Since 2005, Homer Council on the Arts has presented the annual Community Arts Awards as a way to support local artists. These awards not only recognize individuals who do SO much for the community, but also advocate for the arts as a powerful local force for community economic and educational development.
Over the years, many of the awards have been named in honor of individuals whose lifetime of work embodies the spirit of that award.
2021 Community Arts Award Recipients
Mary Epperson Lifetime Achievement Award
PAUL DUNGAN
Paul Dungan discovered his love for clay at age 15, and makes his living as a potter and sculptor. Dungan apprenticed and studied under Toshiko Takaezu at Princeton University. He has served as a ceramics instructor at Kodiak Community College and the University of Alaska Anchorage. His work is in the permanent collections of the Anchorage Museum and several public commissions. He has presented Artists-in-the-Schools residencies in Alaska, and has taught and mentored numerous potters from his studio in Homer. Paul writes, “I intend my work, whether functional or sculptural, to reach people on an equally deep and personal level, transforming common experience into moments of resonance and reflection.” HCOA would like to acknowledge Paul for his professionalism, commitment and contributions to the arts. He sets an excellent example and model for all artists who wish to pursue their craft.
Artist of the Year
KIM MCNETT
Kim McNett is a dedicated artist whose work over the past year shows not only a great diversity of projects but a commitment to arts, community, and environment. She was commissioned to illustrate over 100 birds for the Chugach Regional resource Commission, collaborated on a comic series to illustrate ecology stories shared through a Wisdom Keepers workshop, and has completed custom commissions and illustrations for scientific publication. She created a Peatland Journal for the Homer Peatland Project and Art For Peat exhibit at the Pratt Museum, was artist-in-residence at Bunnell Street Arts Center in December 2021, developing work focused on the ecology of the Beluga Wetlands for a mural at the Homer Airport, and was the featured artist for the Rainforest Festival in Petersburg, AK. Additionally, Kim has presented 2 Artist in the Schools residencies, an Art a la Carte workshop, and gave a virtual workshop tour of Grewingk Glacier for the Wild Wonder International Nature Journaling Conference.
Arts Advocate
LITTLE FOOT
Little Foot is an Alaska raised visual artist, musician, and advocate working to fight youth housing insecurity. Foot served as statewide lead for the Youth Alaska Action Board on Housing and Homelessness (YAABHH) and member of the Continuum of Care Board for the Balance of State. Foot is the founder of Houseless Records, giving a platform and artistic opportunities to homeless musicians in Alaska and throughout her travels. During 2020-21, Foot served as the community coordinator for “Finding Home in Homer,” connecting housing-insecure youth with artist mentors to create artwork and an exhibit exploring home and homelessness. Foot’s tireless dedication to the project, the participating youth artists, and the issue of housing insecurity carried it to fruition. Little Foot is not only an advocate for the arts, but integrates the arts with social issues to envision and create a better future.
Mary Langham Volunteer of the Year Award
ABE ABRAHAMSON
Abe has turned his workshop tinkering into a prep site for numerous community art projects. Last year he built over 200 swallow and owl houses for kids to paint, and over 30 frames for stretching and painting silk, resulting in 300 painted silk windsocks. In 2020, Abe cut and delivered Christmas trees from his own property, raising over $200 for HCOA’s youth scholarship fund. Abe’s tireless generosity of labor, supplies, creativity, and humor are a gift to our entire community!
Jill Berryman Art Educator Award
CARLY GARAY
Carly returned to Homer in 2019, and has been one of HCOA’s regular Art a la Carte teachers since then. A licensed K-12 teacher with art endorsement, Bachelor of Fine Arts (UAA), Master of Arts in teaching (Lewis & Clark), Carly crafts lesson plans to inspire and provoke student creativity. She has nimbly shifted her teaching in response to COVID, and as director of the Hungry Hat Circus and a studio artist, she invites youth and adults to participate through workshops and gallery visits. Her 2021 exhibit “The Art of Ancestor Veneration” included adult workshops and connected to elementary curriculum during gallery tours.
Diane Borgman Youth Artist of the Year Award
MARIAH MCGUIRE
A Homer High School senior, Mariah McGuire is unafraid to take on ambitious challenges as she seeks to constantly expand her techniques and creativity. Her creative ideas explore identity, language, culture, myth, and raw expressions of the human experience. She is an active collaborator, providing great feedback and insight to her peers and in discussions about art and life.
Kathy and Mike Pate Business Award
BODETT & CO.
Tom Bodett came to local prominence as a commentator on KBBI in the 1980s, and recorded radio programs including “Bodett and Company” at Homer High School. Tom submitted work to the Kenai Peninsula Writers Contest, and went on to become a regular sponsor of the program. A founding donor of the Homer Foundation, Tom maintains his ties to Homer despite relocation to Vermont and national prominence as a writer, actor, humorist, and woodworker. After a seven-year hiatus, Homer Council on the Arts revived the Kenai Peninsula Writers’ Contest in 2020. Bodett and Company generously stepped up to support literary arts at the end of the road. HCOA and the Homer community are grateful for the support of Bodett & Company.
Past Community Arts Award Recipients
2020 WINNERS
Mary Epperson Lifetime Achievement
BRAD HUGHES
Artist of the Year
DEBORAH POORE
Art Advocate
RIKA MOUW
Mary Langham Volunteer of the Year
CINDY NELSON
Jill Berryman Arts Education Award
ALAYNE TETOR
Diane Borgman Youth Artist of the Year
ELLA BLANTON YOURKOWSKI
Kathy & Mike Pate Business Award
KACHEMAK BAY BROADCASTING INC.
2019 WINNERS
Mary Epperson Lifetime Achievement
JOY STEWARD
Artist of the Year
LYNNE BURT
Art Advocate
LINDA REINHART
Mary Langham Volunteer of the Year
GUNDEGA ŠNEPSTE
Jill Berryman Arts Education Award
KYLE SCHNEIDER
Diane Borgman Youth Artist of the Year
KATIA HOLMES
Kathy & Mike Pate Business Award
KP BRASS BAND – ALIBI BAR & GRILL
2018 WINNERS
Mary Epperson Lifetime Achievement
MARK ROBINSON
Artist of the Year
JENNIFER NORTON
Art Advocate
DANIEL PERRY
Mary Langham Volunteer of the Year
N LYNN WHITMORE
Jill Berryman Arts Education Award
SHARLENE CLINE
Diane Borgman Youth Artist of the Year
FALCOM GREEAR
Kathy & Mike Pate Business Award
MEL STRYDOM – THE GROG SHOP
2017 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
ANNETTE BELLAMY
Artist of the Year
DANA STABENOW
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
HOMER OCEAN CHARTERS
Volunteer of the Year
LYNN SPENCE
Arts Education
LISA SHALLOCK
Youth Artist of the Year
CHLOE PLEZNAC
Business Arts Patron
HARBOR SCHOOL OF MUSIC
2016 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
EVA SAULITIS
Artist of the Year
JIM REARDON
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
ED HUTCHINSON
Volunteer of the Year
MIKE PATE AND HAL SPENCE
Arts Education
ROSANNA MOYER
Youth Artist of the Year
FELICITY JONES
Business Arts Patron
TWO SISTERS BAKERY
2015 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
JOHN BUSHELL
Artist of the Year
SALLY OBERSTEIN
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
HOMER ARTS & CULTURE ALLIANCE
Volunteer of the Year
MARY LANGHAM
Arts Education
LISA AND KIRK OLSEN
Youth Artist of the Year
LINDSEY SCHNEIDER
Business Arts Patron
HOMER PHYSICAL THERAPY
2014 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
TOBY TYLER
Artist of the Year
TOM KIZZIA
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
PETER SWANSON
Volunteer of the Year
TIM QUINN
Arts Education
CODY DAVIDSON
Youth Artist of the Year
PATRICK LATIMER
Business Arts Patron
QUIET PLACE LODGE
2013 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
GAYE WOLFE
Artist of the Year
MARIAN BECK
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
BUNNELL STREET ARTS CENTER
Arts Education
CAROL SWARTZ
Youth Artist of the Year
DREW TURNER
Business Arts Patron
ERA ALASKA
2012 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
PAULA DICKEY
Artist of the Year
MAVIS MULLER
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
KEN CASTNER
Volunteer of the Year
RACHEL BILBO
Arts Education
CAROL COMFORT
Youth Artist of the Year
MARIAH STUART
Business Arts Patron
WELLS FARGO INSURANCE
2011 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
DIANE TILLION
Artist of the Year
RON SENUNGETUK
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
PRATT MUSEUM
Arts Education
CHERISH MCCALLUM
Youth Artist of the Year
RUFARO
Business Arts Patron
HOMER BOOKSTORE
2010 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
RHENDA HORN
Artist of the Year
NANCY LORD
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
MAVIS MULLER
Arts Education
DEBBIE PIPER
Youth Artist of the Year
OCEANA WILLS
Business Arts Patron
MIKE WARBURTON – OCEAN SHORES RESORT
2009 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
LANCE AND BARB PETERSON
Artist of the Year
LYNN MARIE NADEN
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
JOY STEWARD
Arts Education
PAUL JONES
Youth Artist of the Year
MARC OLIVER
2008 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
LORRAINE HASS
Artist of the Year
ASIA FREEMAN
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
LAURA NORTON
Arts Education
RENEE JAHNKE
Youth Artist of the Year
ELYSE CARTER
2007 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
KARLA FREEMAN
Artist of the Year
RIKA MOUW
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
GAYE WOLFE
Arts Education
JILL BERRYMAN
Youth Artist of the Year
CASUALTIES OF THE CAUSE
2006 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
MARY EPPERSON
Artist of the Year
GAIL BAKER
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
MARK ROBINSON
Arts Education
JOCELYN WESTPHAL
Youth Artist of the Year
MADALYN WIARD
2005 WINNERS
Arts Lifetime Achievement
HOWARD HEDGES
Artist of the Year
SHIRLEY TIMRECK & TOBY TYLER
Arts Leadership / Advocacy
LANCE PETERSON
Arts Education
RHENDA HORN
Youth Artist of the Year
JESSICA SHALLOCK & KATIE MILLER