Congressional art show in Grand Haven this month

Mon, Feb 1, 2010    to del.icio.us

A congressional art competition exhibit opened its month-long stay in Grand Haven on Monday.

The Michigan 2nd Congressional District 2009 art competition, "Tapestry of Life," is at Loutit District Library, 407 Columbus Ave., through Feb. 26.

"The art on display created by the participants in the 2009 contest speaks volumes about the creative young talent in Michigan's 2nd Congressional District," said U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland. "I encourage local residents to visit the Loutit District Library to view the outstanding work of our local up-and-coming artists."

Every year, all local high school students in the Michigan 2nd Congressional District are invited to participate in the competition. Twelve pieces are selected from the collection of entries by a panel of local art professionals.

"Saugatuck Tapestry" by Stacy Lin of Saugatuck High School was selected as the winner of the 2009 competition, and it was sent to Washington to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol tunnel for one year.

The remaining 11 finalists, along with a reproduction of the winning piece, travel to local libraries throughout the year.

Andrew Swifney, a Grand Haven High School and Careerline Tech Center student, received honorable mention for his "Pinecones Ground" painting. Two Coopersville High School students, Chelsea Bergeon and Evan Grimminck, also have their works in the traveling exhibit as honorable mentions.

The exhibit visited libraries in Cadillac, Manistee, Zeeland, Coopersville and Ludington last year; and it was at the Walker Branch Library in North Muskegon last month. Its next stop after Grand Haven is the Fremont Area District Library, March 1-31. The traveling exhibit will conclude in April with a month-long stay at the Gary Byker Memorial Library in Hudsonville.

On the Net:

The winning entries of the 2009 competition can also be viewed online at:

http://hoekstra.house.gov/UploadedFiles/art_collage_2009.jpg