Congressman Peter Welch has announced the winner of the 34th Annual Congressional Art Competition at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. Natalie Reed of Jeffersonville and Lamoille Union High School won first-place honors for her piece, Chicken Scratch.
“Every year, I am more and more amazed by the talent we have in our state. As always, picking a winner was an incredibly tough decision. Congratulations to Natalie who clearly has a very bright future in the arts. I’m especially looking forward to seeing her wonderful painting on my walk to and from the Capitol building.”
The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide high school visual art competition initiated by Rep. Jim Jeffords in 1981, to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Students submit entries to their Representative’s office and panels of local artists in each district select the winning entries, which are then displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol along the route that Members of Congress walk from their offices to the House floor. This year 141 students from 33 high schools in Vermont participated in the competition.