Cole Congratulates 2022 Congressional Art Competition Winners
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) today announced the 2022 winners of the Congressional Art Competition for the Fourth District of Oklahoma. Assisting with the judging of all entries and helping select the first-place winner and determine five finalists for the "People's Choice" contest was Dr. Victor Youritzin, Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Oklahoma.
Joe Whitten of Moore has been named the first-place winner. Whitten attends Southmoore High School, where he studied art with Heather Bradbury and recently completed the 12th grade. As part of the grand prize, Whitten's artwork will be on display in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building during the next year, along with other congressional district winners from across the nation. A reception for all top prize winners in the nation's capital is expected to take place in the coming months.
"I am delighted to congratulate Joe Whitten on being named the Fourth District winner of the 2022 Congressional Art Competition," said Cole. "As one of the winners of the ‘People's Choice' contest last year, Joe demonstrated then what a talented artist he is. Our entire staff was excited to have him enter another piece this year and take home the grand prize. His precision and attention to detail makes for very realistic drawings and brings the animals in his pieces to life. I look forward to seeing his artwork displayed the Cannon Tunnel soon."
"The idea for this art piece actually came from my grandmother," said Whitten. "Her birthday was coming up, so I wanted to draw her something. Her favorite animals are blue jays. I chose colored pencils because that's my favorite medium to draw realistic animals. Before I submitted the piece to the contest, my grandma got to have it in her house for a week. Don't worry, she doesn't mind that much that it's gone. We printed out a copy for her that she can have in the meantime."
"Joe is an amazing artist I have had the privilege to have in my class for four years," said Bradbury. "Joe is talented in all mediums, especially colored pencils and oil paints. I can't wait to see what Joe creates in the future."
"People's Choice" Winners Recognized in Norman Office
To determine the two runner-up winners, Cole's office for the second time conducted a "People's Choice" contest online. It was promoted through Cole's social media channels with votes collected on an online form over the course of one week. Out of the almost 2,000 votes cast, artwork created by Katie Kinsey and Leah Crowson received the most. Both students' artwork will hang in Cole's Norman office for one year.
"I am delighted to congratulate Katie Kinsey and Leah Crowson on winning the Fourth District's ‘People's Choice' titles for the 2022 Congressional Art Competition," said Cole. "Katie and Leah are both wonderfully talented artists, and I look forward to having their spectacular pieces hang in my Norman office over the next year."
Katie Kinsey of Wilson received the most votes for her painting titled Cody, and it was created with acrylic paint. Kinsey attends Fox Public High School, where she studies art with Brent Phelps and just completed the 11th grade.
"This piece began as a picture I took on my phone of two of my friends who I've known since childhood," said Kinsey. "My best friend was playing with Cody's hair during class while sitting behind him. I was experimenting with taking a photograph and removing elements or adding elements. I was also experimenting with black canvas backgrounds. I am always trying to push myself to improve my art skills because I know this is something I want to study in college."
"Katie has a vision that impresses constantly," said Phelps. "The method in which she transfers what she visually sees to her art continues to impress me with every project. She is unlocking her potential with each project."
"I've always loved Greek and Roman styled artwork and creating Phaedra was really inspired by those historic pieces," said Crowson. "I used a soft round paint brush to get the smooth textures needed for her skin and the leaf crown. This piece was extremely fun to make."
"I've known Leah since she was in middle school and I've watched her artistic talents grow through practice and perseverance," said Gibson. "She holds high expectations of herself when it comes to just about everything, and I've seen this especially in her artmaking. Leah has been working on perfecting her realism through the use of adding values in her shading process and capturing great likenesses in her portraiture. She practices a lot and never gives up! Her hard work is a wonderful example to see for others and her future is limitless with such a dedication for self-growth."
Prizes Courtesy of Fourth District Sponsors and Southwest Airlines
This year, Fowler Automotive and the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma generously sponsored prizes for all three winners of the Congressional Art Competition. The first-place winner will receive a $2,000 Visa gift card for expenses in Washington, D.C. when he comes to see his artwork on display. The "People's Choice" winners will each receive $500 gift cards for purchasing more art supplies.
Courtesy of Southwest Airlines, the first-place winner and a guest will receive free airfare to Washington, D.C. for the national winners' reception and award ceremony expected sometime this year.
About 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.
High resolution photos are available HERE.
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