Congressman Gregory W. Meeks AnnouncedHigh School Congressional Art Competition Winner:George Washington Carver High School Senior Wins Top Prize

(WASHINGTON, DC)– Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY) has announced that Raynard Landell, a senior at George Washington Carver High School in Springfield Gardens, has won the 2010 Art Competition for the Sixth Congressional District sponsored by the Jamaica Export Centre. The annual competition provides an opportunity to showcase the talent of creative young artists from Southeast Queens.

The art work of Raynard, a native of the island of Jamaica, is entitled “Eyes of the Soul” and will be displayed for one year in the frequently used tunnel space between the U.S. Capitol and the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

“All of the young people who have submitted their art work are winners,” stated Meeks. “Each year the competition gets stiffer as the students seem[deleted s] to out do themselves, and I applaud each student for their remarkably beautiful and creative work and thank the teachers and parents for supporting them.”

Hoong Yee Lee Krakauer, Executive Director, Queens Council On the Arts stated, “What is most fascinating to me is the story that each young person has shared about their art work. Public art fosters empowerment, dialogue and strengthens communities all of which are displayed here today.”

One student received honorable mention at the reception: David Russell from Jamaica High School.

Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has provided high school students throughout the nation the opportunity to demonstrate their artistic abilities and compete for the chance to display their work in the Cannon Tunnel in the U.S. Capitol Building for an entire year with an unveiling at the official National Reception on Thursday, June 17. This year’s art selection committee judges included: Congressman Gregory W. Meeks; Bob Richards, President, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce; Mark Talley, Owner of Art About US; and Wieduo He, Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning (JCAL).