Rep. Adam Schiff recently presented awards to the Congressional Art Competition winners from California’s 30th Congressional District.
The annual competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, hundreds of thousands of high school students have submitted their artwork for consideration.
For this year’s competition in California’s 30th district, more than 40 students from 18 local schools submitted artwork for consideration. The awards were presented at an exhibit and awards ceremony at the Ebell of Los Angeles. In addition to the first, second, third place and “People’s Choice” awardees, each student participant received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Schiff.
During the event, attended by more than 200 students, teachers and parents, Schiff announced that Samantha Abrams’ digital photography “Emily: an eternal companion permanently fleeting” won first place and will be included in the nationwide Congressional Art Competition in Washington, D.C. Her artwork will be displayed in the United States Capitol for one year, alongside winners from other Congressional Districts across the nation. Abrams attends Marlborough School, lives in Los Angeles and is in the 11th grade.
Karo Boyajyan’s acrylic-on-wood painting “Shunikner” and Katie Li’s ink-and-marker artwork “Flutist” won second and third place, respectively, and their artwork will be displayed in Schiff’s Washington, D.C., office and his Burbank district office. Boyajyan attends Glendale High School, lives in Glendale and is in the 11th grade, and Li attends Crescenta Valley High School, lives in La Crescenta and is in the 10th grade.
Additionally, every year, the competition awards one “People’s Choice” award and this year it went to Stephanie Rodriguez for her oil on canvas painting “Erase.” Stephanie attends Holy Family High School, lives in Glendale and is in the 12th grade. Stephanie’s artwork will also be displayed in Schiff’s Burbank district office.
“Every year I am amazed by the artwork submitted by talented young artists from our community,” Schiff said. “All the students who participated in this year’s competition deserve recognition, and I hope they will continue to enrich our community with their art for years to come. I want to congratulate this year’s winners — Samantha, Karo, Katie and Stephanie. I look forward to seeing their artwork this year in my offices in California and in the Capitol building.”
This year’s esteemed panel of judges included Shepard Fairey, a world-renowned artist whose artwork transformed the way people see art and the urban landscape, Stacy Brightman, a leader in the Los Angeles arts field and executive director of the Ebell of Los Angeles, and Patricia Peréz, a multi-medium fine artist and teacher and vice president of the Elysian Valley Arts Collective.
First published in the May 27 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
