Northland Pioneer College’s (NPC) Talon Gallery is currently showcasing an impressive collection of artwork curated from students and community members residing throughout Navajo and Apache counties. The Locally Grown 2025 exhibit celebrates homegrown talent and creativity and will be on display through December 5 at the gallery, located on NPC’s Show Low campus. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Each year, Locally Grown is juried by a different professional artist. This year’s juror, ceramic artist Heather Spontak, noted, “This was a really wonderful showcase of works from many mediums and was certainly a challenge to judge.” She continued, “My intention was to curate the show based on the highest quality works submitted and to represent pieces from each genre.”

Spontak holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Tennessee State University and was a former resident artist at Odyssey Clayworks in Asheville, North Carolina. Over the last five years, she has taken her artistry to the road, traveling throughout the western United States with her camper and mobile pottery studio. She currently resides in Arizona. For Spontak, working with clay brings her closer to the natural elements surrounding her and the delicate details hidden within everyday life. “I am constantly intrigued by shadows from plants, weather, surfaces and the shapes between objects,” she said.

“Oftentimes, the subtleties of our daily lives are overlooked. Working with clay is an outlet and an opportunity to bring attention to the objects and tiny details that make life beautiful.” Learn more about Spontak and her work at www.heatherspontak.com.

This year’s show features art in a vast array of formats. From colored pencil sketches to 3D art pieces and ceramics, the blend of artistry and creativity showcases the vast array of talent in our communities. The winners of this year’s exhibit will be announced during an awards ceremony and closing reception on Friday, December 5, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Talon Gallery. First, second, and third-place selections win cash prizes.

The Talon Gallery is located in the Aspen Center on NPC's Show Low – White Mountain Campus, 1001 W. Deuce of Clubs. The gallery is open to the public Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Fridays, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on weekends and college holidays.

For additional information about the Locally Grown exhibit or gallery shows, contact Magda Gluszek at 532-6176, (800) 266-7845, ext. 6176, or email magda.gluszek@npc.edu.