Cole Announces 2019 Winners of Congressional Art Competition
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) congratulated Audrey Wehrer, this year's Fourth District winner of the Congressional Art Competition. Wehrer is a 2019 graduate of Blanchard High School, where she studied art with Barbara Menefee. She is the daughter of Greg and Marla Wehrer.
During the next year, Wehrer's artwork will be on display in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building, along with district winners from across the nation. In June, she will travel to Washington for a winners' reception, award ceremony and meeting with Cole.
"I am pleased that Audrey Wehrer's artwork will represent the artistic talent of the Fourth District in the U.S. Capitol Building, and I am honored to congratulate her on this achievement," said Congressman Cole. "Audrey's winning masterpiece invites us all to momentarily escape to the beach. I am proud of all the hard work she put into this beautiful work of art. I look forward to congratulating Audrey in person during her upcoming trip."
Wehrer titled her winning still life drawing Seaside Oklahoma, and it was created using Prismacolor pencils. When asked about her inspiration, she credited a box of sea shells and cool toned marbles as well as memories of beach vacations with her family.
"I have so many happy memories and love for beach vacations with my family, so I chose to do a still life of a few chosen shells with a colored pencil set that my parents gave me for my 17th birthday," said Audrey Wehrer. "Throughout the school year, I took a break and un-winded about once a week by working on this project during class time. I'm honored to represent the Fourth District of Oklahoma with a piece that I had such a great time creating."
"Audrey is a dedicated and talented young artist. It has been my pleasure to serve as her art teacher over the last seven years," said Barbara Menefee. "Each year, she spent endless hours developing her artistic skills. She has sought critiques, peer evaluations and outside instruction to better herself. Audrey Wehrer is an excellent example of talent, hard work and personal growth."
Runner-Up Winner Recognized in Norman Office
Following this year's contest, Cole also recognized a runner-up winner, whose artwork will be displayed in the Norman district office over the next year. During a meeting last week in Norman, Cole congratulated Sarah Skaggs on her selection as the runner-up. Skaggs recently graduated from Latta High School, where she studied art with Jenny Salter. She is the daugher of Warren and Pam Skaggs.
"I am pleased to congratulate Sarah Skaggs on her artistic achievement as the Fourth District Runner-Up Winner of the Congressional Art Competition. She has a bright future ahead," said Congressman Cole. "Over the next year, her cheerful painting will certainly bring joy to visitors as well as my staff in the Norman office."
Skaggs titled her acrylic painting of canvas Acacia. When creating her artwork, she was inspired by one of the many photographs she captured while visiting the San Diego Zoo.
"Since I began creating art, animals have been my favorite subject to draw and paint. I think it is something about the movement of their fur and their expressions that captivates me," Sarah Skaggs explained. "I chose acrylic because I know how the medium behaves, and I know some methods of how to create the texture that I want. Not only do the colors catch your eye, but the goofy expression of the giraffe is what makes the portrait so enchanting."
Background on the Congressional Art Contest
Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors An Artistic Discovery, a nationwide competition for high school students interested in the arts and looking for an opportunity to showcase their creativity. The annual contest recognizes and encourages artistic talent of young constituents across the nation, including those living in Oklahoma's Fourth Congressional District. Entries for the Fourth District were judged by Dr. Victor Youritzin, Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Oklahoma (OU), and Dr. Pamela Bradford, a retired OU Professor of Art.
Each district winner's artwork is displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. For the Fourth District, the runner-up winner's artwork is displayed in the Norman district office. In addition, the top prize includes travel to Washington with a guest for a reception and award presentation, courtesy of Southwest Airlines. The Fourth District winner also becomes eligible to receive a $3,000 per year scholarship to the Savannah College of Art & Design or Tennessee Wesleyan University.
Photos for media use are available here.