Congressman Stephen F. Lynch recently announced that Isabelle Xu of Westwood has won this year’s Congressional Art Competition, “An Artistic Discovery,” in the Eighth Congressional District.    

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

This year, 15 young artists from across the Eighth Congressional District submitted artwork.  Entries included photographs, paintings, pencil sketchings, and other mediums.  

In the end, the judges selected “Window” by Isabelle Xu, a sophomore at Westwood High School in Westwood.  Isabelle used colored pencil to depict a trumpet sitting on top of a city showing a piece of blue sky through its handle to show modern city life in harmony with mother nature. The judges remarked on Isabelle’s excellent draftsmanship and well-done, imaginative composition.  This is Isabelle’s second consecutive year winning the competition. Her artwork has been sent to Washington, D.C., where it will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol.  

“Isabelle Xu’s winning entry demonstrates considerable skill and talent as well as creativity,” said Congressman Lynch.  “Isabelle is an extremely gifted young artist and she is a wonderful reflection of her father and mother, Anqing Xu and Ying Zhang. In addition, her work reflects the superb instruction of her art teacher, Yuanan Cheng. ”

Lynch added, “All of this year’s submissions were excellent, and it is obvious from this competition that we have some truly talented young artists in the Eighth Congressional District. No doubt, their ability is due in large part to the support of their parents and their extraordinary art teachers.”