McCarthy Announces Winners of Congressional Art Competition | Representative Kevin McCarthy
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McCarthy Announces Winners of Congressional Art Competition

May 1, 2013
Press Release

Bakersfield, CA – Today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy announced the winners of the 32nd Annual “An Artistic Discovery” Congressional Art Competition for high school students. Winners and participants will be honored at a reception on Friday, May 10, 2013 at Metro Galleries in Bakersfield from 6:00-7:00 PM.

“The Congressional Art Competition is meant to encourage artistic expression among local high school students,” said Congressman McCarthy. “Every year, I am so impressed by the creativity and talent of the students in our communities, and I want to congratulate all of the artists who participated in the competition this year. I also want to recognize and thank the teachers who encouraged their students to participate. Congratulations to the winners, especially the overall winner Christiana Kallemeyn, whose outstanding piece of artwork will be put on display in the Capitol.”

Christiana Kallemeyn, a senior at Grace Christian Academy in Lancaster, created her piece titled “Waiting in the Wings” using colored pencil as her medium. In response to what inspired her piece, Christiana said, “The scene in ‘Waiting in the Wings’ brings back good memories of dancing in a performance of Coppelia when I was eleven years old. The two sisters on either side of me are my friends. I remember really loving the costume. Taking ballet is still something I enjoy. Colored pencil, a dependable medium for me, is what I chose to use. It does take extra time to lay it down in layers upon layers. Though I thought about the subject months ahead, the actual piece was completed in about four weeks, roughly 60 hours in total. I would like to take my artistic interest in the direction of film, possibly cinematography which I know will take a lot of hard work.”

Christiana_Kallemeyn_Waiting_in_the_Wings_2013

(Overall Winner, Christiana Kallemeyn, “Waiting in the Wings”)

Christiana will be invited to attend the exhibit opening of “An Artistic Discovery” in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, June 26, 2013. Her artwork will be displayed in the corridor leading to the U.S. Capitol for a period of one year. As the overall winner, she will also receive three round-trip tickets to the exhibit opening, as well as a cash award to be presented at the district reception. If members of the media would like to get in touch with Christiana, please contact Congressman McCarthy’s office at 661-327-3611.

Awards will also be presented to those students who placed First, Second, Third or received Honorable Mention in the following categories: Photography and All Other Mediums. In addition, all winners will have the option of displaying their artwork in the Congressman’s Washington office for one year.

Below are the winners for Photography and All Other Mediums:

Photography

  • 1st Place- Iliana Moore, Photo- “Masquerade,” Valley Oaks Charter School, Tehachapi, CA
  • 2nd Place- Bethany Gomez, Photo- “Pierced,” Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA
  • 3rd Place- Bethany Gomez, Photo- “Beauty,” Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA
  • Honorable Mention- Ulises Aldrete, Photo- “Lonely Leaf,” Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA

All other Medium

  • 1st Place- Danielle Schroeder, Colored Pencil- “Ebony and Ivory,” Veritas Christian Academy, Lancaster, CA
  • 2nd Place- Michael Davidson, Scratchboard- “Snoop Lion,” Independence High School, Bakersfield, CA
  • 3rd Place- Yanzhen Chen, Watercolor- “Blushing Spring,” Stockdale High School, Bakersfield, CA
  • Honorable Mention- Heidi Lorelei Elliott, Pencil- “Self Portrait,” Frontier High School, Bakersfield, CA
  • Honorable Mention- Jose Rodriguez, Pencil- “Lion Hearted,” Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA

New for 2013 - Don Martin, Owner of Metro Galleries, will be giving out a new award this year for a piece of his choice.

· “The Metro Galleries Award” - Gabrielle Jordan, Linoleum Cut- “Deep in the Woods,” Bakersfield High School, Bakersfield, CA

This year, Congressman McCarthy received a record number 141 entries from 21 schools in the 23rd Congressional District, which includes parts of Kern, Tulare, and Los Angeles Counties.

Details of Friday’s Reception:

Date: Friday, May 10, 2013

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Location: Metro Galleries

1604 19th Street

Bakersfield, CA 93301