With his piece 鈥淩egal Musing,鈥 Charles Herbert High School rising senior Lusenie Turay recently showcased the artistic aptitude Maryland has to offer.聽A work showcasing the hues and beauty of dark skin juxtaposed with a deep blue background, Lusenie’s work recently won the Fifth District Congressional Art Competition and will be unveiled on June 27 at the annual awards ceremony hosted in the U.S. Capitol, where the piece will hang for a year.聽
鈥淚 poured my heart into capturing my story, and I truly hope my work sparks a deeper appreciation for diverse perspectives and encourages others to share their own unique voices,鈥 Lusenie, a Sierra-Leonian American, said in a press release announcing the honorees.
Every year, high school students are encouraged to engage their talents through a congressional showcase. Since 1982, the Artistic Discovery competition has welcomed over 650,000 entries from districts across the country.
Through the face of a young child with amethyst-colored skin and intricate gold markings, Lusenie’s work emits a serious and emotional tone for admirers.
鈥淚 was captivated by his artwork and impressed by the time and effort he put into creating it. I look forward to viewing his thought-provoking piece in the Capitol complex this year,鈥 Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said in a statement.
The high-schooler, a Google Code Next Engineer student, used the Procreate software to bring this image to life. The online tool offered the ability to produce a striking image. His work will be unveiled on June 27 at the annual awards ceremony hosted in the U.S. Capitol where it will hang for a year.聽
A list of all Maryland student awardees can be found below:
1st Place 鈥 Lusenie Turay; Charles Herbert Flowers High School; “Regal Musing”
2nd Place 鈥 Eaton Ekolrintaragon; Huntingtown High School in Calvert County; “Hidden Treasure”
3rd Place 鈥 Joseph Harrison IV; Georgetown Prep in Prince George鈥檚 County; “A Black Boy鈥檚 Childhood”
4th Place 鈥 Emma Johnson; North Point High School in Charles County; “New Beginnings”
5th Place 鈥 Hailey Muise; Chopticon High School in St. Mary鈥檚 County; “Milo”