The winners of the 2021 Congressional Art Competition were announced today by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who sponsors the annual competition and art show for high school students in the Fourth Congressional District as part of the nationwide competition organized by the Congressional Institute to help recognize and foster artistic talent in each congressional district.  

    “We had one of the highest number of entries ever in our second virtual art competition of high school artists in the Fourth Congressional District, who worked hard to create some amazing artwork.”

    Smith congratulated the top artist, a junior at Wall High School, whose work will be displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol Building.

    “Congratulations to best-in-show winner, Samantha Nemergut, and to the competition’s runners up and all the students who entered their work to make this year’s show such as success, including their talented art instructors. We are thankful for their participation and for sharing their artistic gifts," he said.

PICTURED: Samantha Nemergut of Wall High School won top honors of Best-in-Show with her charcoal drawing “Within the Shadows.”

Click here to view all the 2021 winners.  The seven winners selected by the judges are:

• Best in Show- “Within the Shadows,” in charcoal and white charcoal, by Samantha Nemergut, Grade 11, Wall High School
• First Place Runner-up- “Sonder,” in acrylic paint by Kendall Walsh, Grade 12, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Second Place Runner-up- “City Reflection,” in oil paint, by Emily Dee, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Third Place Runner- “Side Street in Neon,” in digital media, by Kathryn Johnson, of Red Bank Regional High School
• Honorable Mention- “The Colors of Water,” digital photograph, by Sophia Giordano, Grade 12 of Red Bank Regional High School
• Honorable Mention- “Rollercoaster of Life,” in charcoal, by Evelyn Kunycky, Grade 10 of Wall High School
• Honorable Mention- “Blood Oranges,” in watercolor, by Averi Noel, Grade 10, of Wall High School

    Each winner was informed this week and will be mailed a ribbon and a certificate.  All entrants will receive a congressional certificate recognizing their works.

    Smith thanked the judges who reviewed the work together in the online gallery on 

    Congressman Smith’s official website. Click here to view entire 2021 online gallery featuring the works of 86 student artists.

   The 2021 judges were Debbie Jencsik of Ocean County, N.J.; Jim Inzero, also of Ocean County, N.J., and; Rich Thompson formerly of Mercer County, N.J. Click here for a summary of the judges’ biographies, or click here for a small gallery of the judges’ work.

    “Debbie, Jim and Rich, worked over two days to make their assessments,” said Smith, adding that he hopes to return the show to RWJ-Hamilton Lakefront Gallery in 2022 as well as offer a virtual show online. “They did another great job.”

PICTURED: “Sonder,” in acrylic paint by Kendall Walsh of Red Bank High School, took first place runner up.

Smith has sponsored the art show for more than 20 years. 

   For more information about the 2021 NJ-04 show or to view previous winners, click here. News about the 2022 competition will be posted on the same site in February 2022.

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