Now in its third year at Mills Gallery, the Winn-Win Emerging Artists Exhibition has developed a clearer identity and a stronger sense of purpose under the guidance of Executive Director Juan Pablo Santa Luna.
Santa Luna says that the event has evolved into an opportunity for artists to take creative and emotional risks—and to share stories that are both deeply personal and universally relatable.
“This year’s finalists demonstrate that living with purpose is not a destination but an ongoing process of reflection, adaptation and courage,” adds Santa Luna. “They’re helping the exhibition to mature into a community and start a conversation about what it means to move forward with intention, authenticity and hope.”
Santa Luna conceptualized the exhibition—which is slated to run September 23 to November 13—with the late philanthropist Michael Winn, who died in 2024. Winn’s wife, Gail Cox Adams Winn, has continued as co-presenter. Its goal is to serve as a launchpad for up-and-coming artists.
Five finalists were again selected by a team that included Boris Garbe, founder and lead gallerist; Ambar Santiago, operations manager; Victor Bokas, locally based mixed-media artist; and, of course, Santa Luna, also a mixed-media artist and an aptly named cultural “community unifier.”
The overall winner, who will be selected by the same panel, will be the subject of his or her own exhibition at Mills Gallery. Each artist who enters will benefit from an intensive mentorship experience leading up to the grand opening.
Finalists are, coincidentally, all UCF graduates or currently enrolled students. They include Camila Gonzalez, whose paintings explore cultural identity, personal memory and human connection; and Greyson Hertzendorf, whose mixed-media works explore the tension between outward composure and internal unrest.
Others include Rese Lazo, whose paintings focus on political tension, internal struggle and personal identity; Angelina Palmisano, whose landscapes and portraits pay homage to love, friendship and family; and Bethany Skena, whose landscapes reflect the emotional dualities of suburban spaces and ideas of home, memory and belonging.
Partial proceeds from the exhibition as always, will benefit a local nonprofit. This year, Mills Gallery has partnered with the Hi Kid Foundation, which assists low-income families with children who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illness.
Mills Gallery is located at 1650 North Mills Avenue, Orlando. For more information, visit millsgalleryoforlando.com or call 855.336.3653.
