Six Black Hawk College students recently were honored for their artistic talent in the 2026 Student Art Exhibition at the Quad-Cities Campus.

The juried competition garnered 50 entries with 27 pieces selected for the show by juror and BHC alum Abi Kongkousonh Frey, interim marketing director for Quad City Arts.

Justyce Watson of East Moline won Best in Show with “False Idol,” an oil painting on canvas.

The BHC art top award winner, “False Idol,” an oil painting by Justyce Watson of East Moline.

Other award winners:

• 2nd – Abigail Hicks of Moline – “Self Portraits” – acrylic
• 3rd – Daisy Blunt of Coal Valley – “Curated Perception” – acrylic on wood panel, mixed media, foam, cardboard and clay
• Honorable mention:

• Nininahazwe Brigitte of Rock Island – “For the Culture” – acrylic
• Kaylee Hanson of Coal Valley – “Be You” – clay
• Ashley Schmoll of Coal Valley – “Diptych (Toying with Reality)” – photography

For more information about art and design programs at Black Hawk College, visit Art, Design and Performing Arts or email ArtDesign@bhc.edu.

Black Hawk College art award winners include (L-R) Kaylee Hanson, Nininahazwe Brigitte, Ashley Schmoll, Daisy Blunt, Abigail Hicks and Justyce Watson (the Best in Show winner).

Please leave this field empty

Free Breaking News
Alerts & Daily Digest
In Your Inbox!

Check your inbox to confirm your subscription.

Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.