Office of Rep. Marilyn Strickland press release.
Lakewood, WA – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced Grace Ye Kim as the 2025 Congressional Art Competition winner for the district. “Moments as We Wait” was selected by a panel of jurors and will be displayed in the United States Capitol for one year.
The theme of this year’s competition was “Freedom” and high school students submitted artwork expressing what Freedom means to them.
“This piece is based on a photo I took of my four siblings while we waited for the fireworks show on the Fourth of July. Despite the countless videos of the light show that day, what remains most memorable is everything beforehand – The gathering of family and friends as we celebrated alongside so many others in our community at the waterfront. This painting is my way of recapturing that joyful moment to share with others,” said competition winner, Grace Kim.
“These talented and creative student submissions depict freedom in so many ways: the freedom to be themselves, to exercise guaranteed rights, to be happy and secure in the community, and the sacred obligation to defend these ideals,” said Strickland. “I’d like to thank all the students, teachers, and jurors who supported the program.”
“Several artists responded with images related to identity such as self-portraits to express the pursuit of life, others used traditional symbols including the bald eagle, American flag, and Statue of Liberty to represent the pursuit of liberty, and some represented scenes from their daily lives to show the pursuit of happiness. This competition highlights the excellence of the art teachers who educate and guide their students and it provides a valuable practical experience for students in the district.” said Dr. Jennifer Olson, competition juror.
“There were several pieces in the final round of consideration each demonstrating characteristics and qualities worthy of top spot. I particularly enjoyed the winning works use of depth effects along with the works playful use of color to portray a moment in young adulthood when we are our freest whether we understand it in the moment or looking back on it when we’re older,” said PḰȺELWEȽTEN, Charles Bloomfield, competition juror.
This year’s panel of jurors for Washington’s 10th Congressional District included Indigenous documentary filmmaker, activist and Coast Salish artist PḰȺELWEȽTEN (English name Charles W Bloomfield); Pierce College and Tacoma Community College (TCC) professor Dr. Jennifer Olson; Head of Evergreen State College Instructional Photography and multimedia artist Carrie Chema; and Head of Pierce College Arts Department Dave Roholt.
The Congressional Art Competition was launched in 1982 to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of young constituents from across the country with the chance to display their art in the U.S. Capitol.
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