PROVIDENCE, RI – Congressman Gabe Amo (RI-01) announced the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Rhode Island’s First Congressional District — Nonna’s House by Blake Harris. A tenth-grade student at Moses Brown School, Mr. Harris’ submission will be featured in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. High school students from across Rhode Island’s First Congressional District submitted artwork for consideration and a public vote was conducted on Congressman Amo’s Instagram, @RepGabeAmo, to select the winner.
“The Congressional Art Competition is an incredible opportunity for young Rhode Island artists in our First Congressional District to showcase their creative skills,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “Congratulations to Blake Harris for being selected as this year’s winner and I look forward to seeing his piece on display in the U.S. Capitol. Thank you to all the talented students who submitted their artwork this year and I’m excited to see what our Rhode Island’s First Congressional District artists accomplish next year.”
“In my piece Nonna’s House I capture the meeting of motion and memory,” said Blake Harris, 10th grade student at Moses Brown School. “My photo displays the feeling of how memories from childhood often feel like a blur, like a dream. In this photo, my cousin, a child, dances through a cozy living room, while my grandmother sits nearby, playing with toys. The blur in the image shows how these moments pass, and how we often remember them more through feelings than specific details.”
“I am so excited for Blake to be recognized as the winner of this year’s Congressional Art Competition,” said Ashley Szczesiak, Visual Arts teacher at Moses Brown School. “His piece captures a joyous dance of light and shadow that streaks across a warm interior scene: demonstrating strong compositional strategies while highlighting what makes photography magical as a medium. I’m so proud to celebrate his careful eye and artistic courage as his photograph hangs on the walls of the U.S. Capitol representing our district.”
BACKGROUND
Each spring, the Congressional Institute, a non-partisan organization that supports the U.S House of Representatives, sponsors a nationwide high-school arts competition with a winner selected to represent each Congressional District. Since 1982, more than 650,000 students have participated.
The competition is open to high-school students in the 19 municipalities that comprise Rhode Island’s First Congressional District. The overall winner of the District’s competition will be displayed for one (1) year in the United States Capitol as part of an exhibit that includes artwork from winners representing Congressional Districts from across the country.
