Juried show highlights emerging and established artists

An oil painting by Melissa Avera-Cook, House on Fire, won President’s Best of Show.

The 6th Biennial Maryland Regional Juried Art Exhibition (BMRE), on display at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) Arts Program Gallery, features original works by artists from Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Juror Preston Sampson, a nationally recognized artist and arts educator, reviewed more than 450 submissions including painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, fiber, glass, ceramics, wood, metal, photography, and mixed media. For Sampson, the challenge was not finding quality but narrowing it to the 45 works he ultimately selected for the show.

Artist Marla McClean with her Juror’s Choice award-winning work John Lewis Prayer Wheel for Good Trouble.

“What makes this show special is its diversity—of techniques, styles, and artists—coming together to reflect the vibrancy of the local art community,” Sampson said. Submissions included works by established and emerging artists alike.

UMGC Arts Program Director Eric Key announced the winning entries at the exhibition’s opening reception on June 7. 

First place (President’s Best of Show Award) was awarded to Melissa Avera-Cook for House on Fire, an oil painting selected for its scale, visual intensity, and emotional impact.

Second place (Juror’s Choice Award) was awarded to Marla McClean for John Lewis Prayer Wheel for Good Trouble, a mixed-media work that incorporates historical and symbolic elements.

Artist Linda Syverson Guild stands next to her fiber work Circles 3 at the BMRE opening reception on June 7.

Jeff Bohlander earned third-place honors (Award of Merit) for Buckminster’s Dome, a large-scale mixed-media piece that explores structural form.

Three works were awarded honorable mentions: The Elixir of Tea by Teresa Jarzynski, Rhythm v1 by Carly Mul, and Circles 3 by Linda Syverson Guild.

"Our Arts Program is an important component of how we serve our broader community," said UMGC President Gregory W. Fowler, PhD. "This work aligns with our institutional commitment to expanding access to learning, and to experiences that enrich and transform lives."

Many of the participating artists attended the June 7 BMRE opening reception. Elisabetta Marmolo stands with her work Am I Pretty?

As Key explained, the exhibition aims “to introduce local artists to the curators and staff of the UMGC Arts Program” while recognizing “the tremendous artistic talent in our region.”

The UMGC Arts Program has been a cornerstone of the university’s cultural outreach since 1978, cultivating a permanent collection that includes works by Maryland artists, international creators, and centuries-old Asian art. 

The BMRE exhibition is open to the public 9 a.m.–9 p.m. daily through August 9, 2026, in the UMGC Arts Program Gallery, on the lower level of the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland.

UMGC President Gregory W. Fowler, PhD (back row, second from left) with artists featured in the exhibit at the opening event on June 7.