The Bruce Museum announces the opening of iCreate 2026, the annual regional juried art exhibition organized by high school students for high school students. Now in its 18th year, iCreate 2026 showcases the extraordinary talent of young artists from Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey and is a perennial favorite of visitors to the Bruce.
This year’s iCreate exhibition received an impressive 145 submissions from 42 high schools. A team of volunteer students along with a judging committee selected 20 exceptional pieces to be featured and displayed in the Bruce Museum’s Susan and Bill Mahoney Gallery Lobby. These works will compete for several awards, including first, second, and third place prizes, three honorable mention awards, and the People’s Choice Award. All the awards include cash prizes.
A unique feature of iCreate is that each finalist submits an artist’s statement to provide context for their work. These statements add depth and personal insight, highlighting the profound themes and stories behind the art. Among the notable works are:
Phoebe Xu, Hold Still, 2025, Oil on canvas, Horace Greeley High School, 9th grade. Artist Statement: This oil painting captures a childhood memory that gradually becomes unsettling, reflecting generational tension and change forced by others rather than chosen for oneself. Through the metaphor of cutting hair, Xu symbolizes the struggle between self-expression and cultural expectations across generations.
Jamey Rosado, The Legacy Character, 2026, Colored pencil on paper, Stamford High School, 12th Grade
Artist Statement: This color pencil triptych depicts a masked vigilante passing his role down to his “son,” symbolizing the legacy of comics and artistic inspiration within Rosado’s family. Inspired by his father’s comic book collection and characters like Batman and Robin, the work reflects the connection between his father, older brother, and himself.
Gianna Park, Forbidden Feast: A Meal Covered in Plastic, 2025, Acrylic paint and gel pen on board, Bergen County Academies, 11th grade Artist Statement: This acrylic paint piece depicts a plastic-covered traditional Korean meal centered around mackerel, a fish known for its health benefits. Inspired by the Hackensack River in New Jersey that was designated as a Superfund Site due to heavy contamination, Park created this piece in hopes to highlight the effect of plastic as an environmental and human threat.
Nine dedicated interns worked tirelessly to coordinate and moderate the success of this exhibition. From organizing the layout of the artwork to creating social media posts around the event, the interns worked behind the scenes to ensure the operations of iCreate run smoothly.
These outstanding high school seniors and the colleges they will attend this fall are:
So Achiwa, Blind Brook High School, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Chelsey Bancroft, Westhill High School, Salve Regina University
Kathryn Diem, Stamford High School, Boston University
Christopher Gomez, Greenwich High School, University of Connecticut
Nundhini Mascarenhas, Stamford High School, University of Connecticut
Lorelei McGowan, Greenwich High School, Smith College
Greta Murdoch, Rye High School, University of St Andrews
Joanna Schutzer, Scarsdale High School, University of Texas at Austin
Dylan Striar, Blind Brook High School, Union College
The iCreate competition continues to be a popular exhibition for visitors and a platform for young artists to express their creativity and share their unique perspectives. The Bruce Museum invites everyone to visit the exhibition, experience these compelling works, and support the next generation of artists.
Leadership support for iCreate 2026 is generously provided by The David T. Langrock Foundation.
Located in Bruce Park, overlooking the Long Island Sound in Greenwich, Connecticut, the Bruce Museum harnesses the transformative potential of art and science to spark curiosity and connection. Established in 1912 with a multidisciplinary vision, the museum houses a unique collection that encompasses visual arts as well as works of scientific, historical, and cultural significance spanning millennia. With education at its core, the Bruce offers a wide-ranging exhibition and public program, serving as a dynamic laboratory for discovery that welcomes and engages visitors of all ages.
The Bruce underwent a dramatic expansion and upgrade in 2023 with the opening of a new building that doubled its size and tripled its gallery spaces. In its new state-of-the-art home, the Bruce is deepening its role as a vital resource for learning, community building, and connectivity. For more information, visit www.brucemuseum.org