Walsworth is proud to report a strong showing at the 2026 PIA MidAmerica GraphEx Awards, which honor excellence in print production, finishing and innovation. Below, we’ll highlight each award-winning project and its publisher, with a brief look at what makes the project unique and why it earned recognition.
Mountain Gazette #204
What it is: A large-format biannual magazine focusing on outdoor adventure and mountain culture. Issue #204 (Fall 2025) of Mountain Gazette spans 192 pages in an oversized 11″×17″ format, featuring stunning photography and literary essays about life in the mountains.
Why it stood out: This issue earned a Best of Category (Magazines – Soft Cover) and a KS/MO Region Platinum award for pushing the limits of print magazine design. With its oversized, coffee-table production quality and immersive content, from backcountry tales to breathtaking imagery, Mountain Gazette #204 stood out as an innovative return of an iconic publication.
The Blooming Table
What it is: A hybrid cookbook and flower-arrangement guide created and self-published by Gina Diamond’s Flower Co. of Madison, Mississippi. Subtitled A Collection of Recipes, Florals, and Beautiful Tables, this book offers seasonal recipes alongside step-by-step floral design ideas and tablescape inspirations, all reflecting a love of Southern entertaining.
Why it stood out: It won a Gold Award (Division 3), an impressive feat for an independently produced volume. The Blooming Table marries “from-the-heart” content with a luxury look and feel, gorgeous photography, elegant layouts and thick matte paper that feels as good as it looks. The book’s exceptional quality, on par with major publishers’ outputs, proved that a first-time author with passion and attention to detail can create an award-winning piece.
The Southern Mirror
What it is: A personal lifestyle and memoir-style book by Brenda Gantt, published by Hoffman Media’s 83 Press imprint. The Southern Mirror is a richly illustrated volume in which Brenda, an Alabama grandmother and popular cooking personality, shares heartfelt stories, family recipes, reflections on faith and classic Southern wisdom, accompanied by photographs and her own hand-drawn illustrations.
Why it stood out: It received Best of Category (Hardcover Book) and also a KS/MO Division III Regional Bronze award, citing its excellence in both content and production. The Southern Mirror envelops readers in genuine Southern charm, thanks to its warm storytelling and premium print touches, such as glossy photo pages and a foil-stamped cover. The book’s ability to feel both homey and high-end helped it shine among competitors, showing that authenticity and quality can go hand-in-hand.
Innovate South Florida Vol. 1
What it is: A hardcover, coffee-table style book produced by Global Village Publishing as the inaugural volume of the Innovate series. This book profiles roughly 100 entrepreneurs, organizations and innovators in South Florida’s tech, art and business communities, celebrating the region’s creativity.
Why it stood out: Innovate South Florida Vol. 1 won Best of Category (Case-Bound Books) for its exceptional binding and vibrant design. The book’s high-quality production, from sturdy case binding to glossy, colorful pages, worked in tandem with its content to set a high standard for the Innovate series.
The United States Capitol: An Illustrated Guide
What it is: A comprehensive visitor guidebook to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., published by Capen Publishing Company for the Capitol Visitor Center. This perfect-bound softcover is 272 pages long and filled with over 300 photographs, illustrations and stories about the Capitol’s art, architecture and history.
Why it stood out: It won Best of Category (Perfect Binding) for combining rich content with high production quality. The United States Capitol: An Illustrated Guide serves as an engaging keepsake for tourists and history buffs alike. The book’s durable binding and vivid print execution impressed judges for excellence in the guide/book category.
Sophisticated Living (St. Louis’ Finest): Sept/Oct 2025
What it is: A special September/October 2025 issue of Sophisticated Living magazine’s St. Louis edition, themed “St. Louis’ Finest.” This luxury bimonthly magazine showcased the city’s top-tier restaurants, cultural events, personalities and high-end real estate, all with lavish photography.
Why it stood out: It received Best of Category (Magazines, Web) for outstanding quality in a locally focused magazine. The “St. Louis’ Finest” issue balanced local insight with a polished, national-magazine caliber design. Striking layouts, glossy imagery and elegant typography, hallmarks of the Sophisticated Living brand, combined to make this issue truly stand out in print.
Alpinestars Fall Intro Collection 2026
What it is: A Fall 2026 product catalog for Alpinestars gear, produced by Parts Unlimited (Le Mans Corporation). Aimed at motorcycle dealers, the catalog introduces Alpinestars’ latest motorcycle apparel and accessories, featuring sections for jackets, tech air vests, gloves, boots and more with detailed product specs and action photography.
Why it stood out: It earned Best of Category (Catalogs/Magazines – Web Coated) for its exceptional print production. The catalog’s glossy pages and high-definition images showcased the products vividly, while its clear organization made it both visually exciting and user-friendly. As a piece of B2B collateral, the Alpinestars Fall Intro Collection catalog set a benchmark for quality, proving that even marketing materials can be award-worthy when taken to the right printer.
Black Panther: Flip Book
What it is: An innovative Marvel comics collectible produced by Pan–Universal Galactic (PUG) Worldwide. Often described as a “Pan-dimensional 3D” edition, this Black Panther flip book presents comic artwork in a stereoscopic 3D format, featuring a mashup of comic panels that create a 3D illusion when viewed with included 3D glasses.
Why it stood out: It took home Best of Category (3D Printing/Viewing) for pushing the boundaries of print entertainment. The Black Panther: Flip Book transforms a traditional comic experience into something interactive and multidimensional, blending nostalgia for a classic superhero with a novel 3D visual effect.
The Scout Guide (Multiple City Editions)
What it is: A series of upscale, curated city guidebooks known collectively as The Scout Guide. Produced as annual volumes across over 80 cities, each edition highlights the best local boutiques, restaurants, artists and businesses in that city, with beautiful photography and elegant layouts.
Why they stood out: The series won Best of Category (Directories & Source Books) for its consistent excellence across editions. Each Scout Guide volume is tailored to a specific city, but all share a signature style: thick, high-quality paper, vibrant full-color spreads and often a distinctive linen or hardcover binding. By celebrating local culture in high quality print, The Scout Guide city books demonstrated both community spirit and top-tier construction.
Icons of the Fantastic
What it is: A coffee-table art book published by Rutgers University Press (University of Delaware Press imprint) that showcases classic imaginative art from the Korshak Collection. Titled Icons of the Fantastic: Illustrations of Imaginative Literature, this 172-page hardcover presents nearly 200 vintage fantasy and sci-fi illustrations from classic literature alongside scholarly essays and commentary.
Why it stood out: It earned Best of Category (Hardcover Book Binding) for its museum-quality presentation. Expertly produced with a Smyth-sewn binding, sturdily laminated hardcover and high-fidelity image reproduction, Icons of the Fantastic is both an art lover’s treasure and an academic resource (even featuring a foreword by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro). The book’s combination of visual magic and impeccable craftsmanship made it a standout among illustrated books.
We Are Dwarf Sperm Whales!
What it is: A children’s non-fiction graphic book from Lerner Publishing Group’s Graphic Universe imprint. This 80-page comic-style book, part of Anne Lambelet’s Marine Life Graphic Guides series, teaches young readers about whales and dolphins, using a friendly dwarf sperm whale narrator named Kogi to present facts in a fun, engaging way.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Spot UV) for its creative design and quality. We Are Dwarf Sperm Whales! stands out not just for making marine biology accessible, but also for its polished production; for example, adding a spot-UV gloss finish on the cover to make the underwater scenes and characters pop. It’s a great example of educational content presented with both creativity and technical excellence.
Saints & Sinners #1
What it is: An anthology comic book (softcover graphic novel) published by Rippaverse Comics, an up-and-coming independent comics publisher. Saints & Sinners #1 compiles six short superhero stories by various creators, all exploring moral ambiguities in a newly launched comic universe. It’s roughly 100 pages and represents the Rippaverse’s first foray beyond single-character titles into a collected anthology format.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Softcover Books) for its high production quality. Printed on uncoated, premium paper with a sturdy perfect binding, Saints & Sinners #1 delivered a “prestige” feel that impressed judges and readers alike. Beyond the physical attributes, its success as a crowdfunded project gives weight to the impact of independent publishing done right, combining original storytelling with professional print standards to rival mainstream comics.
CityScope Magazine: The Fall Issue (2025)
What it is: A Fall 2025 edition of CityScope, a regional lifestyle magazine based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This issue likely features the season’s highlights for the local audience, such as autumn festivals, restaurant spotlights, community leader profiles and “best of the city” lists, all wrapped in CityScope’s characteristically elegant design.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Perfect-Bound Magazines) for outstanding quality in regional publishing. The Fall 2025 CityScope issue combines hometown content with a level of photography, layout and printing polish that could compete with national magazines. Quality perfect binding and attention to detail in print demonstrated excellence in showcasing a community through print media.
Columbus Monthly: Best of Columbus
What it is: A special “Best of Columbus” issue of Columbus Monthly, an established city magazine in Ohio. This annual edition compiles readers’ and editors’ picks for the city’s top restaurants, bars, shops, parks, personalities and more highlighting the top recommendation for each category.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Magazines) for turning a content-rich roundup into an attractive, cohesive publication. The Best of Columbus issue presented dozens of local favorites with creative page layouts, using playful icons, callouts and vibrant photos while maintaining consistency and readability. The result was both an informative city guide and a celebratory snapshot of Columbus, produced to a standard that garnered industry praise.
Sophisticated Living (Cincinnati’s Finest): Sept/Oct 2025
What it is: The September/October 2025 “Cincinnati’s Finest” issue of Sophisticated Living magazine. Much like the St. Louis issue, this edition is a bimonthly luxury lifestyle magazine that curates the best of Cincinnati’s local high society, from upscale homes and design to notable Cincinnati personalities, events and hotspots.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Magazines) for excellence in print and content. The Cincinnati issue upheld the Sophisticated Living brand’s hallmark quality: gorgeous photography, slick design and engaging editorial, all tailored to the Queen City. By delivering elegance and production value while capturing Cincinnati’s unique flavor, this issue demonstrated the power of consistent quality across a franchise.
Arkansas Bride: Fall/Winter 2025
What it is: The Fall/Winter 2025 edition of Arkansas Bride, a semiannual bridal magazine published in Little Rock by Arkansas Business Publishing Group. This glossy magazine serves as a comprehensive planning resource for brides in Arkansas, featuring bridal fashion spreads, real wedding stories, checklists and directories of local venues and vendors.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Magazines) for its beautiful and functional presentation. Arkansas Bride: Fall/Winter 2025 struck a desirable balance: dreamy inspiration (think stunning gown photography and elegant décor ideas) coupled with practical guidance (timelines, tips and contacts), all presented with top-notch print clarity and stylish layouts. This combination solidified its reputation as the state’s go-to wedding guide and earned it praise for print quality and content.
International Wood 2025
What it is: The 2025 annual issue of International Wood, the official publication of the International Wood Products Association (IWPA), produced by 526 Media Group. Part magazine, part industry directory, this large issue includes articles on global trends in the wood and lumber industry and case studies of innovative wood use in design, as well as a comprehensive buyer’s guide listing wood suppliers and manufacturers around the world.
Why it stood out: It garnered an Award of Recognition (Magazines) for elevating trade publication standards. Despite covering dense industry content like sustainability, trade policy and technical data, International Wood 2025 presented everything in a clear, visually compelling way, featuring high-quality photography of wood in architecture and art, easy-to-navigate layouts and a pleasing earth-toned design on substantial matte paper. It’s a prime example of how a niche B2B publication can be both informative and beautiful, which impressed the competition judges.
Mizzou: Power the Roar Edition
What it is: A Fall 2025 special issue of MIZZOU, the University of Missouri’s alumni magazine, themed “Power the Roar.” This edition was dedicated to launching and spotlighting the university’s ambitious $2 billion “Power the Roar” fundraising campaign. It features stories of campus achievements, profiles of influential alumni and donors and information on how the campaign will impact Mizzou’s future.
Why it stood out: The project earned an Award of Recognition (Magazines – Uncoated) for its impactful design and execution. Printed on matte, uncoated paper for a modern, sophisticated feel, the Power the Roar issue managed to double as both a campaign marketing piece and a compelling publication. Bold use of Mizzou’s black-and-gold branding, inspirational photography of students and campus scenes,and well-crafted storytelling all came together to rally alumni support while still reading like a genuine magazine; a balance that was not easy to achieve and was rightly celebrated.
Genii: October 2025
What it is: The October 2025 issue of Genii, a monthly magazine for magicians and magic enthusiasts. Known as “The Conjurors’ Magazine” since its founding in 1936, Genii publishes interviews with magicians, how-to articles teaching magic tricks, historical retrospectives and industry news. The cover story for this issue featured magician Mat Franco and his post-America’s Got Talent career.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Magazines), highlighting its outstanding quality in a niche category. Genii: October 2025 packed a lot into 80 pages, from step-by-step trick tutorials with photos to thoughtful articles, yet maintained an easy-to-follow layout and sharp print quality. For a publication with such a long legacy, continuing to uphold high production standards is an achievement. The award goes to show that even specialized hobby magazines can compete on craftsmanship and design, and Genii does so while preserving the charm of the magic community.
bmonthly June 2025 – Visit Oklahoma
What it is: The June 2025 “Visit Oklahoma” issue of bmonthly, a free community magazine in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. bmonthly typically combines local history, culture and events; this particular issue was geared toward celebrating Oklahoma tourism and attractions, featuring travel recommendations, state history tidbits and fun local summer activities.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Magazines) for punching above its weight in quality. Despite being a small-town publication, the “Visit Oklahoma” issue of bmonthly delivered engaging storytelling and design on par with larger magazines, complete with compelling photographs, friendly and polished layouts and a clear passion for local content.
TM Chef’s Toys Wall Calendar
What it is: A promotional wall calendar created for Chef’s Toys, a restaurant supply brand under TriMark. The calendar is coil-bound and meant to hang, featuring one month per page. Each month showcases either a beautiful food photograph or a spotlight on a particular piece of kitchen equipment sold by Chef’s Toys, blending aesthetic appeal with subtle product promotion.
Why it stood out: It won an Award of Recognition (Calendars) for its excellence in design and production. The Chef’s Toys calendar isn’t just a generic date grid – it’s an eye-catching marketing piece that provides ongoing value. The calendar stands out for its sturdy construction, clear layout and the way it integrates the brand’s identity without sacrificing the calendar’s practicality.
High School Daily Planner
What it is: A 2025–2026 academic year planner for high school students, produced by Seton Home Study School, a Catholic homeschool organization. This spiral-bound planner provides daily and weekly calendar pages for students to track assignments and schedules, and includes additional features like goal-setting pages, inspirational quotes and holidays aligned with Seton’s curriculum.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Lamination & Coating) for its durable and student-friendly design. The High School Daily Planner is built to endure an entire year of heavy use, featuring a protective laminated cover, sturdy tabs and a clean, writeable layout.
2025 Teacher’s Plan Book
What it is: A 2025 edition lesson planner for teachers (or homeschooling parents), also from Seton Home Study School. This planner is wire-O bound and provides a structured layout for planning lessons week by week, recording grades or attendance and organizing the academic year. It complements the student planner, tuned to the needs of the instructor.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Binding – Wire-O) for its combination of practicality and build quality. The Teacher’s Plan Book is designed to lie flat for easy writing, with a robust spiral binding that won’t snag or fall apart. With features like laminated divider tabs, reference pages and a full-art cover design, it exemplifies how a utilitarian product can still feel polished and reliable.
New Orleans Garden District: Profiles in Preservation
What it is: New Orleans Garden District: Profiles in Preservation is a deluxe hardcover book created in partnership between the Garden District Association of New Orleans and Hoffman Media. Released in late 2025, this coffee-table book spans over 300 pages and showcases more than 100 historic homes in New Orleans’ famed Garden District. Each home is accompanied by contemporary photographs by renowned photographer David Spielman, archival images and narratives about its history and architecture.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Hardcover Books) for its stunning quality and meaningful content. Bound in cloth with a matching dust jacket, the book exudes elegance befitting the grandeur of the homes it features. Judges were impressed by the book’s excellent color reproduction, the clean, classic design and the overall execution that elevates it beyond a typical architecture book.
Just Let Us: Rampages 2025
What it is: A high school yearbook from Rampart High School in Colorado Springs, documenting the 2024–25 school year. Titled Rampages 2025 with the theme “Just Let Us,” this student-created volume is filled with vibrant stories and photos of campus life.
Why it stood out: Just Let Us: Rampages 2025 earned Best of Category (Yearbooks) for its exceptional construction and cohesive design. The yearbook’s creative theme and quality printing made it a standout example of what a student team can achieve.
Just Wait: The Stampede 2025
What it is: The 2025 yearbook of J.W. Mitchell High School in Trinity, Florida, known as The Stampede. This edition was built around a playful “Just Wait” theme, showcasing the school year through engaging student photography and colorful layouts.
Why it stood out: It received an Award of Recognition (Yearbooks) for its imaginative theme and visually engaging content. Just Wait: The Stampede 2025 was lauded for its dynamic design and the way it captured student memories with creativity and polish.
Stay Golden: The Talon 2025
What it is: The Talon 2025 is Olathe South High School’s yearbook, which used a “Stay Golden” theme. The book not only chronicles the school year but also features special print touches, notably an elaborately embossed cover that reflects its golden motif.
Why it stood out: It earned an Award of Recognition (Embossing & Debossing) for its outstanding cover design. The raised, textured elements on the cover gave Stay Golden: The Talon 2025 a unique tactile appeal, complementing its strong content and making it memorable among yearbooks.
Print Your Next Award Winner With Walsworth
These award-winning projects demonstrate the breadth and quality of work produced by Walsworth, from student yearbooks and regional magazines to art books, corporate catalogs and specialty publications. Each project was unique in content and audience, yet they all shared a commitment to excellent design and print craftsmanship.
With printing options ranging from large-scale offset to digital print-on-demand, Walsworth brings flexibility, expertise and unmatched craftsmanship to each and every project. If you’d like to know more about the Walsworth difference, get in touch with us today.
