Congressman Paul Tonko announced that Niskayuna High School Senior Lianna Potrikus is the winner of the 2010 Congressional Art Competition for the 21st Congressional District. Her oil painting, named “Curling Conundrum,” was judged to be the best out of more than 50 entries from several local school districts. The artwork was displayed during a reception Monday evening at the Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy.

 Lianna’s painting will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol and she will receive a free trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a reception honoring the winners from Congressional Districts nationwide.

Two students were given an honorable mention for their work: Ashley Ayuso from Schenectady High and Emma Bowman from Niskayuna High School.

“Congratulations to Lianna for her exceptional work, and to all the students who took part in the competition,” said Congressman Tonko. “Creative expression through the arts is an important part of the learning process and allows students to exercise their imagination.”

The artwork was judged by a panel of local arts professionals who donated their time to the project. The judges were Amy Williams, Executive Director of the Arts Center of the Capital Region; Miki Conn, Executive Director of the Hamilton Hill Arts Center in Schenectady; Erica Sanger, Director of Education for the Albany Institute of History and Art; and Janet Yeates, a Graphic Designer from Northville.

The Congressional Art Competition started in 1982 as an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. More than 650,000 high school students have participated in the nationwide competition.

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