Meet our 2026 Festival Judges
Michel Delgado was born on the West Coast of Africa, in Dakar, Senegal. Throughout the 1980s, he lived in Paris, exploring and participating in the major European city’s art scene. Pursuing artmaking from a young age, his paintings have become an outlet for inquiry, honesty, and memory.
The painter immigrated to the United States in 1988, setting up a studio in Massachusetts. Delgado now works and creates at his studio in Key West, Florida and frequently travels the country for his exhibitions. His work has become widely known over the past decade, acquired by private collectors and included in prestigious public collections throughout the U.S.
Trent Berning is a ceramic artist with over 30 years of experience, having worked in a variety of roles, including as a production potter, art educator, author, and facilitator for military veterans. A key highlight of his career was authoring A Ceramic Guide: The Art of Creating and Teaching Wheel-Thrown Ceramics, which features over 80 process videos that have gained international attention. Currently, Berning serves as the Chair of the Mike Curb College of Music, Entertainment, and Art, School of Humanities, and as a Professor of Ceramics at Daytona State College.
Trent earned an MFA in Ceramics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and has been deeply involved in the field of ceramics for more than three decades. His work has been featured on television programs such as Southern California Living, Live at Five, and CreArtivity. Additionally, his art has appeared in notable publications, including the Lark Books 500 series and Clay Times Magazine.
In addition to teaching and leading workshops across the country, Berning frequently exhibits his original work, which has been shown at various venues nationwide. His artwork is represented by galleries such as Arts on Douglas and Florida CraftArt, where it is viewed by a broad audience.