2025 Congressional Art Award Winners ⇒
The Maine Arts Commission is delighted to reveal the winners of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition, showcasing the remarkable talents of high school artists across Maine. Selected through a process by jurors, these talented artists represent the finest in creative expression throughout our state's congressional districts.
1st District
- First Place: Brynna Casey of Scarborough High School
- Second Place: Eliot Verry- Gardella of Baxter Academy Tech & Science
- Third Place: Mara Willey of Bonny Eagle High School
- Honorable Mentions: Elsie Gendron of Sanford High School, Samantha Poulin of Gray-New Gloucester High School, and Nalin Chau of Portland Arts & Tech High School.
Quotes from Jurors:
“Brynna exposes the movement of liminal space, being caught between two places - the upward regarded the painting coupled with this liminal movement enables the viewer to see this student’s exploration into this manifested confliction. It is taught with emotion.” - Veronica Perez & Pamela Moulton
2nd District
- First Place: Amari Meisner of Skowhegan High School
- Second Place: Olivia Tompkins of Spruce Mountain High School
- Third Place: Salwa Saeed of Hebron Academy
- Honorable Mentions: Orlando Guzman of Hebron Academy, Parker Smith of Rangeley Lakes Regional School, and Bernie Stelmach of Kents Hill School.
Quotes from Jurors:
“It’s the elusive, off-kilter, black space which is so interesting in the piece. The open quality of the human faces standing in our way, and the door in the back asking us to enter.” - Oliver Solmitz & Reed McLean
The first-place winners from each district will showcase their artwork in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. for a duration of one year.
The Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the Maine Scholastic Awards, serves as a platform to recognize and nurture artistic talent nationwide. Since its inception in 1982, over 650,000 high school students have participated, as reported by the U.S. House of Representatives website. https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/congressional-art-competition/
1st District
Manifested Confliction by Brynna Casey
Acrylic Painting
Scarborough High School
Grade: 11
Teacher: Erin Landry-Fowler
Atlantic Obelisk by Eliot Verry-Gardella
Photography
Baxter Academy Tech & Science
Grade: 12
Teacher: Matthew Barnes
Ropes by Mara Willey
Mixed Media
Bonny Eagle High School
Grade: 12
Teacher: Sarah Templeton Bush
Peekaboo by Elsie Gendron
Drawing
Sanford High School
Grade: 12
Teacher: Margaret Warner
Blinded by Samantha Poulin
Drawing
Gray-New Gloucester High School
Grade: 12
Teacher: Mary Pennington
Lilies by Nalin Chau
Acrylic Painting
Portland Arts & Tech High School
Grade: 11
Teacher: Elizabeth Long
2nd District
Not Alone Anymore by Amari Meisner
Drawing
Skowhegan High School
Grade: 9
Teacher: Robert Hernandez
The Puppet Queen by Olivia Tompkins
Painting
Spruce Mountain High School & Science
Grade: 12
Teacher: Jan M. Barlow
A Beautiful Shot by Salwa Saeed
Photography
Hebron Academy
Grade: 12
Teacher: Stefania Motta
Close Eye by Orlando Guzman
Drawing
Hebron Academy
Grade: 12
Teacher: Jude Blakelock
Foundry Design 5 by Parker Smith
Design
Rangeley Lakes Regional School
Grade: 12
Teacher: Maryam Emami
The Awakening by Bernie Stelmach
Photography
Kents Hill School
Grade: 11
Teacher: Chris McInerney
About the Congressional Art Awards
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 700,000 high school students have competed for the honor of having their work shown in the U.S. Capitol.
The competition is open to all high school students. The overall winner of each participating district will have the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for the entire year, beginning in June. In addition, winners will be flown to Washington, D.C. for the official opening of the show in June.
The Maine Arts Commission partners with the Maine College of Art (MECA) and the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards to select the artwork. Artwork that MECA has invited to exhibit for the annual Maine Regional Scholastic Art Awards are automatically submitted to be juried for the Congressional Art Competition.
For information about the Congressional Art Competition please contact Kimberly Jablon of the Maine Arts Commission, at vog.eniam@nolbaj.ylrebmik or 207-287-6571.