Henrico high school student wins Congressional Art Competition with charcoal drawing

Joshua Crenshaw, a senior at Henrico’s Varina High School, won first place in the annual Congressional Art Competition.

He visited Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan in Washington, D.C. last week and celebrated the success of his charcoal on paper piece called “Just Sitting.”

“It was great to meet Joshua in person and have the opportunity to congratulate him on his incredible piece of art,” McClellan said. “The Congressional Art Competition is an outlet for students to demonstrate their artistic capabilities, and Joshua certainly rose to the occasion with his charcoal drawing. Whenever I go to the House floor for votes, I get to walk past Joshua’s art, and it makes me happy to see Virginia’s Fourth [District] so well represented here in the Capitol.”

Joshua visited McClellan’s office with his father before attending the Congressional Art Competition Reception. His piece will hang in the U.S. Capitol for one year.

In the spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a high school visual art competition which recognizes and encourages artistic talent in each district across the United States. The competition began in 1982 and more than 650,000 students have participated.