S. Brett Guthrie
04/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/14/2026 16:23
Guthrie Announces Winners of 2026 Congressional Art Competition
Bowling Green, KY - Last night, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) hosted the awards ceremony for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition on the campus of Barren County High School.
"Every year, I look forward to seeing the creativity of our young people expressed in the submissions for the Congressional Art Competition - this year was no different," said Congressman Brett Guthrie. "It was an honor to visit with these extraordinarily talented students, their families, teachers, and friends to celebrate their incredible accomplishments. I know that all of these artists have bright futures ahead, and I look forward to seeing our winning submissions proudly displayed on the walls of the U.S. Capitol and my offices. Great work!"
2026 Congressional Art Competition Reception and Awards Ceremony
The Congressional Art Competition allows high school students in Kentucky's Second Congressional District to compete for the chance to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. This week's reception gave artists from across the district the opportunity to showcase their artwork for their peers, family members, and judges.
The competition is judged by art professionals and professors from colleges and universities in the district. The "Overall First Place" winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. The second and third place submissions, in addition to the "Facebook Favorite", will be displayed in Congressman Guthrie's various Congressional offices.
All submitted artwork for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition can be found here.
Pictures from yesterday's reception can be found here.
1st Place Overall:
Tristan Sweeney - Midnight Masquerade
2nd Place Overall:
Blake Newton - The Space Between
3rd Place Overall:
Ashley Banet - Aspire to be a Vulture
Facebook Favorite:
Danika Brown - Christmas Truce
Overall Honorable Mentions:
1. Shelby Hollis - The Bird
2. Samantha Gex - The Modern Knight
3. Willow Romans - Wrapped Up
County Winners:
Butler County:
1. Mae Givens - Portrait Unveiling
2. Samuel Morris - Jelly Fish
Hart County:
1. Ashley Banet - Tardigrade Hare
2. Jaxon Minor - The Printing Mantis
3. Carly Chenoweth - Change of Plans
Marion County:
1. Blake Newton - The Space Between
Meade County:
1. Samantha Gex - The Modern Knight
2. Danika Brown - The Christmas Truce
Muhlenberg County:
1. Kyleigh Daugherty - Still Life of Glasses and Fruit
2. Damien Berkley - Aphrodite
"Every year, I look forward to seeing the creativity of our young people expressed in the submissions for the Congressional Art Competition - this year was no different," said Congressman Brett Guthrie. "It was an honor to visit with these extraordinarily talented students, their families, teachers, and friends to celebrate their incredible accomplishments. I know that all of these artists have bright futures ahead, and I look forward to seeing our winning submissions proudly displayed on the walls of the U.S. Capitol and my offices. Great work!"
2026 Congressional Art Competition Reception and Awards Ceremony
The Congressional Art Competition allows high school students in Kentucky's Second Congressional District to compete for the chance to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. This week's reception gave artists from across the district the opportunity to showcase their artwork for their peers, family members, and judges.
The competition is judged by art professionals and professors from colleges and universities in the district. The "Overall First Place" winning artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. The second and third place submissions, in addition to the "Facebook Favorite", will be displayed in Congressman Guthrie's various Congressional offices.
All submitted artwork for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition can be found here.
Pictures from yesterday's reception can be found here.
1st Place Overall:
Tristan Sweeney - Midnight Masquerade
2nd Place Overall:
Blake Newton - The Space Between
3rd Place Overall:
Ashley Banet - Aspire to be a Vulture
Facebook Favorite:
Danika Brown - Christmas Truce
Overall Honorable Mentions:
1. Shelby Hollis - The Bird
2. Samantha Gex - The Modern Knight
3. Willow Romans - Wrapped Up
County Winners:
Butler County:
1. Mae Givens - Portrait Unveiling
2. Samuel Morris - Jelly Fish
3. Willow Romans - Wrapped Up
Hardin County:
1. Emma Ryker - My Favorite World
Hardin County:
1. Emma Ryker - My Favorite World
Hart County:
1. Ashley Banet - Tardigrade Hare
2. Jaxon Minor - The Printing Mantis
3. Carly Chenoweth - Change of Plans
Marion County:
1. Blake Newton - The Space Between
Meade County:
1. Samantha Gex - The Modern Knight
2. Danika Brown - The Christmas Truce
1. Kyleigh Daugherty - Still Life of Glasses and Fruit
2. Damien Berkley - Aphrodite
3. Leila Carter - My Old Kentucky Mason Jar
Nelson County:
1. Ava Alford - Red Cross Nurses
Warren County:
1. Tristan Sweeney - The Raven
2. Addyson Spencer - Draped in Eternal Stillness
3. Liam McDonald - Harris Hawk
Nelson County:
1. Ava Alford - Red Cross Nurses
Warren County:
1. Tristan Sweeney - The Raven
2. Addyson Spencer - Draped in Eternal Stillness
3. Liam McDonald - Harris Hawk
S. Brett Guthrie published this content on April 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on April 14, 2026 at 22:23 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]