Young Artist Gets Congressional Honors

A young, local artist has received congressional recognition for her work in Rep. David Cicilline's statewide student art contest.

Phoebe Mack, of Bristol, joined 17 other aspiring artists from around the state in collecting an award in the 2012 Congressional Art Competition. High school students Natalie Paris, of Cumberland, took top honors and will see her artwork hung in the U.S. Capitol. Alek Comella, of Providence, placed second, and Maxwell Silva, of North Providence, took third. Comella and Silva will see their works hung in Cicilline's D.C. and Pawtucket offices, respectively. Paris will also receive roundtrip airline tickets to Washington, D.C., in order to attend a congressional reception and see her art put on display in the United States Capitol.

“These talented Rhode Island students make our state proud with their creativity and artistic ingenuity. I look forward to seeing their work on display, and I thank everyone who helped make this competition possible. Each work submitted through my office was exceptional, and I only regret that we could choose just one winner,” Cicilline said in a release.

The judges for Cicilline’s Art Competition included Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Community Arts Program Director Elena Calderon Patino and RiverzEdge Arts Project Executive Director Rebekah Greenwald Speck. The submitted pieces of art were judged for creativity, originality, technical skills, subject matter and creative impact.

The competition, sponsored by the U.S. House of Representatives, "recognizes and encourages high school artists both in Rhode Island’s First Congressional District and across the nation," according to a release. Cicilline coordinated his contest for high school students in the First Congressional District.

The students listed below received congressional recognition for their work:

Phoebe Mack, Bristol.

Rachel Giorgi, Cumberland.

Kayleigh Rooney, Jamestown.

Brenna Guyette, Lincoln.

Alicia Applegate, North Providence.

Elizabeth Marcotte, North Smithfield.

Rachel Campbell, Pascoag.

Montana Campbell, Pascoag.

Emet Schwartz, Providence.

Greta Kroessler, Providence.

Kayla DelBonis, Riverside.

Courtney Hammersley, Smithfield.

Hailey Shaw, Smithfield.

Sarah Jack, Smithfield.

Alexandra Bandoni, Tiverton.