Congressman Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) announced today that Bridget Bigelow of North Easton has won this year’s Congressional Art Competition in the Ninth Congressional District.

The annual national art competition, called “An Artistic Discovery,” is open to all high school students across the nation. One piece of artwork from each Congressional District is selected to be hung in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. for one year.

This year, dozens of entries came in from across Congressman Lynch’s district, and the judges, a group of leading local artists, had a difficult job in selecting the 2009 winner.

In the end, they selected a charcoal self-portrait entitled “Bel Canto” by Bridget Bigelow, a senior at Oliver Ames High School in Easton.

“Bridget Bigelow is a truly gifted young artist,” said Congressman Lynch, “Her work reflects the superb instruction of Kristen Shea, her art teacher at Oliver Ames High School. I hope that Bridget’s success will encourage other students from Easton and across the Ninth District to continue their pursuit of the arts.”

Congressman Lynch noted that the competition was especially tough this year, and there were a large number of outstanding submissions. As a result of the high quality of the artwork, Lynch has arranged for all of the students’ entries to be displayed at their respective town halls this summer.

Congressman Lynch said, “It’s obvious from this competition that we have some gifted young artists in the Ninth Congressional District. No doubt, their ability is due in large part to the support of their parents and their extraordinary art teachers.”

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