Congressional Art Competition

2012 KAHA KI’I
An Artistic Discovery
Congressional Art Competition

A letter from Congresswoman Mazie K. Hirono:

Dear Art Teacher,

I am pleased to announce the 2012 Kaha Ki'i Congressional Art Competition in partnership with Youth Art Month. This competition provides a venue for students in Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District to showcase their artwork and be recognized for their artistic talents.

Attached are detailed instructions. Photos of art entries must be emailed to hawaiiyouthartmonth@gmail.com by February 10, 2012. Art entries selected as semi-finalists will be displayed at the Hawaii State Capitol (underground Chamber Level) throughout the month of March 2012.  Finalists for the 2nd Congressional District will be announced on Saturday, March 3, 2012.

The first place winner will receive a $500 monetary award and have his or her artwork displayed in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C for one year. The second place winner will receive a $300 monetary award with artwork displayed in my Washington, D.C. office. The third place winner will receive a $250 award and artwork displayed in my Honolulu office for one year.

Thank you for your commitment to providing your students with this opportunity to experience and grow in their art education. If you have any questions, please free to contact Ms. Kehau Yap in my Hawaii office at (808) 541-1986.

Sincerely,

Mazie K. Hirono
Member of Congress
2nd District Hawaii



2011 Winners Announced:
Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced Leilehua High School junior, Brennan Leong, as the grand prize winner of the 2011 Congressional Art Competition, “Kaha Ki‘i: An Artistic Discovery.”

Leong will soon have his winning work, titled, “Fish,” representing Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional District displayed in Washington, D.C.

Congresswoman Hirono also congratulates fellow Leilehua High School junior, Veronica Vestal, for her 2nd place piece titled “Looking Glass,” and Island School senior, Brennan Wortmann, for his 3rd place piece titled, “Ahakuni.”

A total of 89 students from Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Hawaii Island entered the prestigious contest.

Starting in June, Leong will have his artwork displayed along a highly visited corridor that leads to the U.S. Capitol Building, side-by-side with winning pieces of art representing congressional districts across the country. Leong also received a $500 monetary award.

Vestal, received a $300 monetary award with her artwork displayed in Congresswoman Hirono’s Washington, D.C. office. 3rd place winner Wortmann received a $250 award and his artwork will be displayed in Congresswoman Hirono’s Honolulu office for one year.Vince Hazen, Alison Ibara-Kawabe, and Lori Uyehara served as this year’s judges.

Brennan Leong, Leilehua High School, 11th grade, Title: “Fish”

L-to-R – Leilehua High School Art Teacher Keith Sasada and Congressional Arts Competition winner, Brennan Leong, stand in front of the first place work of art on display at the State Capitol until the end of March.

HISTORY
The Congressional Arts Caucus, an organization of members from the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate interested in supporting the arts, launched the Congressional Art Caucus in 1982 in order to provide members of Congress an opportunity to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.

Contest Instructions:

• Youth Art Month and Congressional Art Competition Overview
• Congressional Art Competition Contest Guidelines
• Congressional Art Competition Semi-Finalist Mailing Instructions
• Congressional Art Competition Student Entry Form

Students