DMC celebrating CAIN National Art Show’s 60th anniversary, holding opening reception on Friday, Feb. 13
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2026
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19:25 PM
Europe/Amsterdam
Guest juror and Brooklyn artist Tabitha Whitley giving “Art Talk” previous day in Richardson Performance Hall
Article by Melinda Eddleman
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We are so honored to have Tabitha Whitley as our juror as the college and Art Program celebrate this milestone year. Her selections show a wide range of materials, subjects and viewpoints that definitely make this year’s show one you need to see.
Elena Rodriguez, DMC Assistant Professor of Art and Cain Gallery Coordinator
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Celestial Swimmer by Artist Kimberly Callas
The free reception is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in Cain Gallery and features the 55 pieces selected by Whitley. The event also includes complimentary catered hors d’ oeuvres from Citrus Bistro and a cash bar. Additionally, the Art Program purchases artwork for its Permanent Collection each year, and those winners will be announced during the event. The reception is supported by an anonymous donor, Del Mar College’s Art faculty and the City of Corpus Christi Arts & Cultural Commission.
The CAIN National Art Show runs weekdays Feb. 16 through April 17 with free public viewing Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to noon Fridays, except during DMC’s Spring Break closing March 9-14.
The Fine Arts Center (Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery) and Richardson Performance Hall are on the DMC Heritage Campus located at 101 Baldwin. Blvd. (78404). Get online directions and campus map. Questions can be directed to the DMC Art Program at 361-698-1216 or art@delmar.edu.
Looks Like it Sounds Good by Artist Andrew Chalfen
On Friday, Feb. 13, Del Mar College and the Art Program with the Art and Drama Department will open the 2026 CAIN National Art Show during a free reception marking the 60th anniversary of the spring exhibit. Drawing entries from artists located across the United States, Brooklyn artist Tabitha Whitley served as guest juror and selected 55 two- and three-dimensional pieces. The free exhibit runs weekdays through April 17 in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery in the Fine Arts Center on the college’s Heritage Campus. Among the artwork selected is Andrew Chalfen’s two-dimensional piece titled Looks Like it Sounds Good. (Credit: contributed)
Curio III by Artist Yomarie Silva- O'Neal_
Artist Yomarie Silva-O’Neal’s three-dimensional piece, Curio III, is among the 55 selected artworks making up Del Mar College’s 60th annual CAIN National Art Show, which opens Feb. 13 in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery on the Heritage Campus. The free opening reception runs 6 to 8 p.m. with the 2026 exhibit remaining open weekdays through April 17. (Credit: contributed)
A Cry For Justice Throughout The Ages by Artist Jesse Howard
Del Mar College and the Art Program with the Art and Drama Department will open the 60th annual CAIN National Art Show with a free reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery on the college’s Heritage Campus. The free exhibit will remain on display weekdays through April 17. Among the 55 artworks selected for this year’s juried show is artist Jessie Howard’s two-dimensional piece “A Cry For Justice Throughout The Ages.” (Credit: contributed)
Whitley noted that while reviewing entries, she “sought works that were not only visually compelling but also grounded in a well-developed concept, and I was particularly drawn to pieces that told human stories.”
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The selected works move between figuration and abstraction and are rooted in narratives of family, place, home, love and grief. I was also drawn to works that embraced playfulness and humor, believing that seriousness of intent can coexist with joy.
Tabitha Whitley, Brooklyn, New York Artist and 2026 CAIN National Art Show Guest Juror
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Brooklyn-born Artist Tabitha Whitley_60th Annual CAIN National Art Show Guest Juror
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2009 followed by her Master in Fine Arts degree in the same medium from the New York Academy of Art in 2011, where she also served as the President of the Alumni Association and on the academy’s Board of Trustees. Learn more about the artist and her work by visiting her website at www.tabithawhitley.com/.
Regarding her final thoughts about the CAIN National Art Show, Whitley said, “As the accepted works came together, a cohesive exhibition began to emerge; and while the show was not required to have a unifying theme, I found reflections of my own story within it.”
“As a native New Yorker born and raised in Brooklyn, I grew up immersed in a rich mix of cultures, languages and identities, so the diverse group of artists, [who represent] a wide range of cultural backgrounds and gender identities, reflects the communities that shaped me as both an artist and a person,” she said, noting: “This exhibition mirrors the inclusivity I hope to see more widely embraced within the art world.”
Visit the Cain Gallery web page at delmar.edu/offices/art/gallery.html.
About Del Mar College
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.
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