A junior at Thomas S. Wootton High School has won the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, earning her artwork a place in the U.S. Capitol for the next year.
Victoria Alexander, a longtime student at the Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts (VisArts), was selected as the competition’s winner for her colored pencil piece, “A Warm Embrace.” The artwork depicts a tender moment between a father and his young daughter.
Each year, the Congressional Art Competition invites high school students from across the country to submit original artwork through their local congressional offices. Winning pieces from congressional districts nationwide are displayed in the U.S. Capitol, where they are viewed by members of Congress, staff and visitors.
VisArts has partnered with the office of Maryland’s 8th Congressional District for the past 10 years to host the exhibition portion of the competition and help facilitate the student application process.
Alexander has studied at VisArts over the years through the organization’s youth arts education programs. According to VisArts, “A Warm Embrace” demonstrates her skill with colored pencil while capturing warmth, texture and emotion.
