JPII Students' Art
Selected for Display in Washington, D.C.
JPII Students' Art Selected for Display in Washington, D.C.
John Paul II High School is pleased to announce that two students, Chloe Lindsey and Seoyun (Kate) Lee, received honors in the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. This annual event, sponsored by the Congressional Institute, allows high school students to submit original work for judging by panels of artists in their respective congressional districts. Since the "Artistic Discovery" competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated in this national effort to recognize artistic talent. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.
Seoyun (Kate) Lee: District TX-04 Runner-Up
Seoyun (Kate) Lee also received a runner-up placement for her work in Texas’s 4th Congressional District, represented by Congressman Pat Fallon. Her mixed-media piece, Carrying the Light, was selected to be showcased at the Washington, D.C., office for the next year.
Kate’s artwork was designed to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States by contrasting historical and modern American life. The left side of the piece is rendered in ink pen and includes portraits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. The right side uses gouache paint to depict modern figures, such as doctors, teachers, firefighters, and police officers. At the center of the work, the Statue of Liberty is shown passing a torch to a young girl, which Kate describes as representing the transfer of liberty to future generations.
Chloe Lindsey: District TX-24 First Runner-Up
Chloe Lindsey, a junior at JPII, was named First Runner-Up for Texas’ 24th Congressional District by Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne. This is the second year Chloe has earned this specific distinction, having also placed as the First Runner-Up in the 2025 competition.
Chloe’s entry, Dragon in the New Warm Mountain, is a pan pastel work created on print-making paper. The piece was developed with assistance from the Hull Art Academy and used one of their models for the central figure.
The artwork serves as an expression of Chloe's interest in the literary arts. While she was influenced by her American Literature class, specifically the transcendentalist papers of Ralph Waldo Emerson and the stories of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, the piece also reflects her personal reading habits outside of school. Chloe noted that her illustration explores the ability of words to "transport its audience to a new space and to manipulate the senses."
A specific influence on the piece was George R. R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones”, which Chloe began reading with a student book club during the project. The text in the top right corner of the artwork is an excerpt from the novel. Chloe stated that she was drawn to Martin’s world-building and his descriptive language, which she chose to integrate directly into the work's visual landscape.
Faculty Perspectives
The JPII Fine Arts department emphasizes the importance of students finding personal meaning in their technical exercises. Cindy Mills, who teaches 2D Art and AP Portfolio, noted the distinct approaches both students take to their craft.
"What they (Kate & Chloe) share is the ability to create pieces that feel thoughtful and visually engaging."
Cindy Mills, JPII Art
"Kate and Chloe are both talented artists with different strengths," Mills said. "What they share is the ability to create pieces that feel thoughtful and visually engaging. It’s been exciting to watch them grow as artists, and this recognition is well deserved for both of them."
The school is proud to have student work represented both locally in North Texas and in the nation's capital. These accomplishments reflect our students' dedication to their artistic development and their ability to engage with complex themes through visual media.
About John Paul II High School
John Paul II High School (JPII) is the premier Catholic, coeducational, college-preparatory institution in Collin County, Texas, offering a supportive, faith-based environment where students excel academically and grow spiritually. JPII emphasizes a challenging curriculum, including AP and honors courses, to prepare students for top universities.