Teens' art to be displayed

LAKEWOOD - Georgian Court University will host the 4th Congressional District Art Competition for amateur artists May 5-8 at the M. Christina Geis Art Gallery. The winning entry will be placed on display in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

The competition is an initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives to promote the talent of high school artists fromacross the nation.

Two scholarships are offered by Georgian Court to the Best of Show and firstplace winners of the competition.

"The annual Congressional Art Competition gives aspiring young artists from all over the 4th District a chance to showcase their extraordinary talents and abilities. Much thanks and appreciation also goes to Georgian Court University for graciously hosting the competition each year and their support for the arts," said U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ).

Artwork will be hung in the gallery on May 5 and judges will select the winning entry (Best of Show) and four categories for first, second and third places and honorable mention. Three local artists will volunteer their expertise and time to judge the pieces, which include painting, drawing, collage, print, mixed media, computer-generated art and photography. The awards ceremony will take place on May 8 at 4 p.m.

The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress 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.

Local contests are held within each congressional district and the winning entries from all districts are displayed in the Cannon Tunnel, which connects the Cannon House Office Building with the U.S. Capitol. Each winning student receives an invitation to attend an opening ceremony for the unveiling of the display on June 25.

The exhibit is free and open to the public. TheM. Christina GeisArt Gallery is on the second floor of the Georgian Court UniversityArts and Science Center building on the Lakewood campus. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.