2026 ian hassett memorial art award
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This award is open to graduating high school seniors at most high schools in the Santa Maria Valley (Righetti, Santa Maria, Pioneer, Delta & Orcutt Academy) as well as those who are homeschooled or attending a Charter high school. ​
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For 2026 our Art Award is $2,500
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Deadline to apply: May 1, 2026.
Application Process: To help make this process as easy as possible, you can apply via our Google form (click the APPLY NOW button below) or click on the QR code. If you have additional questions about this art award, please contact us at info@ianmhassett.com
To date, the Foundation has given out just under $30,000 to emerging artists in our community.
2025 Ian hassett memorial art award
We are pleased to announce the winner for the 2025 Ian M. Hassett Memorial Art Award is....
Jade Reyes from Righetti High School
Here are just some the judges comments regarding Jade's work......Your monochromatic work has some really strong use of texture and shadow that brings a lot of depth to your work. As you move into your chromatic work you can see that you’re really capturing some rich colors. You use some really interesting shapes in your shadows and your blending gives your work a really delicate quality. There’s also a whimsical or serene feeling to your work, there’s something tranquil and isolated in the images. I would encourage you to explore and play with your composition a bit more, you have some really intriguing work that draws the viewer into your focal point. You also have a wide breadth of graphic and painterly work, some work soft and blended and some harsher edges and precise lines. Keep up the great work!"
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NOTE: ALL ARTWORK DISPLAYED IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST AND ALL COPYRIGHT LAWS APPLY. IT IS ILLEGAL TO COPY OR REPRODUCE ANY ARTWORK WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE INDIVIDUAL ARTIST.
the story behind the art awards
Just a few months before Ian's death, he expressed an interest in learning how to use a computer system that would allow him to create graphic art. Our friends and family heard about Ian's 'wish' and a fundraiser was born. A Santa Maria style BBQ along with several bake sales were organized by friends and the response was overwhelming! Over $10,000 was raised and we were able to purchase the Cintiq drawing system Ian was hoping for. His condition worsened rapidly but he was able to use his Cintiq in the last weeks/days of his life. We talked to Ian just a few days before he died about the idea of establishing an art scholarship at his high school with the left over money from his fundraiser. He got this huge grin and asked us to call it the Ian Hassett Memorial Art Award