For one night, the steady rhythm of the Central Texas Food Bank’s (CTFB) sorting warehouse became a space for something unique. The conveyor belts that usually move rescued and donated food through the volunteer space had been rolled aside, replaced by stations with family-friendly activities and walls covered with colorful, imaginative interpretations of this year’s Feeding Creativity theme, “The Future is Fresh.”
In the same space where volunteers routinely help sort and pack food for nonprofit community partners throughout the CTFB’s 21-county service area, students and families gathered to see hunger, health, and hope through the eyes of young artists.
At the center of the celebration was this year’s competition winner, Finley Wittsche, a James Bowie High School student whose vibrant acrylic painting was transformed into a large-scale vinyl wrap on one of CTFB’s delivery trucks.
When asked how it felt knowing her artwork would travel throughout the CTFB’s 21-county service area, Finley smiled in disbelief.
“It feels pretty great,” she said. “I’m still in disbelief that it actually happened. I can’t believe I actually won.”
Seeing the Future Through a Young Artist’s Eyes
For Finley, the inspiration behind her piece began with the competition theme itself.
“I’m a pretty literal person,” she said with a laugh. “So I was thinking, what are some symbols of the future?”
That thought process led her to the central image in her painting: a glowing crystal ball filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, combining ideas of the future with nourishment, balance, and health.
“When I was thinking fresh, I was thinking healthy,” she explained. “Balanced meals and healthy foods.”
Finley chose to create the piece in acrylic on canvas, a medium she felt would add greater impact and texture to the final work.
“I feel like it would be a lot more impactful on canvas instead of just paper,” she said. “Canvas and acrylic paint are the art mediums I’m most comfortable with.”
That texture was an important part of the final truck wrap design. As the artwork was digitally prepared for the vinyl wrap, CTFB’s team intentionally preserved the visible brushstrokes and canvas texture that gave the original piece a distinctly handmade feel.
Creating Space for Bigger Conversations
While Feeding Creativity celebrates artistic talent, the competition also encourages young people to engage thoughtfully with issues such as food insecurity and community health.
For many students, this becomes an opportunity to process complex topics through creativity and imagination.
“I feel very grateful that I don’t have to experience food insecurity,” Finley shared. “But I really feel for people around me who have to struggle with food and choosing what foods to get.”
That perspective is part of what makes the competition so powerful.
Children and teenagers often approach difficult issues differently than adults do. Their ideas tend to be hopeful, curious, imaginative, and deeply human. Through art, students are invited to think not only about the challenges families face, but also about what a healthier, stronger future could look like.
Gallery Night is a vehicle for conversations to continue beyond the artwork itself. This event brings students, families, team members, and community supporters together to experience a curated exhibit that shares visions for a fresh future through the lens of youth creativity and optimism.
Art That Keeps Moving
Now, Finley’s artwork lives beyond the canvas and gallery walls. Wrapped across a CTFB semi-truck, her painting will become part of daily operations as food moves throughout the region to nonprofit community partners, mobile distributions, and programs serving families and children.
The truck will turn heads with its bold, unique design, carrying with it the importance of ensuring that children and families across Central Texas have reliable access to nutritious food in the summer months and all year long.
When asked what she hopes people take away from seeing the truck, Finley said, “I hope they get inspired to take action. Maybe donate, spread the word about food insecurity, and help people.”
“To people who want to enter next year,” Finley said, “just go for it. You miss every chance you don’t take.”
