Lacey, WA – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced Leila Chavez, a junior at Olympia High School in Olympia, Washington as the 2022 Congressional Art Competition winner for Washington’s 10th Congressional District. Chavez was selected by a panel of judges for her drawing featuring her feelings of fear and climate anxiety. Chavez’s painting will be displayed in the United States Capitol for one year.
“After reviewing many incredible submissions from students across the South Sound, I want to congratulate Leila Chavez from Olympia for winning the Congressional Art Competition,” said Strickland. “This thought-provoking drawing depicts Leila’s fears and anxiety regarding our climate future. I look forward to seeing the artwork on display as I walk around the Capitol and I want to thank our judges and all of the students that participated.”
“Creating this piece allowed me to express a lot of the pent-up anger, sadness, and guilt that I have been feeling as a result of climate change and the destruction of many ecosystems in Washington State,” said Chavez. “I wanted to specifically highlight the forest fires that demolish Washington’s forests every summer and fill our skies with thick and hazardous smoke. In the foreground of this drawing, my future self clutches her face, expressing the whirlwind of emotions she feels as a result of this destruction. This piece is a cautionary warning that we cannot let climate change get out of hand. By using a mixture of different mediums, including alcohol marker, pencil, and pen, I was able to express that madness and chaos we have all been feeling recently. Not just because of climate change, but also because of the unprecedented events that have happened in the past couple of years.”
“The piece showed maturity in approach with such a dynamic background and great technical skill,” said Donna Taylor Mayo, Co-Founder of Tenino Arts, and competition judge. “It was very well done.”
“The emotions expressed in the portrait were complex and moving,” said Jenny Hall, Co-Founder of Tenino Arts, and competition judge. “The message displayed is representative of Washingtonians.”
This year’s panel of judges for Washington’s 10th Congressional District included Jenny Hall and Donna Mayo; Co-Founders of the Tenino Arts, and Carla Morrison, President of the Board of Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center. The Congressional Art Competition was launched in 1982 to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of young constituents from across the country with the chance to display their art in the United States Capitol.
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland serves as a Member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. She is one of the first Korean-American women elected to Congress and the first African-American to represent the Pacific Northwest at the federal level.
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