More than 130 young artists submitted their artwork for Youth in Arts’ annual RISING STARS exhibit. The show, in its 34th year, features the best high school artists from public, private, and alternative schools across Marin County.
The showcase runs February 8 through April 11. It features drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, mixed media, and digital artwork from emerging youth artists. The art is on display at the YIA Gallery at 917 C St. in the Downtown San Rafael Arts District, weekdays from 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free.
Visual art teachers from 14 Marin County high schools nominated their top 12 students for the juried show. Winners were announced on Saturday, February 8, at the YIA Gallery with the top prize going to Avani Mahyavanshi from San Rafael High School. The College of Marin provided semester-long scholarships for the Best in Show and Best in Category winners to take continuing arts education courses. Youth in Arts awarded a total of 38 prizes, and a full list of winners can be found below.
The exhibition was blindly adjudicated on February 3rd by volunteer judges Marissa Gianno of Marrow Gallery, Sarah Shepard of Sarah Shepard Gallery, and Travis Weller of Look West Gallery. Sponsors include College of Marin, Rileystreet Art Supply, Dominican University of California, and The Laurel Graver & Scott Kaplan Family Trust.
Participants include Archie Williams High School, Compass Academy, Marin Academy, Marin Catholic High School, Marin School of the Arts, Novato High School, Redwood High School, San Domenico School, San Rafael High School, Tamalpais High School, Terra Linda High School, The Branson School, and Tomales High School.
Artist Susan Diglioni founded RISING STARS in 1991, believing that young artists should be recognized for their talents. The show has been championed and perpetuated by emeritus board member, Sheila Tuffanelli since she brought it to Youth in Arts in 2011.
RISING STARS 2025 Award Winners
Best in Show – Avani Mahyavanshi, San Rafael High School
Best Drawing – Abigail Baker, Archie Williams High School
Best Mixed Media – Kiyoko Ellis Williams, Tamalpais High School
Best Painting – Hilary Knowles, Tamalpais High School
Best Photo – Caden Marinozzi, Tamalpais High School
Best Sculpture – Zhalet Baharestan, San Domenico
Merit Drawing – Indigo Prasad, Marin Academy
Merit Mixed Media – Heath Carbone, Redwood High School
Merit Painting – Ari Martinez, San Marin High School
Merit Photo – Drayson Jaffee, Marin Academy
Merit Sculpture – Grace Kelly, Marin Catholic
Dominican Prize – Ella Luftig, Tomales High School
Honorable Mention – Amelia Lucey, Archie Williams High School
Honorable Mention – Akina Remer, Archie Williams High School
Honorable Mention – Rosina Santucci, Archie Williams High School
Honorable Mention – Daniel Carson, Marin School of The Arts at Novato High School
Honorable Mention- Disa Doan, Marin School of The Arts at Novato High School
Honorable Mention – Becca Mark, Novato High School
Honorable Mention – Zoë Wells, Redwood High School
Honorable Mention – Athena Goldstein, Redwood High School
Honorable Mention – Emmaline Dean, San Domenico
Honorable Mention – Angel O’Neil, San Domenico
Honorable Mention – Angus Bly, San Domenico
Honorable Mention – Lea Ortiz, San Marin High School
Honorable Mention – Sydney Lewis, San Rafael High School
Honorable Mention – Layla Porter, San Rafael High School
Honorable Mention – Harper (Plum) Lee, Tamalpais High School
Honorable Mention – Eavyania Hall, Tamalpais High School
Honorable Mention – Sabine Fuchs, The Branson School
Honorable Mention – Ben Bracco, Tomales High School
Honorable Mention – Josh Flores, Tomales High School
Graver/Kaplan Prize – Reina Buchanan, Marin Academy
Graver/Kaplan Prize – Lily Pirsch, Marin Catholic
Graver/Kaplan Prize – Nami Wolfus, San Domenico
Riley Street Prize – Malcom Charles Hardy, Novato High School
Riley Street Prize – Fiona Bailey, Tamalpais High School
Riley Street Prize – Matthew Murphy, Tamalpais High School
Riley Street Prize – Anina Yang, The Branson School