Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in the nation and in each congressional district. Since the Artistic Discovery competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
This year, Girls Preparatory School senior Phoebe Mills’ painting placed first in this district and will hang in the U.S. Capitol. The painting, “Watercolor Window,” was done in oils and is from a photo she took of a friend riding on a bus with fogged windows.
“The way the traffic lights blurred across the window made it look surreal and magical,” Mills says of the image. “After I took the picture, I thought it looked like an oil painting. I had never picked up any oil paints, but because of that picture, I decided to try.”
Mills worked over the next two years, honing her oil painting techniques in classes in and outside of school. “I remember when Phoebe brought this picture to me,” says Julie Deavers, GPS art teacher. “She was a sophomore and an enthusiastic art student. She told me the story of how she captured this image and that she wanted to paint it.
“Fast forward two years later to a more confident and skilled artist, and Phoebe decided to tackle this painting. I knew she was ready for it and encouraged her to try. She handled it beautifully, and the painting is evidence of how much she’s grown as an artist.”
Mills submitted her entry to her representative’s office. Panels of district artists then selected her painting for national consideration. She was also awarded two plane tickets so she and a guest can attend the opening reception and award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 27. Her work will be displayed for one year.
“I brought my art to professionals for criticism and spent my study halls in art rooms before I finally thought I might be ready to do the picture justice,” Mills says. “It’s one of my favorite paintings today.”
Mills will attend Sewanee: University of the South this fall.
Source: Girls Preparatory School