Press Releases

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) recognized Leah Ruff as the winner of the 2015 Congressional Art Competition at an awards ceremony held at the Cherokee Arts Center on Friday, March 27, 2015. Ms. Ruff attends Cherokee High School and won the Grand Prize Award for her oil painting entitled, “Chevy Man.”

As the winner of the 2015 competition, Ms. Ruff will receive an art scholarship and two tickets to fly to Washington D.C. for the Congressional Art Competition ceremony on June 24, 2015. Ms. Ruff’s artwork will also be displayed in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for an entire year.

“The level of artistic talent represented within the 11th Congressional District is astounding, and I am extremely proud of all the students who entered the 2015 competition,” said Rep. Loudermilk. “As I walk through the halls of the Capitol, I am constantly amazed by the creative artwork on display from students across our country. While these pieces are all extraordinary, I believe every entry submitted from the 11th District is worthy of being displayed in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.”

Finalists from the 11th Congressional District include:

First Place Winner
Student: Leah Ruff
Art Piece Title: “Chevy Man”
Medium: Oil on panel
School: Cherokee High School
Teacher: Ms. Chris Lambert

Second Place Winner
Student: Kathryn Kampovsky
Artwork Title: “Sad Old Man”
Medium: Graphite and pastel
School: Creekview High School
Teacher: Linda Nicholson

Third Place Winner
Student: Ashli Melder
Artwork Title: “The Forest’s Goddess”
Medium: Photograph
School: Mt. Paran Christian School
Teacher: Joe McSpadden

Honorable Mention #1
Student: Emily Schuvart
Artwork Title: “Painted Skin"
Medium: Oil on Paper
School: Etowah High School
Teacher: Shannah Dean

Honorable Mention #2
Student: Haley Tucker
Artwork Title: “Colorado”
Medium: Digital Print
School: The Lovett School
Teacher: Kary Walter

For the 2015 Congressional Art Competition, 61 entries were submitted from 15 schools across Georgia’s 11th District. The artwork will be on display at the Cherokee Arts Center until Friday, April 3, 2015. The Cherokee Art Center's Executive Director, Mary Akers, was responsible for coordinating the student art exhibition and selecting this year's panel of judges.

To view photos from this year's event, visit Rep. Loudermilk's Facebook page.