Proving once again that the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has room for all kinds of champions, HSLR picked its top two winners among student artists for this year's competition.
The title of Grand Champion Work of Art went to Barry Carter, a senior from Magnolia ISD, this weekend for his painting "Smokey and the Bandit." Carter, who plans to attend Texas Christian University and major in art and business -- so that he can paint and own and operate his own art gallery some day -- saw the cows in a field and captured their sense of peace.
The Reserve Grand Champion Work of art went to Taylor Power, a junior from Katy ISD, for her colored drawing "Sergeant in Charge."
Her colored drawing features a man on the back of a horse named Sergeant.
"I wanted to give tribute to the men and women serving in the military," Power told the rodeo folks.
The School Art Program, which began in 1964, has more than 300,000 entries each year. Artists range from pre-K through 12th grade. They must submit an original project based on Western culture, history or heritage.Visit the Hayloft Gallery to see all of the winning works of art through March 18. A selection of the students' artwork will be auctioned Sunday, March 11, at noon in the Reliant Arena Sales Pavilion.