"Cutting it open is like opening an Easter egg; you never know what the prize inside will look like." Jacksonville woodworker Michael Cenci was describing a piece of driftwood when he said that to The Ponte Vedra Recorder.
Cenci's wood is part of the Best of JAM exhibition, which opens Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6000B Sawgrass Village Circle. The work by him and two other first-place winners stays up through Jan. 2, 2027. That's long enough to overlap with the center's biggest weekend of the year. A visit during the November market puts the juried show and the holiday vendors under one roof.
A Juried Show Open Only to Members
JAM stands for Juried Art Member, and the name describes who can enter. FCCC opens submissions only to its Artist Members and splits them into three categories: two-dimensional work, three-dimensional work and photography. Artists send in images and information, and judges decide which work gets in. Every piece in the show came from someone who chose to join this nonprofit and then cleared a jury to hang in it.
The 2026 first-place winners are:
- Helen Curran, two-dimensional
- Michael Cenci, three-dimensional
- Heidy Weaver, photography
Best of JAM is the fall exhibition built around those three. The show is sponsored by Robert Franskousky of LPL Financial/Private Wealth and has a suggested $5 admission.
Three Artists, Three Materials
The three winners don't share a style, and that range is the main reason to see the show in person.
Helen Curran lives in Ponte Vedra Beach. The Recorder describes her oil paintings as bridging classical technique and contemporary expression. She sometimes works fabric and embroidery into a canvas, and her JAM selection draws on two different series. "Art is my form of meditation and joy," she told the paper. "I am inspired by the memories and dreams that guide what I paint."
Michael Cenci is a lifelong woodworker who turns driftwood and other wood found in the wild into one-of-a-kind pieces. He often adds alligator skin and exotic veneers. He also shoots wildlife photography, and the Recorder notes that his materials often come from the same places where he took his photos.
Heidy Weaver is showing a photography series called "All Her Daughters." The Recorder says the series grew from Weaver's love of beauty in nature. Weaver got her interest in photography from her mother. She has worked as a photographer, darkroom technician and writer for high school, college and suburban newspapers.
FCCC executive director Silvia Romero summed up the pairing for the Recorder: "These artists invite us to see familiar subjects in remarkable new ways. Together, their work celebrates the passage of time and the creative connections that carry across generations."
A Gallery That Leans on Volunteers
In July 2026 the Ponte Vedra Recorder reported that FCCC was looking for volunteers and donated supplies for a three-day gallery repainting project. Sherwin-Williams and Home Depot were among the donors.
That kind of community help has kept the center going for a long time. FCCC's history page dates the organization to 1995 and lists Silvia Romero as executive director. In November 2025, St. Johns County recognized the center's 30th year, according to the Recorder. The same story noted an earlier 2025 proclamation from Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. The Find Your Light Foundation also lists First Coast Cultural Center among its 2026 grantees, though the listing doesn't give an amount or say what the grant funds.
Why November Is the Visit to Plan
JAM runs on the same calendar as the Holiday Shoppes market. The Recorder reports that the juried works will be on display, alongside items from many other artisans, during the market Nov. 13–15. Shoppers who come for gifts will walk past Curran's canvases, Cenci's wood and Weaver's photographs on the way.
FCCC bills Holiday Shoppes as "a Fall Festival, Christmas/Holiday show, and Holiday Market all in one." Its vendors sell local, national and international goods, including handmade wood carvings, accessories, jewelry, sweets, clothing, shoes and glasswork. The center takes applications for both indoor and outdoor vendor booths. As of the Recorder's Oct. 8 story, a few vendor spots were still open in ceramics and glasswork.
The market has a long track record. The Recorder's 2025 preview called last year's event the 34th annual edition, with a ticketed preview night that featured live harp and guitar music.
There are two ways in this year:
- Private Preview Night: Friday, Nov. 13, 5:30–7:30 p.m., $45. Each ticket is automatically entered into the year's chance to win, and FCCC says more preview details are coming.
- Public market: Saturday, Nov. 14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 15, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. The event page doesn't list a ticket price for the public days.
FCCC is also recruiting volunteers for the weekend through the Holiday Shoppes page.
The Season, Date by Date
Here's the season on one calendar, starting with tomorrow's networking event.
- Tuesday, Oct. 13, 8–9 a.m.: The Morning Blend. This free networking event meets on second Tuesdays, so bring business cards.
- Tuesday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m.–noon: The last session of the "Drawing and Multimedia Series with Nofa Dixon." The series started Aug. 25 and is already in progress.
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 5:30–7 p.m.: The Best of JAM opening reception.
- Nov. 13–15: Holiday Shoppes, from preview night through the Sunday close.
- Saturday, Dec. 5: "Stone & Silver Setting Ring & Bracelet Class with Eve Huggins," ring session. It's $135, or $120 for members. The bracelet session falls on Jan. 23, 2027, and the pair costs $240, or $225 for members.
- Tuesday, Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m.: "Investment Secrets: A presentation on the history of The Stock Market and how to navigate inherited wealth." The talk is held off-site at the Ponte Vedra Beach Branch Library, and tickets are $10.
- Friday, Dec. 11, 4–8:30 p.m.: "Night of Lights: Luxury Coach & Lights Tour." The event page links to registration but doesn't list a price.
- Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027: Best of JAM closes.
For families, FCCC's youth page lists piano, flute and voice lessons with Miss Linda. They cost $85 per 45-minute lesson and are open to students of all ages, but the page doesn't post specific fall dates.
Before You Head Over
FCCC posts two different sets of hours. The homepage lists Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., with Mondays by appointment. The footer on other pages lists Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. A quick call before a weekday visit will settle it.
Plan on the $5 suggested entry for the exhibition. The event pages also lag a little behind the calendar. In early October the Upcoming Events page still showed Midge Scelzo's "A Brushstroke Journey," which ran Aug. 21 through Oct. 8, so check the specific event page before you count on a listing.
If you want to make an afternoon of it, Sawgrass Village has a new shop. Monkee's of Ponte Vedra held its grand opening on Aug. 13 and carries women's clothing, accessories, shoes and gifts. The St. Johns County Chamber lists the store in suite 930 on Village Main Street, next to John Craig. Franchise owner Beth Holland told the Recorder that the Sawgrass Village community had welcomed the shop. The store plans to add online shopping in spring 2027.
Sawgrass Village's main address is 215 Tourside Drive, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. FCCC is at 6000B Sawgrass Village Circle.
The team at Tyler Ackland lives and works among the people who fill rooms like FCCC's gallery, and we're glad to talk through what life looks like near Sawgrass Village and Sawgrass Country Club. If a piece from this season ends up coming home with you, we'd be happy to help you find the house it belongs in. Schedule Your Private Consultation.
