Press Releases

 Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced today that Freeport High School senior Jillian Wight has won the 2023 Congressional Art Competition for Maine’s 1st District. Her “Family Room” drawing will be on display in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Jillian placed second in last year’s Congressional Art Competition. 

“Congratulations to Freeport High School senior Jillian Wight on her winning drawing. She should be very proud of this unique achievement. Her eye-catching and creative piece of art will represent our great state well in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. To all the students who participated this year, thank you for sharing your creativity with us, and many thanks to the art teachers who inspire our students every day,” said Congresswoman Pingree. 

“I was strongly drawn to all of Jillian Wights’ work,” competition judge Anna Dibble said. “She is clearly ‘pushing the envelope’ with a variety of mediums and content, yet able to retain a unique style and vision. Family Room stands out from the others because of the perspective, dazzling color choices, and simply its powerful overall impact on the viewer.” 

“This work really stood out to me because of its inventiveness in color and composition. This scene is both familiar and uniquely new. Jillian’s technical skill is also really strong in the use of subtractive details, that viewers really need to take their time to see,” judge Meg Hahn said.

The judges also recognized the works of five other students:

• “Ramen With My Dad” by Sophia Blanco of Winthrop High School (Second Place)
• “I Can’t See You Through the Glass” by Cosette Spier of Cape Elizabeth High School (Third Place)
• “The Experimental Combination of Thoughts” by Finnian Furtney of Freeport High School (Honorable Mention)
• “Master Puppets” by Rihanna Antoine of Freeport High School (Honorable Mention)
• “City Street” by Teagan Slone of Freeport High School (Honorable Mention)

About the Congressional Art Competition:

The Congressional Art Competition was created in 1982 to give Members of Congress the opportunity to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Every spring, students in participating Congressional Districts across the country submit their work to their Representative’s office to be judged by a panel of district artists. One winning work from each District hangs in a special exhibit at the U.S. Capitol for a year. 

Pingree is ranking member of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and other cultural agencies. She serves as co-chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus.

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