STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie spent an evening at Barren County High School’s Trojan Kala Mandir art museum, honoring student artists taking part in the Congressional Art Challenge.
The April 13 event at the school’s on-campus museum space spotlighted the creative work of young people from the region, including students from Barren, Butler, Hardin, Marion, Meade, Muhlenberg, Nelson and Warren counties.
Guthrie told the crowd he wanted to celebrate students’ talent and the effort that goes into transforming ideas into finished pieces of art.
“This is one of my favorite things,” Guthrie said. “We’ve seen so many, so much excellent artwork. I went to high school in Alabama, and in my high school, if you didn’t score touchdowns, you weren’t, like, really thought of and I thought, there’s a lot more talented people than people who scored touchdowns.”
“People need their talents to be recognized,” he added.
He encouraged students to continue exploring their creativity and to take pride in having their artwork considered for such a prominent venue.
The overall winner this year was tenth-grader Tristan Sweeney, a homeschool student from Warren County. She will receive two plan tickets to D.C. and her artwork — titled Midnight Masquerade — will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol for a year alongside other winning student works from across the country.
“I’m absolutely delighted,” Sweeney said. “It’s a little overwhelming actually, but I’m honored.”
The Congressional Art Challenge gives high school students a chance to have their work judged by a panel of art educators, with one overall winner selected from the entries.
The second- and third-place overall winners will have their artwork hung in Guthrie’s Washington, D.C., and Bowling Green offices. The “Facebook Favorite” winner’s artwork will be displayed in Congressman Guthrie’s Bowling Green District office as well.
Key Facts
– U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie visited Barren County High School’s Trojan Kala Mandir art museum for the Congressional Art Challenge
– Event celebrated creativity and artwork by local students
– Overall winner was tenth-grade homeschooler Tristan Sweeney from Warren County
– Sweeney’s artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol
– Overall winner also receives two tickets to Washington, D.C.
– Guthrie praised students, parents and teachers for supporting the arts
Michael Crimmins with Glasgow News 1 contributed to this reporting.
