Teen’s art to grace Capitol

By Cathy Spaulding
Times Staff Writer

April 22, 2008 04:19 pm

— A photograph Fort Gibson High School junior Meagan Young shot of candles in Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral took first place at the fourth annual District 2 Congressional Artistic Discovery Competition Friday.
Her photograph will hang at the U.S. Capitol along with winning art from other congressional districts. Young was named an Artist of Merit and will get an expense-paid trip to Washington D.C.
Young said she shot her photograph when she was at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris during a summer tour with the People to People program. She said the cathedral had candles people could light and make an offering or a prayer.
“I’m not of the Catholic faith, but I saw how these people took the offering very seriously,” she said. “I like to capture passion in a picture, and candles are so beautiful. I saw glow of the candles’ flames and seeing the pictures of Mary. It was very captivating.”
Though she managed to be at the right place when she took that picture, she wasn’t there when Dist. 2 Congressman Dan Boren announced her award Friday. She was singing with the Fort Gibson High School Choir at the state choir competition in Shawnee.
Meagan’s mother, Tina Young, said her daughter has been snapping pictures since she was 8 or 9 years old.
“A couple of years ago, we gave her a nice camera for her birthday,” she said.
Meagan, who uses a Canon Rebel digital camera, said she first got the camera bug when she lived in Arizona.
“Arizona is always known for its sunsets,” she said.
Meagan still takes sunsets, as well as landscape.
“I do a lot of flowers and random shots, like golf balls on the golf course, and architecture,” she said.
Meagan prints her photos from the computer, cropping and toning with Photoshop on her Mac. She also is on the FGHS Yearbook staff.
Meagan wasn’t the only Fort Gibson artist honored Friday. Senior Samantha Shrum received a tuition waiver scholarship from NSU
Two Fort Gibson entries received honorable mention:
• “Let’s Go Eat Some Macaroni and Cheese,” pastel, Daniel Valencia.
• “Tree of Life,” watercolor/ink, Chelsea Crittenden.
“I’m impressed with the participation by local schools, and with the talent of all our young artists,” Boren said. “These students have a very unique set of skills, and serve as examples of accomplishment for their fellow students.”
Boren added “studies have shown that students involved in the arts have better opportunities to go further in college,”
This is the fourth year Boren has hosted the Artistic Discovery competition. The contest received 197 entries from 74 students. The top entries in each category were selected by a panel of judges from the Muskogee Area Arts Council.
Reach Cathy Spaulding at 684-2928 or cspaulding @muskogeephoenix.com.

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