Homewood-Flossmoor High School Senior Tops

"An Artistic Discovery 2007"

Aramis Hamer, a senior at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, took the top honor in "An Artistic Discovery 2007." Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.'s annual high school art competition drew 30 works from eight schools to the Lee E. Dulgar Gallery at South Suburban College. The awards ceremony was held Saturday.

Aramis' brilliantly detailed "Rock/Tool" will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol for one year. Her artwork will be unveiled at a Capitol Hill ribbon-cutting ceremony and exhibition on June 28th. As part of the grand prize, Aramis was awarded a trip for two to Washington and overnight accommodations provided by Manny and Judy Hoffman and the Homewood Area Chamber of Commerce.

South Suburban College awarded Aramis and the other winners a free art class. The Art Corner helped provide the 2nd through 4th place winners gift certificates for art supplies.

The other winners were:

* Second Place: Morgan Forrest, Bremen High School, "Music Without Consequence;"

* Third Place: Ashley Tucker, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, "Two-Faced;"

* Fourth Place: Melissa Kats, Oak Forest High School, "My Brother."

Also, every student artist received a certificate of participation.

"An Artistic Discovery 2007" had two new features: the Illinois Arts Alliance will send a letter to each student, and Aramis Hamer's work will lead a special feature of the online contemporary art gallery www.Kreationsart.com.

Congressman Jackson said, "As always, I was overwhelmed by the impressive work of the young artists in the Second Congressional District. The various ways they expressed their creativity was inspiring, enlightening and entertaining. I look forward to even more students participating next year -- as long as the hard job of judging the winners stays on the shoulders of someone else!"