For Immediate Release:
Monday, May 9, 2005

WASHINGTON D.C - Congressman Dan Boren (D-Muskogee) today honored over 150 local youth artists and announced the top entries of the Congressional Artistic Discovery competition.  Entries were displayed over the weekend at the Muskogee Public Library and winners announced today at the Northeastern State University Muskogee Auditorium. 

 

“I’m impressed with the participation by local schools, and with the talent of our young artists,” Boren said during an awards ceremony in Muskogee.  High School students from Cherokee, Muskogee, Ottawa, Sequoyah, and Rogers Counties participated in the contest.      

 

Sponsored by Members of Congress, Artistic Discovery is an art contest for youth in grades 9-12.  Over 150 students from eleven area schools competed for a chance to display their artwork in a corridor of the U.S. Capitol.  A panel of judges assembled from local universities selected the winners.

 

The overall Best of Show winner was Corey Gulley of Warner High School.  Corey’s art piece was selected to hang in the U.S. Capitol alongside other winners from across the nation. 

 

Boren underscored the importance of encouraging artistic development in youth.  “Giving our young artists a forum for success is essential to our cultural development,” Boren remarked.  “If we are to attract jobs to Eastern Oklahoma, we must develop and promote quality of life factors, including a positive cultural climate,” Boren said.

 

Local support for the contest was also drawn from community partners including: Muskogee Public Schools, the Muskogee Public Library, the Muskogee Arts Council, and Northeastern State University which provided scholarship funds to the winner. 

  

Other winners in each different category are as follows:

 

Cherokee County

 

Marcoma Christian School

 

Pastel 1^st place-Seth Richardson with “Presidents George-Then & Now”

Prints (Special Effects/Paper) 1^st place-Kendra Scott with “Faces of Kobe Bryant”

 

Tahlequah High School

 

Ink/Markers 1^st place-Matt Giles with “Ian”

Pencil/Graphite/Charcoal 3^rd place-Lyndsey Webb with “Beyond the Branches”

Watercolor 1^st place-Tara Hamilton with “Colored Ink-Still Life”

 

Muskogee County

 

Fort Gibson High School

 

Acrylic 2^nd place-Crystal Thomas with “Checker Again”

Collage 3^rd place-Miranda Hubbert with “ Fruit Bowl”

Collage 2^nd place-Darcie Dieman with “Caught in the Storm”

Collage 1^st place-Shayla Hannabass with “Tree”

Colored Pencil 1^st place-Susana Rodriguez with “Music Dreams”

Mixed Media 3^rd place-Julie Brown with “A Walk on the Bridge”

Mixed Media 1^st place-Julie Brown with “A Turbulent Sea”

Most Creative went to Adam Parker with his “Self Portrait” with a mixed media of glue and watercolor.

Pastel 2^nd place-Laura Bowles with “More Than Skin Deep”

Scratchboard 2^nd place-Darcie Dieman with “Just Scratched Off”

Tempra 3^rd place-Bonnie Railey with “Blue Hawaii”

Tempra 2^nd place-Darcie Dieman with “Treasure Map”

Tempra 1^st place-Carleigh Gilliam with “Dejo de la Luna”

Watercolor 3^rd place-Julie Brown with “The Pond”

Watercolor 2^nd place-Julie Brown with “Friends”

Best in Show 3^rd place-Julie Brown with “Turbulent Sea”

Best in Show 2^nd place-Shayla Hannabass with “Tree”

 

Porum High School

 

Colored Pencil 3^rd place-D.J. Moore with “Mask of King Tut”

Pencil/Graphite/Charcoal 2^nd place-Jesse Feldick with “Golden Eye”

Photography 3^rd place-Mari-Lyn Wright with “Oklahoma Wildflowers”

Photography 1^st place-Sarah Scroggins with “Portrait of a Thought”

Scratchboard 1^st place-Adam Hamil with “Drama Mask”

 

Warner High School

 

Acrylic 3^rd place-Steven Warrior with “George Fork Bridge”

Acrylic 1^st place-Michelle Shoemaker with “Eyes Watching”

Pencil/Graphite/Charcoal Honorable Mention-Desiree Huenergardt with “Serenity”

Pencil/Graphite/Charcoal 1^st place-Michelle Shoemaker with “Bottled Fury”

Pencil/Graphite/Charcoal 1^st place-Corey Gulley with “Fury-Self Portrait Age 18”

Best in Show 1^st place 1^st place-Corey Gulley with “Fury-Self Portrait Age 18”

 

Ottawa County

 

Commerce High School

 

Oils 3^rd place-Kelly Hadley with “My Horses”

Oils 2^nd place-Jocelyn Delano with “Painting of My House”

 

Rogers County

 

Inola High School

 

Batik 3^rd place-Amy Black with “Flowers in a Vase”

Batik 2^nd place-Brook Koenig with “Parrots”

Batik 1^st place-Amanda Whitehead with “Fish”

Oils 3^rd place-Brook Koenig with “Tribal Roll Call Number”

 

Oologah High School

 

Most creative went to Andrea Barnes with her “Dream Master” pencil drawing.

Mixed Media 2^nd place-Andrea Barnes with “Patriot”

 

Sequoyah County

 

Sallisaw High School

 

Colored Pencil 2^nd place-Ashley Cores with “Female Celebrity”

Photography 2^nd place-Myka Sanders with “Pink Flower”

 

Vian High School

 

Ink/Markers 3^rd place-Stephanie Remer with “Irises”

Ink/Markers 2^nd place-Manuel Terrill with “Solitude”

Pastel 3^rd place-Jessica Kirkland with “Enchanted Fairies”

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