As part of the 2012 Art Competition Advisory Council, I had the honor Monday of judging the 7th Congressional District Art Competition at Congressman Sean Duffy’s Wausau office. My fellow jurors included: Betsy Tannenbaum, New Visions Gallery; Deborah Janz, LuCille Tack Center for the Arts; Patricia Lenz, Superior Council for the Arts; Boleslaw Kochanowski, local blacksmith/artist; and Mona Kochendorfer, artist/teacher, and Ori-Anne Pagel, artist/teacher, both from Ladysmith.
The competition – open to high school students in grades 9-12 residing in the 7th Congressional District, which includes all of Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer, Price, Lincoln, Polk, Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Taylor, Marathon, Wood and Portage counties and portions of Oneida and Langlade counties – garnered ninety-six entries from thirteen schools. 
Grand Prize: The student artwork chosen will be featured in the Capitol in Washington for one year. The winner and a guest are provided with airline tickets to the nation’s capital for the exhibition opening in June. The winner is eligible for a $1,500 scholarship.
First Prize: This student’s artwork will hang in Congressman Duffy’s Wausau office.
Second Prize: This student’s artwork will hang in Congressman Duffy’s office in Superior.
All the entries will be included in an exhibition at the Center for the Visual Arts in Wausau, May 12-July 15. The winning artists will be announced at the opening reception.
