Art League’s 2025 Biennale and portrait workshop
ll be showcased on Hilton Head Island this May as the Art League of Hilton Head hosts the 2025 Biennale, a national juried exhibition featuring more than 100 works selected from over 1,000 entries submitted by artists in 41 states.
The 29th edition of the Biennale opens May 13th at Art League Gallery, located inside the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The exhibit includes a wide array of media, including oil, acrylic, pastel, watermedia, photography, mixed media, and three-dimensional artwork.
The show runs through June 13th and is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sundays from noon to 4 p.m., and 90 minutes before Arts Center performances.
Juror Tony Armendariz, an award-winning artist from Illinois, evaluated entries based on originality of concept, composition and execution.
Armendariz, known for his evocative watercolor portraits, will award more than $5,000 in prizes during an opening reception Friday, May 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the gallery. The event is free and open to the public.
A day later, on Saturday, May 17th, Armendariz will host “Critic’s Coffee,” a discussion of his jurying process and selected works, from 10 a.m. to noon. The event is free for Art League members and $10 for non-members. RSVPs are requested by emailing gallery@artleaguehhi.org.
In addition to his jurying duties, Armendariz will lead a three-day portrait workshop titled “Portraits in Watercolor or the Medium of Your Choice,” May 13th–15th at Art League Academy. The class runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and includes live demonstrations and personalized instruction.
Designed for artists with a basic grasp of watercolor or another medium, the course focuses on expressive techniques that bring depth and emotion to portraiture.
“My paintings concentrate on portraits and figurative work, often combined with architectural elements,” Armendariz said. “I aim to reveal the authentic self of my subjects, a process that sometimes unfolds through subtle cues—eyes, hands, body language, or even props like clothing and everyday items.”
Armendariz, a graduate of the American Academy of Art in Chicago, studied under renowned watercolorist Irving Shapiro. His work has appeared in Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector, and Watercolor Artist, and has earned recognition from the American Watercolor Society, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, and others.
The Art League of Hilton Head is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting visual arts through exhibitions, education and community outreach.
For more information on the Biennale, workshop registration or other upcoming events, visit www.artleaguehhi.org or call 843-681-5060.
