Press Releases

Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) announced Olivia Hamm of Oak Harbor High School as the winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition in Washington state’s 2nd congressional district with her piece, “Sleepy.” 

“I am thankful to be working with such dedicated art students,” said Kit Christopherson, Ms. Hamm’s art teacher at Oak Harbor High School. “Olivia's winning use of charcoal created a diffused glow in a self portrait full of subtle textural detail and even subtler surrealism, She is that rare blend of both exceptionally creative and exceptionally hard working.” 

“Sleepy” will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Ms. Hamm has also been invited to attend the Congressional Art Competition awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. and received free airfare for herself and an adult for the trip. 

This year’s second and third place winners were Jasper Christopherson from Oak Harbor High School with “Up close and far away: Isaiah” and Loren Joung from Kamiak High School with “Close Enough to Know.”  

Kit Christopherson is the art teacher at Oak Harbor High School, and congratulated his three students for winning 1st and 2nd place in this year’s competition. 

“All participating students and schools brought exceptional work and OHHS was fortunate to have Olivia Hamms "Sleepy" and Jasper Christopherson's "Up close and far away: Isaiah" recognized as stand out pieces,” said Christopherson. “Jasper's bombastic approach to forced separation was both technically excellent and viscerally disturbing and we hope he continues his focused efforts to make art that asks questions. As a military town, OHHS arts remains appreciative of the congressional opportunity and committed to art in government spaces." 

This year, Rep. Larsen’s office received 20 eligible artwork submissions from across the Second District. Rep. Larsen, Dr. Kate MacKenzie (Snohomish County Arts Commissioner), Therese Kingsbury (President of Sculpture Northwest), and Diane Martindale (former President of the San Juan Islands Museum of Art) served as judges in the competition. Each submission was scored on creativity, the execution of the artist’s skill and the way the piece tells a story or provokes a reaction. 

The winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition in Washington state’s 2nd Congressional District, “Swallow Your Attitude” by Tessa Meyer of Oak Harbor High School, has hung in the U.S. Capitol for the past year. 

Each spring since 1982, the Congressional Institute has sponsored the Congressional Art Competition to recognize and encourage artistic talent in each congressional district. Since the competition began, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. For more information about the annual Congressional Art Competition, click here.