlets for its artistic and historical significance. Prior to her studio career, she worked as a professional artist at the world-renowned Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, honing her skills in hyperrealism.

Hayden is an active member of Richmond, Virginia’s vibrant arts community and regularly engages with other artists, museums, collectors, and preservation groups. She conducts extensive research on the objects she depicts, uncovering the stories behind the bottles she draws. Her combination of technical mastery, historical scholarship, and experience exhibiting in juried fine art festivals provides a strong perspective in evaluating contemporary craft and fine art.

Ken Wright

Ken is a native of Richmond, Virginia, a graduate of Norfolk State University with a BFA degree in Fine Arts and Graphics. He is an abstract painter using acrylics, with multiple awards and honors for his work. “See the movement, hear the melody, and feel the emotion”. This is what Ken wants the viewer to experience when viewing his work.

Ken is a former Arts Commissioner for the State of Virginia, appointed by Governor Doug Wilder. He has also served on numerous other arts committees and boards. Ken has lectured and conducted workshops on his work, to name a few the Chrysler Museum, Norfolk, VA, the d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA, the Charles Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA, the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center, Williamsburg, VA., Norfolk State University, Hampton University, Old Dominion University and several arts groups.

Ken feels very blessed to have works in collections locally, and nationally. A few collectors of Ken’s paintings are two U.S. Presidents, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Those pieces hung in the White House and are now in their personal art collections. Other collectors are Bismark Myrick (Deceased, former Ambassador to Liberia West Africa, and Lesotho South Africa), the estate of deceased actress Eartha Kitt. His work is in collections in France, Germany, and Indonesia. Ken has a painting in the permanent collection of the Chesapeake Conference Center, Chesapeake, Virginia. His work is in the collection of many other art collectors locally and nationally. His work has been exhibited on Capitol Hill Washington, D.C. in the office of Senator Mark Warner. His art studio is in the d’Art Center Norfolk, Virginia.

Doug Mock

Doug Mock is an award-winning watercolor artist and teacher living in White Stone, Virginia. Born in 1966 in Central Pennsylvania he was raised in a small dairy farming community where strong work ethic, love of family and appreciation of nature were of major importance. Doug is mostly self-taught, with significant influence by figurative watercolorist Mary Whyte. Mock creates art inspired by people and nature. His work is characterized by unique design, bold color and creative subject matter. Capturing life’s simple moments, Doug’s art connects with collectors on an emo4onal level. Doug has been juried into and regularly appears in shows and exhibitions throughout the United States. His work is appreciated and can be found in private collections throughout the country. He is a member of prominent watercolor organizations and is a signature member of the Virginia Watercolor Society and the Southern Watercolor Society. Doug offers classes and workshops at Crossroads Art Center in Richmond VA, at Gloucester Arts on Main in Gloucester VA, and the RAL Art Center in Kilmarnock VA. Mock also teaches summer camps for children at Collegiate School in Richmond, VA.

Thea Izzi

An award winning artist , Thea Izzi  has been designing and creating her signature jewelry for 30 years. She is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design (BFA 1991) and early in her career was awarded a Fulbright Grant to explore the Divine Feminine in Painting and Sculpture in Florence, Italy. This rich time of study, and exposure to traditional jewelry making techniques continues to influence Thea’s design sense and artistic expression.

She creates modern sculptural jewelry using traditional fabrication and forming techniques. Her work combines mixed precious metals, high karat fused and textured metals, and select minerals and gems. Designing happens at the bench while inspiration is drawn from natural geometry, natural wonders, and both modern and abstract art. Her concentrated exploration of form, contrast, color and luminosity brings together an expansive collection of both limited edition and one of a kind designs.

Thea is originally from the greater Boston area. After years of travel and a 15 year layover in the SF Bay Area, she now calls Rhode Island her home. She is focused on the production of mostly one of a kind works that she sells directly to the public at high end juried craft shows across the US and through her website.

Elizabeth Mead

Professor Mead received her BFA from Philadelphia College of Art and her MFA from Southern Methodist University.

She has been a visiting artist and artist in residence at numerous distinguished institutions including The Slade School of Fine Art, University College, London, England (2001, 2002, 2003, 2013) and Youkobo Art Space, Tokyo, Japan (2002-03). As a recipient of the Japan/US NEA Creative Artist Fellowship (2002-03), Mead spent six months living and working in Japan. She has been awarded many work-stay residencies including Nes Artist Residency Skagaströnd, Iceland (2009), Jentel Artist Residency, Banner, Wyoming (2005), and the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, France (2015, 2018).

Elizabeth Mead uses sculpture, drawing, and photography to create artworks exhibited across the U.S. and internationally in countries like Australia, England, and Japan.

She has designed over two-dozen theatrical productions, collaborating with Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Mead received the Japan/US NEA Creative Artist Fellowship (2002-03) and has been honored by the Dallas Theater League and Theater Communication Group/NEA. She holds degrees from Ecole Internationale de Jacques Lecoq and Sculpture Space. Presently, Mead serves as Professor of Art and W. Reveley III Interdisciplinary Fellow at the College of William & Mary.

Gulay Berryman

Gulay Berryman is an artist and gallerist based in Williamsburg, VA. She received her art training at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts de Versailles, France, di Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milan, Italy and the Ecole du Louvre in Paris, France. She has exhibited in France, Iceland, Senegal, Mauritius, Italy, Oman, Belgium, Switzerland and the United States.  She twice won the American Embassy Paris Art Show (2001-02). In 2005, she was invited to participate in the prestigious biennial in Florence. Gulay was a finalist in the SEETAL 2006 Art Competition by Kunst-Forum-Int’l in Switzerland. Gulay participated in the U.S. Biennial Artist’s Exhibition at the Broadway Gallery, New York in 2010. Her artwork was featured in the 2011 and 2013 editions of “International Contemporary Artists.”

From 2015-2018, Gulay was the owner/director of the Williamsburg Art Gallery located on Merchants Square in historic downtown Williamsburg. In 2017, this gallery was nominated Best in Virginia and one of the 25 Best Art Galleries & Museums in America by American Art Awards. She continues to operate Williamsburg Art Gallery as an online gallery.

In 2017, she was juried into the Art Renewal Center (ARC) as a living artist and in 2019, into the Salmagundi Club of New York. In 2020, Gulay was juried into the International Guild of Realism (IGOR). She is an elected member of the American Artists Professional League (AAPL) and an associate member of Oil Painters of America.