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High school artists invited to submit work to competition

3 min read

Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Known as The Artistic Discovery Contest, the competition affords 9th through 12th graders the opportunity to share their artistic talent and vision with both their local communities and the nation at large.

“Newly-elected Congressman Francis J. Rooney is proud to come from a Congressional District where the arts flourish and creativity abounds, and he is mindful of the role played by our schools, the Lee County Alliance for the Arts, the Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs, the Naples Art Association and even outdoor art fairs and festivals such as the Estero Fine Art Show in developing young artists through the classes, workshops and art shows they conduct and sponsor,” a release from Art Southwest Florida states. “The Congressman is eager to showcase the talent of our local youth and, toward that end, encourages 9th through 12th grade students living in Florida’s 19th Congressional District to enter the contest. It’s as easy as delivering a framed piece of their art to Mr. Rooney’s office in either Cape Coral or Naples by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2017.”

Artworks entered in the contest may be up to 26″ x 26″ x 4″, measured from the outside of the frame. Artwork will be accepted in the following categories:

Paintings – including oil, acrylics, and watercolor

Drawings – including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers

Collage

Prints – including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints

Mixed Media

Computer Generated Art

Photography

All entries must be original in concept, design and execution. Entries must also be accompanied by two copies of a from entrants can obtain at francisrooney.house.gov/constituent-services/arts-competition.htm.

There is no fee to enter the contest.

Each student’s work will be hung for display and judging in Room J-117/118 in the Rush Library on the Lee campus of Florida SouthWestern State College, 8099 College Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33919. All entrants will receive a certificate of achievement. The second and third place artwork will be displayed in Congressman Rooney’s district offices. The winning artwork will be displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol along with award-winning artwork from across the nation. Southwest Airlines will present the first-place winner and one family member with roundtrip airline tickets to Washington, D.C. so that they can attend the National Exhibit and Reception.

Leoma Lovegrove, Christie Marcoplos and Mercedes Price will judge the competition and the results will be announced during a 2 p.m. reception in the Rush Library at FSW on Wednesday, April 12.

The Congressional Art 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, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

Congressman Rooney’s Cape Coral office is in Suite 308, 1039 S.E. 9th Avenue, Cape Coral, FL 33990 (phone 239-599-6033). His Naples office is in Suite 105, 3299 Tamiami Trail, East, Naples, FL 34112 (phone 239-252-6225).

Please telephone 239-599-6033 for more information.

Source: Art Southwest Florida