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PHOTO 2 Lan Skaff District 2
The 2019 Youth Congressional Art Competition District 2 winner, Lan Skaff, Capital High School, Kanawha County, (right) with Susie Azevedo, representative for Congressman Alex Mooney. Photo by Steve Brightwell, WVDACH.

2019 Congressional Youth Art Competition winners announced


CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Eight young artists have been selected as winners in the annual Congressional Art Competition, which is on display in the Balcony Gallery of the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex in Charleston through April 19. The exhibition is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (WVDACH), in partnership with the West Virginia Congressional Delegation.

On Friday, Feb. 22, WVDACH Curator Randall Reid-Smith welcomed guests and introduced Susie Azevedo and Chad Story, representing Congressman Alex Mooney and Lydia Gray, representing Congresswoman Carol Miller.

First-place awards were presented to Abby Fridley,Philip Barbour High School, Barbour County, District 1; Lan Skaff,Capital High School, Kanawha County, District 2; and Jordan Atwell,Pikeview High School, Mercer County, District 3. The first-place winners received a $100 gift certificate from Dick Blick Art Materials, and their work will represent West Virginia in a yearlong Congressional Art Competition exhibition at the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

An additional five second-place winners received awards – Jordan Kennedy Rea,Bridgeport High School, Harrison County, District 1; Sarah Wright,Bridgeport High School, Harrison County, District 1; Owen Childress,Washington High School, Jefferson County, District 2; Olivia Lauhon,Huntington High School, Cabell County, District 3; and Camryn Tyree,Wahama Jr./Sr. High School, Mason County, District 3. Second-place winners received a $50 gift certificate from Dick Blick Art Materials.

The Congressional Art Exhibition consists of 79 pieces by 69 students, grades 9-12, from 15 West Virginia counties. These entries were selected from 128 submissions. All winners were selected by Patty Stewart of Scott Depot. Stewart is a contemporary abstract painter. She began painting as an interior house painter, using walls as her surface of choice. After more than 25 years of using specialty paints and products, she developed an interest in painting on canvas or paper. She discovered a love for bright colors, but also enjoys the occasional neutral palette that has a calming effect. Stewart continues her art education with workshops, online classes and talking with local artists, but part of this process is experimenting with new paints, textures and additives and seeing how they react.

Stewart led 67 students in a painting workshop prior to the awards program.

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual-art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. The competition is sponsored by members of the United States Congress.

A complete list of students whose work is included in the exhibition is below.

For more information, contact Cailin Howe, exhibits coordinator for the department, at (304) 558-0220 or cailin.a.howe@wv.gov.

PHOTO 3 Jordan Atwell District 3
The 2019 Youth Congressional Art Competition District 3 winner, Jordan Atwell, Pikeview High School, Mercer County, (right) with Lydia Gray, representative for Congresswoman Carol Miller. Photo by Steve Brightwell, WVDACH.

PHOTO 1 Abby Fridley, District 1
The 2019 Youth Congressional Art Competition District 1 winner, Abby Fridley, Philip Barbour High School, Barbour County, (left) with Charles Morris, director of museums for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. Photo by Steve Brightwell, WVDACH.

2019 Congressional Youth Art Competition Exhibit (listed by district and county)

DISTRICT 1

BARBOUR COUNTY

Philip Barbour High School

Art Teacher: Jan Woodard

Shaela Croston (Grade 12)

Serenity – Pencil

Abby Fridley (Grade 12)

Unnatural Natural Beauty – Watercolor and Colored Pencil

*Gifted Opportunity – Graphite and Charcoal (1st Place)

Stephanie Kennedy (Grade 12)

Blinky – Mixed Media

HANCOCK COUNTY

Oak Glen High School

Art Teacher: Elissa Greathouse

Charidy Ward (Grade 9)

Howling – Watercolor

Sierra Wright (Grade 11)

Deep Sea – Watercolor and Acrylic

HARRISON COUNTY

Bridgeport High School

Art Teacher: Courtney Rankin

Anna M. Ford (Grade 11)

Autumn – Watercolor

Demi DiPazza (Grade 11)

Geometric – Mixed Media

Kai Nguyen (Grade 9)

Untitled – Foam and Sharpie

Jordan Kennedy Rea (Grade 12)

*Florence – Mixed Media (2nd Place)

Sarah Wright (Grade 11)

Entrapped – Mixed Media

*Musician’s Masterpiece – Charcoal (2nd Place)

Liberty High School

Art Teacher: Brianna Saddler

Tessa Myers (Grade 12)

Turn to Stone – Mixed Media

Lincoln High School

Art Teacher: Liz Dippold

Madison Clark (Grade 11)

Stairway to Heaven – Graphite

Robert C. Byrd High School

Art Teacher: Katy Crim

Alexis Brannon (Grade 11)

Delicately Resting Rhododendron – Scratchboard

Sarah Carter (Grade 12)

Cat Nap – Scratchboard

Marilyn Grippin (Grade 11)

My King – Mixed Media

Kristyn McCabe (Grade 11)

I’m Not Antisocial – Mixed Media

Camille Sutton (Grade 12)

Red Carpet Pottery – Oil Pastel

Audriana Jolea Wright (Grade 12)

Beauty of Music – Collage

PLEASANTS COUNTY

Saint Marys High School

Art Teacher: Mary Jane Helgren

Jaden Schofield (Grade 11)

The Final Salute – Mixed Media

WETZEL COUNTY

Magnolia High School

Art Teacher: Leslie Day

Clara Ann Moore (Grade 11)

Through the Colored Glass – Watercolor

Breena Napier (Grade 10)

A Portrait of the Lone Ranger and Silver – Digital Art

Kyra Tharp (Grade 12)

A Fae’s Dream – Oil Pastel

DISTRICT 2

BERKELEY COUNTY

Musselman High School

Art Teacher: Melissa Burton

Blake Dodson (Grade 12)

City Life – Photography

Haven Ketterman (Grade 12)

Shadows – Photography

Cameron Knott (Grade 10)

Tachanka in Red – Digital Art

Jadin Sirota (Grade 12)

Electrify Me – Digital Art

Fuzzy Boi – Digital Art

Emilia Weiss (Grade 12)

November 21 – Photography

Josh Yowell (Grade 12)

Natural Light – Photography

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Jefferson High School

Art Teacher: Glenda B. Eisenhart

Kaili Patterson (Grade 11)

A Light for America – Acrylic

Washington High School

Art Teacher: Loretta Ober

Owen Childress (Grade 9)

*Dogs – Mixed Media (2nd Place)

Natalie Diedericks (Grade 9)

Exotic Fish: Looking – Watercolor and Colored Pencil

Mathew Mcallister (Grade 9)

Horses – Mixed Media

KANAWHA COUNTY

Capital High School

Art Teacher: Christy Pennington

Nicole Carey (Grade 12)

Caged Macaw – Pencil

Stacie Carte (Grade 12)

Different Levels of Self – Watercolor and Marker

Weighing Luck – Colored Pencil

Danielle Currey (Grade 12)

The Hills – Watercolor

Kimberlyn Dyer (Grade 12)

Wash – Mixed Media

Tessa Gardner (Grade 12)

Mrs. Moss – Mixed Media

Puppy Eyes – Chalk Pastel

Jacob Hill (Grade 11)

Baleine – Colored Pencil

Peru’s Bird – Colored Pencil

Kaitlyn Jones (Grade 12)

Pinescape – Pen

Makayla Jones (Grade 12)

Aqueduct – Print Making

Olivia Massey (Grade 10)

Bird in Motion – Graphite

Vanessa Pena (Grade 12)

Sherlock – Pencil

3 Eyes – Watercolor and Ink

Lan Skaff (Grade 11)

*Gathering in the Sand – Photography (1st Place)

The Ship to Freedom – Photography

Israel Wright (Grade 11)

Mackenzie – Digital Art

Waves – Digital Art

PUTNAM COUNTY

Poca High School

Art Teacher: Cathy Thomas

McKenzie Bowman (Grade 12)

Barn – Acrylic

Danielle Carter (Grade 10)

Saturday Morning – Acrylic

DISTRICT 3

CABELL COUNTY

Huntington High School

Art Teacher: Brianna Allen

Olivia Lauhon (Grade 12)

*Sense of Self – Colored Pencil and Marker (2nd Place)

The Degradation of Life – Mixed Media

Charity Stradwick (Grade 10)

Moods – Colored Pencil, Pencil and Pen

Jamie Ward (Grade 12)

Duality – Pen and Marker

Huntington High School

Art Teacher: Diana Frazier

Abby Bauer (Grade 12)

Adam vs. The Elements – Mixed Media

Sara Carter (Grade 12)

The Heart of West Virginia – Photography

Sidney McCoy (Grade 11)

War Pigs – Watercolor

Lyric Payne (Grade 12)

Locked Tight – Watercolor

Selena Pearl Maxine Ritchie (Grade 11)

Colorful Escape – Ink and Watercolor

MASON COUNTY

Wahama Jr./Sr. High School

Art Teacher: Susan Parrish

Reese Roush (Grade 12)

The End Places – Pencil and China Marker

Camryn Tyree (Grade 12)

*Blending In (Self-Portrait) – Photography (2nd Place)

MERCER COUNTY

Pikeview High School

Art Teacher: Katrina Runyon

Jordan Atwell (Grade 12)

*Epicureanism – Pen and Ink (1st Place)

Tommy Phillips (Grade 11)

Cosmic Creation – Acrylic Paint

NICHOLAS COUNTY

Nicholas County High School

Art Teacher: Pamela Cox

Lauren Ford (Grade 12)

Jotunheim – Digital Art

Cameron Thomas (Grade 11)

Wild Flowers – Watercolor

WAYNE COUNTY

Spring Valley High School

Art Teacher: Cheryl Robertson

Shaelea Alexander (Grade 12)

Construction of Colors – Acrylic Paint

Rebecca A. Blatt (Grade 12)

A Journey – Mixed Media

Olivia Jarrell (Grade 12)

Face of the Earth – Mixed Media

Zoe May (Grade 12)

Peaceful Wasteland – Mixed Media

CJ Preece (Grade 11)

Biomes – Collage

Chylee Straley (Grade 11)

Fractured – Collage

WEBSTER COUNTY

Webster County High School

Art Teacher: Pam Hall

Nichola Dominguez (Grade 10)

Nostalgia – Pencil

Holley Morrison (Grade 11)

The Colorful Subway – Mixed Media

Alexandra Sawyer (Grade 10)

Scenic Mountain Waterfall View – Oil Paint

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