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Congressional Art Competition

Initiated by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, the Congressional Art Competition is an annual nationwide competition that allows high school students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories to showcase their artistic abilities.  Art can be presented in a variety of media, including photography, sketching, and paint. Since its beginning, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

In May, the 2010 winners from the Sixth District of Minnesota were announced:

First place went to a 9th grader from Woodbury High School, Leah Williams. Her acrylic painting titled “Footsteps” was painted from a photo she took while on a mission trip to Michigan. Leah said the photo is of her team member helping an elderly woman along the shores of Lake Michigan. Leah is the daughter of Gerald and Winifred Williams of Woodbury.

Her painting will hang in the tunnel connecting the Cannon House office building to the U.S. Capitol traveled daily by members of Congress, staff, and visitors to Washington, D.C.. Leah will also receive two round trip tickets to attend the national art competition ceremony in Washington D.C., courtesy of Southwest Airlines.

Second place went to Megan Bartylla for her colored pencil drawing titled “My Little Eye”. Megan, the daughter of David and Sandy Bartylla, is in 11th grade at Woodbury High School.

Third place went to Daniel Loewen, a senior at Foley High School.  His watercolor, titled “Long Memory, Good Eye”, depicts an elephant on a yellow plain with  De Stijl abstractions above its head. Daniel is the son of Jeff and Ingrid Loewen of Foley, MN.

Thanks to everyone who took part in this year's competition!