Sierra Smith '23 was a first-place winner in the 2021 Congressional Art Competition, with her work representing Pennsylvania as it hangs in the U.S. Capitol.

Her artwork, a set of photographs titled Flower Triptych, is currently on display in the Cannon Tunnel. 

"I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my work on this scale and be represented alongside the works of talented artists throughout the country," she says about having earned this distinct honor. "I thank my photography teacher, Ms. Woodruff, for supporting my artistic ambitions. It is because of her teaching and support, in many respects, that this dream became a reality."

Sponsored by the Congressional Institute, "the annual competition celebrates the artistic achievements of the nation’s high school students" (congressionalinstitutute.org). 

Below, Sierra describes the inspiration behind her photographs: 

This triptych was inspired by Irving Penn’s Flowers 1980 in which Penn used his photographic mastery to focus on the intricate details of the world’s most beautiful flowers using controlled backgrounds and distinct light and shadows. The austere photographic approach Penn used to capture the delicacy and singularity of each flower is what I found stunning in his images and assimilated into the study of his work. In this series of photographs, I selected a range of unique flowers utilizing a minimalistic white background and bright natural light that would provide the contrast needed to draw attention to the nuisances of each flower. This series of photographs seeks to highlight nature’s diversity by drawing viewers to the fine details of the truly amazing products of our earth one may not notice in their hectic everyday lives. In a time where stress and chaos dominate the lives of many, this image of a series of flowers can serve as a symbol of the resilience of our earth and hopefulness for the future.

To watch a video featuring the winning students' work, including Sierra's, and to learn more about the competition, click here.