"SuBa," a self-portrait created by a high school senior at the UNC School in the Arts, will be displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol in Washington.
The work, done in graphite on paper, placed first in the 12th Congressional District portion of "An Artistic Discovery," the annual congressional art competition for high school students.
Subhadra Semetaite did the portrait for a project assigned by her teacher Will Taylor. The portrait is named for Semetaite's nickname.
"I feel very happy and very grateful that people recognize my work in this way," Semetaite said after being photographed in front of her work with Rep. Mel Watt, who represents the 12th District.
She learned of her win Friday evening in the Womble Carlyle Gallery of the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. More than 40 works by students are on display in the gallery through June 4 as part of the competition.
"SuBa" will hang in the Cannon Tunnel of the U.S. Capitol for one year with more than 300 other winning works from other congressional districts. Semetaite will be eligible for a scholarship from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.
She said, however, that she wants to major in English in college.
Tiffany Skyers of Harding University High School in Charlotte placed second for a relief print called “Opposites Attract.” Jennifer Strickland, a high school junior at UNCSA, placed third for a digital collage called "The Dwelling Moment."
Before announcing the competition's winners, Watt led a roundtable discussion on the arts and their impact on revitalization, economic development and education. Several area arts leaders — including Milton Rhodes, the president and chief executive of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County — participated. About 30 people participated in the 90-minute discussion.
During the session, Mayor Allen Joines and Linda A. Carlisle, the secretary for the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, talked about the power of the arts to revitalize communities — economically and as a way to bridge cultural divides.
The arts are still important during tough economic times, Watt said.
"There'll be stress placed on the arts," Watt said, alluding to the impact of budget constraints on funding for the arts. "We need to re-energize each other. We need to re-energize our commitment to supporting the arts."
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