Norton to Announce Congressional Art Competition Winners and Prizes at Ceremony, Tomorrow
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will announce the winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition during an awards ceremony for students, parents and teachers tomorrow, Thursday, May 21, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Ronald Regan National Airport's Historic Terminal A lobby.
"The Congressional Art Competition has brought out a record number of our city's talented and creative students, and tomorrow's ceremony will give them the chance to showcase their work to their peers from across the District of Columbia," Norton said. "I thank all the students who participated, the parents and teachers who provided encouragement, and the volunteer members of our Congressional Art Competition committee, who make this fantastic event possible every year."
The ceremony will feature 154 pieces of original art, submitted by 90 District students in grades eight through 12, representing 15 public, charter, private and religious schools. A panel of artists reviewed the entries from the District, and chose the winners based on technique, creativity, aesthetics, originality, artistic merit, and visual impact. Bagus Himawan, the Head of Photography Concentration at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), was the lead juror on the five-member panel. Other members were H. Elaine Jackson, an independent curator, writer, and editor, whose Woman's Work/Woman's Mind exhibition was featured at the Bronx Museum of Art; L. H. (Hugh) Shockey, the Object Conservator in the Lunder Conservation Center at the Smithsonian American Art Museum; Justina Yee, a museum educator with the National Gallery of Art in the District of Columbia; and Paula Sanderlin Dorositi, who, before retiring in 2010, served as the Director of Art Education in the District of Columbia Public Schools.
All students who submitted artwork for the contest are invited to take part in tomorrow's ceremony, where the winners will be announced. All participants who attend tomorrow's ceremony will receive free art supplies along with tickets for entertainment, cultural and sports events.
Special prizes will be awarded to four student winners. The first place winner will receive a four-year partial scholarship to the Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta, GA, a 10'' iPad air, a $100 gift certificate to an art supply store and his or her artwork will hang in the United States Capitol building for one year. The second place winner will receive a summer scholarship to UDC's pre-college program with use of their gallery for a one-person show and other exhibits, an 8'' Android tablet, and his or her artwork will hang in Norton's district office. The third place winner will receive an 8'' Android tablet and his or her artwork will hang in Norton's district office. The winner of the award of special recognition will receive a $100 gift certificate to Blick Art Materials.
A volunteer committee conducts the competition, plans the ceremony, raises funds for the Congressional Art Competition scholarships, and visits the schools to encourage students to participate. The committee is led by Donnell Lewis, Founder and President of Creative One Source. Members of the volunteer committee also include Kate E. Wolfson, Esq., Director, Public Safety Compact in Baltimore; Patricia O. Mitchell, Systems Analyst, Amtrak; Mildred Baldwin, Photographer, Smithsonian American Art Museum; William Bates, 2015 D.C. Congressional Art Competition Student Coordinator, School Without Walls; Elaine Jackson, independent curator, writer and editor; Paola Rodriguez, Adjunct Lecturer, Bowie State University; and Akilah R. Ensley, Major Gifts Officer, Truman National Security Project.