ILLUMINATION 2026 - Student Spotlight
We’re proud to showcase the creativity and talent of our student artists who will be featured in Illumination 2026. This collection highlights select submissions, along with the students’ own words about their work. Each piece reflects the unique perspectives and artistic voices of the young creators who help make this event so special.
Pippa Bryan, Freshman at Ensworth — "Between"
"Ever since I was young, art has been my way of expressing emotions that are sometimes too big to say out loud. I started this piece before a fire burned down my home in Los Angeles and finished it as I moved to Nashville. To me, it represents how, even during hardship, creativity will always stay with me even when physical things may not."
Evie Runzo, Junior at Harpeth Hall — "By the Seashore"
"I use painting to express my emotional vulnerability through painting my friends, family, or people or places that have shaped who I am. 'By the Seashore' represents my childhood and the beach, a place I call home. It expresses childhood wonder and my love for the beach through an oil painting."
Brooklyn Pike, Senior at St. Cecilia Academy — "Sign of the Times"
"I use art as an outlet to express myself and my true feelings. I put all of my sadness, my anger, and frustrations into my art as a healthy way of dealing and expressing my emotions. In my photograph, I depict the feelings most teenagers experience by themselves. Teens feel as though they are alone in what they are feeling and no one will understand them. In reality, those feelings are felt by so many teenagers and others all across the world. I hope that my photograph will resonate with someone and make them feel a little less alone."
Sara Paige Dale, Junior at Ensworth — "Dying to Go Back"
"This piece was inspired by the idea of the industrial revolution, along with the concept that as time progresses, mankind is ruining the very earth that gave them life. For me, this work is a realization that time is not only fleeting, but also revealing. Time exposes the truth about humankind, and the ways in which we continue to tarnish our world, while longing endlessly to return to the past."
Becca Mantle, Freshman at Harpeth Hall — "A Simple Life"
"To create this piece I chose a photo of me and my sister on the beach, where we both look carefree and truly happy. I titled the etching 'A Simple Life' because I wanted to emphasize that it is the little, simple moments of joy that lead to a peaceful and successful life, and it is important for people to reserve time to be used for specifically enjoying life."
Illumination 2026
Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating emerging artists and the power of creative expression. Enjoy art, music, food, and community while supporting youth mental health.
