Existing comment:
JFK Creative Portraits
If These Halls Could Talk
WINNER
Mary McClure
Take Us To The Stars
Oil on canvas
“John F. Kennedy is one of those presidents who stands out from the rest in history class. He was the man who de-escalated the Cold War, established the Peace Corps, and led us to the Moon. I am inspired by the courage he displayed in his time as President, the courage to reach for the stars. He showed future generations the path to the stars and he challenged us to do what seemed impossible. He imagined what we could be, and encouraged us to see the same.
Kennedy had the courage and the insight to lead our country in a crucial moment of our history. He overcame the divisiveness concerning Cuba and the threat of communist regimes by unifying the country in the pursuit of a common goal—an extraordinary and exoplanetary one at that. As a leader he was positively prismatic. I knew I wanted to incorporate the Moon into my piece because even if he never lived to see his mission realized, putting the first man on the Moon was a direct result of his personal courage and ambition. I also knew I wanted to incorporate a child, because courage to me is something communal, something to be shared, and something that Kennedy inspired in others and especially in the next generation. As President, his courage gave the whole country a chance to develop courage in their own hearts and minds.”
WINNER
Jinglin Jingan
Spotlight
Colored pencil
“Spotlight was illustrated to create the emotion of gratitude and to honor the hard work and memorable achievements President Kennedy accomplished. Inspired by a trip to D.C. and seeing the numerous American flags flying high, I felt overwhelmingly proud and grateful for all the leaders that have guided this country to its powerful state. It is not an easy job and I hoped to deliver that through my artwork by presenting President Kennedy in a thoughtful, praying-like position under a stressful amount of light. As the youngest elected President, President Kennedy led the United States through major economic recessions, set appropriate tax rates, established the Peace Corps, averted nuclear war tensions, and created numerous treaties, bills, and alliances. Therefore, I chose to blend the American flag among the portrait to show that the United States would not be complete without JFK’s legacies and that the glorious times our former president led us through shall never be forgotten.” |