Congressional Art Exhibition

For Immediate Release Press Contact: Tom Shinall, TMP Director of Marketing [email protected] 770-387-1300GEORGIA’S 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ART COMPETITION ON VIEW AT DOWNTOWN GALLERY IN CARTERSVILLE Artists’ Reception and Awards Ceremony set for Friday, May 6 at 7:00 pmCARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA – In January Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) announced the start of the 2016Congressional Art Competition, a national contest that recognizes the artistic talents of high schoolstudents across the nation and features winning artwork in the U.S. Capitol. Georgia’s 11th CongressionalDistrict Art Competition is currently on exhibit at the Downtown Gallery in Cartersville, Georgia, throughFriday, May 6, 2016.The 2016 Georgia 11th Congressional District Art Competition exhibition features 47 original masterworksby 47 student-artists representing 12 schools from the district covering Bartow and Cherokee countiesand parts of Cobb and Fulton counties. Featured schools include Cartersville High (Cartersville),Cherokee High (Canton), Creekview High (Canton), Etowah High (Woodstock), Furtah Preparatory(Acworth), Holy Spirit Preparatory (Atlanta), Kennesaw Mountain High (Kennesaw), North Atlanta High(Atlanta), North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw), North Cobb High (Kennesaw), River Ridge High(Woodstock), and Woodstock High (Woodstock).The public is invited to an Artists’ Reception and Awards Ceremony on Friday, May 6 at 7:00 pm. Thereception will offer an exclusive look into the juried artwork. Many of the student-artists will be inattendance to share their experience creating the pieces exhibited in the Downtown Gallery. Guests willhave the opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments. Rep. Loudermilk will be inattendance to congratulate the student-artists and announce the over-all winner. The artwork of the over-all winner in the district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside artworkfrom other contest winners nation-wide. The winner will also be recognized at an awards ceremony inWashington, D.C.The Downtown Gallery is an effort by Booth Western Art Museum to help highlight the talents of local andregional artists and move Cartersville towards becoming a more art focused community. “We are excitedto be hosting this impressive exhibition showcasing the artistic talent of students across our district at theDowntown Gallery,” says Seth Hopkins, executive director of Booth Western Art Museum. “We appreciateCongressman Loudermilk for sponsoring this opportunity and supporting the arts.” MORE

Page two, Congressional Art CompetitionSponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, The Artistic Discovery Contest (nowknown as The Congressional Art Competition) was established by the Congressional Institute in 1982 toprovide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of theiryoung constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with thenationwide competition.This competition is open to all high school students living within their respective district. Artwork submittedhas been judged by a panel of local artists. Artworks entered in the contest are required to be up to 28” x28” x 4”, including the frame. The artwork mediums may include paintings (oil, acrylics, and watercolors),drawings (pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers), collage, prints (lithographs,silkscreen, and block prints), mixed media, computer generated art, and photography. All entries must bean original in concept, design and execution.“Last year’s congressional art competition yielded an incredible turnout of young artists in our district,”said Rep. Loudermilk. “I am so proud of each one of the students who participated in last year’scompetition, and was pleased to see the winning artwork hung for display in the U.S. Capitol. I lookforward to another winning piece being placed in the Capitol this year, and I encourage interestedstudents to apply for the chance to be recognized nationally for their talent.”About Downtown GalleryThe Downtown Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm and sells original artby regional artists as well as prints, posters, books, and sculpture by artists in the Booth Museumcollection. Downtown Gallery is an effort by Booth Western Art Museum to help highlight the talents oflocal and regional artists and move Cartersville towards becoming a more art focused community.Regional artists wishing to show their art at the Downtown Gallery must be members of the Booth Artists’Guild or Booth Photography Guild. For more information, contact the Downtown Gallery at 770-387-4330or visit www.downtowngallery.org.About Booth Western Art MuseumBooth Western Art Museum, an Affiliate to the Smithsonian Institution, is a 120,000 square foot museumlocated in Cartersville, Georgia, where guests are invited to See America’s Story by exploring theAmerican West through contemporary Western artwork. The Museum also houses a Presidential Gallery,Civil War art gallery, and Sagebrush Ranch, an interactive children’s gallery. Open since August 2003,Booth Museum is the only museum of its kind in the Southeast and is the second largest art museum inthe state of Georgia. To learn more about Booth Western Art Museum, visit www.boothmuseum.org. ###