Westover High School Senior Quesia Arnold’s Art Will Be Displayed at the U.S. Capitol
The Albany Student Wins the 2026 Congressional Art Contest for the Second District of Georgia
Westover High School senior Queasia Arnold’s painting Chin Up will be viewed by thousands over the next year in Washington, D.C., after her artwork captured first place for the Second Congressional District of Georgia in the annual Congressional Art Competition. Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, announced the 2026 winners on Saturday, April 11, at the Albany Museum of Art.
“Each year, almost every member of the House of Representatives sponsors this art competition,” Bishop said at the awards reception. “I think it’s important for us to encourage and support our talented youth across the district with events such as this. I take great pride in showcasing the talent of the young people in our area. We have some of the best, the brightest, the most creative young people anywhere in the world.”
Arnold’s art teacher, Vontresia Cutts, accepted the award on the student’s behalf. Arnold, whose painting depicts five young people in profile, gazing in the same direction. The winner and a family member will have the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., this summer for the national awards ceremony honoring the top winners of all the participating U.S. congressional districts.
The winning artwork from each participating congressional district is displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel, a major corridor from the House of Representatives office buildings to the Capitol. About 80,000 people walk through the tunnel every year.
The Albany Museum of Art partners with Congressman Bishop’s office by providing the winning artist and a parent with hotel accommodations near the Washington, D.C., location of the national awards event. Airfare for the winning student is provided by Southwest Airlines. The AMA provides airfare for a parent or guardian to accompany the student, and offers a $250 purchase price for the winning artwork.
“We are so proud of Queasia Arnold and of all the students recognized through this year’s competition,” AMA Executive Director Andrew James Wulf, Ph.D., said. “It is a joy for the Albany Museum of Art to help celebrate the talent, imagination, and promise of young artists across our region, and especially meaningful to see Queasia’s work represent the Second Congressional District in Washington, D.C.”
The congressman also recognized three other students from the district on Saturday.
Thomasville High School junior Brianna Edwards won second place for her artwork Moving Forward, which shows an eclectic group of five teens or young adults riding in a subway car.
Makayla Bailey, a Monroe High School junior, earned third place for Rooted in Remembrance, a colored pencil drawing of a woman touching a memorial wall.
Jemiah Hall, a Dougherty Comprehensive High School student, received honorable mention for Soul of the Orchid, a colored pencil drawing portrait of a woman wearing an orchid-inspired headdress.
“The quality of the submissions demonstrates the important role that art plays in the life of our community,” Bishop said, noting that the high quality of work made the judges’ job of selecting winners difficult. “It conveys feeling, tells the story, and opens the eyes to different perspectives. You can see from this artwork that it stimulates thought.
“We’ve got to continue to nurture their passion, their talent, and their creativity. Their work and their efforts are far more important than what we see on a canvas. It’s the spark of creativity, which is the focal aspect of the lives of the people in our communities. It helps us push past the burdens and the various emotions that we have, and helps us get a grasp and face tomorrow.”
Bishop thanked the students, their teachers, the schools, and the students’ families. He also pointed out the role that art organizations play in inspiring and supporting young people. “It takes places like the Albany Museum of Art so that young artists can continue to thrive,” he said.
The Congressional Art Competition, which was established in 1982, encourages the creativity of U.S. students and fosters civic engagement. The Congressional Institute has supported the competition since 2009. The institute provides guidance and logistical assistance to congressional offices, and each summer it hosts the annual Winners’ Celebration at the U.S. Capitol.
More than 650,000 high school students across the United States have participated in the Congressional Art Competition since its inception.
AMA EXHIBITIONS
Familiar Rhythm: Time, Nostalgia, and Memory, featuring works of Maiya Lea Hartman, Larry Cook, and Kimberly Anderson, is Jan 22-May 2, 2026 in the Haley Gallery.
Wadsworth & Jae Jarrell: Art Making / World Making is Jan 22-May 2, 2026 in the East, Hodges and McCormack Galleries.
Still Waters, works from the permanent collection, is Jan 22-April 25, 2026, in the West Gallery.
ABOUT THE ALBANY MUSEUM OF ART
The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany, Ga., adjacent to Albany State University West Campus just off Gillionville Road. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Albany Museum of Art is open to the public 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free.
For more information about the AMA please visit our website, www.albanymuseum.com, or call 229.439.8400. Be sure to follow AlbanyMuseumOfArt on Facebook and AlbanyMuseum on Instagram.
