Bill Johnson Announces 2016 Congressional Art Contest for Eastern and Southeastern Ohio High School Students

MARIETTA – Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Marietta) today announced that high school students in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio residing in the 6th Congressional District are eligible to participate in the 2016 Congressional Art Competition, “An Artistic Discovery.”

“I truly enjoy this annual competition because it showcases the exceptional talents the young people of Eastern and Southeastern Ohio have to offer,” Bill Johnson said. “I always look forward to viewing the artwork produced by our talented students, and I encourage all interested students to showcase their work. We had more submissions than ever last year, and I once again look forward to proudly displaying the winning pieces in the U.S. Capitol and my district offices.”

The winning student-artist will be invited to Washington, D.C. to take part in a national reception, and have his or her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Runners-up will have their artwork displayed in Rep. Johnson’s Marietta, Salem, Cambridge, Ironton, or Washington D.C. offices. All high school students living in Eastern and Southeastern Ohio can participate, regardless of where they attend high school: public, private, home school, or online school.

All artwork must be no larger than 28 x 28 x 4 including the frame, and can weight no more than 15 lbs. The artwork should be original in design, concept, and execution. Acceptable media include:

*Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolors

*Drawings: pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, markers

*Collage

*Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints

*Mixed media: use of more than two media such as pencil, ink, watercolor

*Computer-generated art

*Photography

Full guidelines can be found online at: http://billjohnson.house.gov/constituentservices/2016-congressional-art-competition.htm

All submissions are due by Friday, April 22nd, and can be either mailed or delivered in-person to Rep. Johnson’s Marietta, Salem, Cambridge, or Ironton District offices. The winning submissions will be determined by a panel of experts and local officials; the winners will be notified during the first week of May. This year, in addition to the panel selections, Johnson will also award a “People’s Choice” award; images of selected artwork will be posted on his Facebook page, and fans will have the opportunity to vote on a final winner. The student whose artwork receives the highest number of “likes” will be designated the winner of the People’s Choice award, and their artwork will be displayed in a district office.

For more information on the contest, please contact Ben Keeler in the Salem District Office at 330.337.6951.