Bowling Green Today

Elizabethtown, KY - Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) announced the winners of the 2023 Congressional Art Competition from Kentucky’s Second District at the art competition reception he hosted at the Elizabethtown Tourism and Convention Center on April 24, 2023, for students and their families and educators.

Guthrie and other participating Members of the U.S. House of Representatives host the Congressional Art Competition each spring in their respective districts for high school students. This year, 45 artwork entries were created for this competition between 37 students representing Barren, Breckinridge, Butler, Daviess, Edmonson, Hart, Nelson, and Warren counties.

An independent panel of local art educators chose the winners for this competition with the exception of the “Facebook Favorite” winner, which is determined by the public by voting on Facebook.

Nelson County High School student Dakota Kirchner won overall first place with, “What If He Was Never Really There,” and this student’s artwork will be featured in the U.S. Capitol with other winning artworks from U.S. congressional districts and territories. 

“Congratulations to all the student winners from Kentucky’s Second District, and Nelson County High School student Dakota Kirchner for winning overall first place. I’m looking forward to seeing Dakota’s artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol with other winning artworks from across the nation. This competition would not be possible without the talented students and dedicated educators and volunteer judges. I thank everyone who contributed to this year’s competition, and I look forward to hosting this again next year,” said Guthrie.

Butler County High School student Konner Mason won second place overall with “The Golden Era,” and Dakota Kirchner also was selected as the third place overall winner with “Self Portrait.” The “Facebook Favorite” contest winner is Carson Connor with “Taste of Home.” The artworks of the second and third place overall winners as well as the “Facebook Favorite” winner will be on display in Guthrie’s Bowling Green congressional office.

Below is a full list of winners from the 2023 Congressional Art Competition:

Click on the artwork name to download the artwork photo. Click on the students’ names for photos of the students at the art competition reception, if available.

1st Place Overall:

Dakota Kirchner, Nelson County High School, “What If He Was Never Really There”

2nd Place Overall:

Konner Mason, Butler County High School, “The Golden Era”

3rd Place Overall:

Dakota Kirchner, Nelson County High School, “Self Portrait”

Overall Honorable Mentions:

Ansley Givens, Butler County High School, “Ghost”

Paulie Frashure, Apollo High School, “Victoria”

“Facebook Favorite” winner

Carson Connor, Glasgow High School, “Taste of Home”

Barren County:

1st place

Carson Connor, Glasgow High School, “Taste of Home”

2nd place

Carson Connor, Glasgow High School,“Moonlight Feathers”

Breckinridge County:

1st place

Ellie Popham, Cloverport Independent School, “Sunrise Over Mountains”

Butler County

1st place

Konner Mason, Butler County High School, “The Golden Era”

2nd place

Mahli VanMeter, Belmont Christian Academy, “A Field of Blue”

3rd place

Claire Coleman, Belmont Christian Academy, “Peace”

Daviess County

1st place

Paulie Frashure, Apollo High School, “Victoria”

Edmonson County

1st place

Nevaeh Gulley, Edmonson County High School,“Amish Residence Drawing”

Hart County

1st place

Julie Payne, Hart County High School, “Lord of the Sands”

2nd place

Autumn Lutterman, Hart County High School, “Two Bodies, Same Heart”

3rd place

Kylie Spencer, Hart County High School, “Sunrise City”

Nelson County

1st place

Dakota Kirchner, Nelson County High School, “What If He Was Never Really There”

2nd place

Dakota Kirchner, Nelson County High School, “Self Portrait”

Warren County

1st place

Zoey Ma, Greenwood High School, “The Expedition of Terrestrial and Aquatic”

2nd place

Zoey Ma, Greenwood High School, “Lost River”

Original source can be found here