11th grader from Queens will have her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol
Amber Sevilla, a Filipino American and 11th grader from Elmhurst, Queens is the winner of the congressional art contest. This was announced by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) on June 11.
The contest, which consisted of entries from Queens high school students, is part of “An Artistic Discovery,” the national art contest held annually by the House of Representatives that showcases the artwork of students in congressional districts all across the nation.
Sevilla’s winning piece – along with the winning artwork from other congressional districts throughout the United States – will now be displayed for one year within the halls of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. She and the other winners will also be invited to Capitol Hill later this month for a special ceremony to recognize their artistic talents.
Sevilla placed first in Meng’s competition for her artwork entitled “2:25 PM” which is an acrylic painting of a photo she took in April 2023 that depicts a relaxed moment with her dad. According to Sevilla, the piece captures the beauty of mundane family moments and highlights the extraordinary found in ordinary, everyday experiences with family.
Sevilla, who turned 17 years old the day after winning, currently attends the High School of Art and Design. She plans to attend art college and hopes to have a career as an art educator or an art curator for a museum.
Meng announced Sevilla as the winner during a reception she held for students who submitted artwork and their families. All of the entries were displayed for the event. The congresswoman also presented all 28 students who entered – from 18 different schools – with certificates of congressional recognition.
“I thank Amber Sevilla for entering my art contest and I’m thrilled to congratulate her for winning this year’s competition,” said Congresswoman Meng. “The artistic talent shown by the young artists who took part in the contest is outstanding, and every year I continue to be impressed and inspired by the amazing creativity that goes into all of the artwork. I commend each and every student who participated and I’m excited that Amber’s winning piece will be recognized and displayed in the Capitol for lawmakers, visitors and maybe even the President to see.”
“It’s such an honor to be chosen as the winner of Congresswoman Meng’s congressional art competition! I was absolutely thrilled when I found out that I won, and I’m so excited to soon see my work hanging in the United States Capitol, said Amber Sevilla.
“I’m extremely grateful to Isabella Bustamante, the director of Teen Art Salon – which provides programs to local teens who are passionate about the arts – for encouraging me to enter the contest. I also thank my other art teachers, James Harrington, Ashton Agbomenou and Laura Blau for helping me hone my skills. I was born and raised in Queens, and it means so much to me to be able to give back to and represent my community in Elmhurst.”
In the future, she continued, “I want to be a supportive, caring and skilled art teacher, just like those who have always been by my side throughout my artistic studies in school, and winning first place in this competition is such an encouraging step in that journey.”
In addition to Sevilla’s first place award, Meng announced the second and two third place winners whose artwork will be displayed for one year in the Congresswoman’s Northeast Queens office. They include:
- Second Place Winner: Connie Lin from Flushing who attends LaGuardia High School for her piece titled “Ode to Mama (Grandma).”
- First Third Place Winner: Ester Pinari, a student at the Windsor School in Flushing for her entry named “Eclipse of Eternity.”
- Second Third Place Winner: Caitlin Lee, a student at Bayside High School for her artwork called “Cards Among Companions.”
The judges consisted of an outside panel with backgrounds in art and included:
- Daniel Bamba: Director of Arts Services at Flushing Town Hall
- Julia del Palacio, Ph.D.: Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development at Queens College
- Lindsey Berfond: Assistant Curator at the Queens Museum
- Faustino Quintanilla: Executive Director at the Queens Community College Art Gallery
Allowable mediums for the contest included paintings, collages, drawings, prints, mixed media, computer-generated art and photographs. The competition was open to all high school students residing or attending school in New York’s Sixth Congressional District.
The Artistic Discovery contest was launched in 1982 for Members of Congress to showcase the artistic work of high school students from around the nation. Since it began, hundreds of thousands of high school students from throughout the United States have participated in the competition.
