SE Kentucky News

Corbin Senior Wins Congressional Art Competition with Teacher Portrait

CORBIN, Ky. -- U.S. Rep. Harold "Hal" Rogers (KY-05) announced Lydia Engle, a senior at Corbin High School, as the winner of the Congressional Art Competition for Kentucky's fifth congressional district. Her painting will be featured in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year and she is invited to a national reception in Washington this summer for all the winners across the country.

"The talented student artists in Southern and Eastern Kentucky deserve to be featured alongside the best young artists in the country. When I walk through the Capitol Building, I take great pride in seeing artwork from home on display," said Congressman Rogers, Dean of the House. "Lydia's artwork is not only executed with great talent and creativity, but it captures her gratitude for a teacher who has clearly inspired her and impacted her life."

Engle's first place acrylic painting entitled The Spork Queen is a portrait honoring her high school choir and theatre teacher, wearing a crown of sporks.

"I feel so honored to have been chosen to represent southeastern Kentucky. I would like to thank Mrs. Angela Smith, my art teacher, and Mrs. Candy Jones, my choir teacher for supporting me in all I do," said Engle. "The sporks are a meaningful symbol for Mrs. Jones' students that remind us of her expectations. I wanted to paint her in full realism to capture how her students envision her in high regard."

The Mountain Arts Center is providing two free tickets to see the Kentucky Opry in Prestonsburg, Kentucky for the second and third place winners.

The second place artwork was created by Madeline Frye, a freshman at Southwestern High School in Pulaski County. Frye created a digital image of a red-haired woman reaching out for a golden mockingbird.

The third place artwork entitled Golden Hour was created by Blakely Callahan, a freshman at South Laurel High School. She used mixed media to create a young pioneer girl placing a fledgling finch into a nest during a golden dusk.

Visit Congressman Rogers' Facebook page to see entries for this year's competition at https://facebook.com/congressmanhalrogers.