Smith Congratulates Winner, Finalists of 2023 Congressional Art Competition

Congressman Jason Smith | Congressman Jason Smith Official U.S. House headshot

By Cape News Report

May 29, 2023

WASHINGTON – This month, U.S. Representative Jason Smith (Mo.) held a reception to recognize students from Missouri’s 8th Congressional District who placed in the top 15 of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition. Smith congratulated Clarissa Hulse, a senior from Houston, Mo., for taking first place with her piece, “Old Man.”

“The Congressional Art Competition is a great opportunity to highlight the talented young artists of southern Missouri,” said Smith. “The students who took part in the competition are incredibly talented, and I’m so proud of all the hard work they put in. Congratulations to Clarissa Hulse of Houston for winning first place with her piece, ‘Old Man.’ Her artwork will hang in the Capitol and be on display for lawmakers and the hundreds of tourists who visit this historic building every day.”

Houston High School art teacher Jode Huffman said Hulse was a joy to have in class and is one of the most talented students she was fortunate enough to mentor during her teaching career.

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide art competition to recognize artistic talent in each congressional district. Since the competition began in 1982, more that 650,000 students have participated nationwide. The winners are recognized within the district, as well as at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC. This competition is a way to showcase the vast talent that exists in the 8th Congressional District while allowing students to express themselves creatively.

For this year’s competition, students were asked to create triptych artwork. Hulse created a set of three pieces showing the lifespan of a male figure with a small child, a young man, and the piece she chose to submit, the “Old Man.” As the winner of the Congressional Art Competition, Hulse was given two plane tickets to Washington, D.C., so she can view her work on display in the U.S. Capitol building.

Smith announced the winner at a reception he hosted in Salem for students who made it to the final round of the competition.

Following is a list of the Congressional Art Competition finalists from Missouri’s 8th Congressional District: