When it comes to her artistic talents, Claire Hamilton is a winner. Her recent piece of art, “Hearts at Rest,” won multiple awards at the 2024 Santa Cruz County Fair, including Best of Section and Best of Show.
So it was no surprise that when Hamilton, 17, submitted that winning piece of art for the annual Congressional Art Competition held for local high school students, she beat out five other local competitors—including Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate Finn Maxwell—and took first place for her acrylic on wood art.
The San Lorenzo Valley High School (SLVHS) senior has been painting since she was about 4 years old and is largely self-taught.
“I’m pretty detail-oriented in my work,” Hamilton said. “‘Hearts at Rest’ only took me a week or two to finish; most of my work takes several weeks to complete.”
To create her artwork, Hamilton draws some initial sketches around the concept she wants to capture—“Hearts at Rest” was focused on animals and kids—and then pieces it together. “Hearts” took her less time to create since it’s a smaller piece at 6 inches by 6 inches.
“I really wasn’t expecting to win this (Congressional Art Competition) award,” said Hamilton, whose humility shines through. “When I walked in the room, there were so many other good pieces, and I pointed out several to my parents that I thought might win. I didn’t think my work would take first place, but when the woman at the awards ceremony called my name, I didn’t even know what to say. It was crazy.”
U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced the winners of the annual Congressional Art Competition on April 30. The Congressional Art Competition is a nationwide tradition that began in 1982. Since then, more than 650,000 high school students have participated.
Each spring, congressional offices select a winning piece to be displayed in the U.S. Capitol. First-place winners and a family member are invited to Washington, D.C., for a special ceremony honoring their achievement. This year, 21 students from every county in the 19th Congressional District submitted original artwork for the competition.
“Through their expression, these high school artists reflected the beauty, diversity and shared values of our home in California’s 19th Congressional District,” Panetta stated. “I’ll see Claire’s artwork every day as I walk through the Capitol and feel a deep sense of pride for the young people that I represent. Our community is stronger, and our democracy is healthier when young people comprehend what it means to engage, whether through art, service or civic participation.”
Now, Claire’s summer plans have taken a turn toward the East, as she and her family prepare to fly to Washington, D.C., for the unveiling of her work. Thanks to Covid, Hamilton wasn’t able to travel to the East Coast for the traditional SLVHS eighth-grade trip, which typically includes a tour of the Capitol building.
The girl who’s taking her second Advanced Placement art class and holds a 4.26 GPA just committed to UC Davis and plans to major in molecular and medical microbiology, ultimately planning to become a doctor.
