WASHINGTON – Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) announced today the grand prize winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition: Rylie Power of Texas High School in Texarkana. The grand prize recipient was selected by a panel of judges who assessed submissions from high school students all across the 18 counties in Texas’ Fourth District.
The Congressional Art Competition is an annual competition sponsored by the Congressional Institute, which gives students the opportunity to share their talent with visitors to the Capitol. A grand prize winner from each congressional district is displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year.
Power’s winning artwork, “Elephant,” was produced with a Sharpie marker using a technique called “pointillism” in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form an image.
“We had an exceptionally high level of participation in this year’s art competition, and the diverse array of talent and creativity displayed across the board was truly inspiring,” Ratcliffe said.
“I’d like to thank all of the students who submitted entries for their hard work and to congratulate Rylie Power on being selected as our grand prize winner.”
Power, along with the grand prize winners from each congressional district across the country, will be invited to attend a June 23 unveiling and award ceremony in Washington.
In addition to the grand prize winner, Rep. Ratcliffe will be opening up a two-week voting period for a “People’s Choice” award on his Facebook page starting Friday. The “People’s Choice” winner along with the second and third place judge’s selections will be announced May 16.
