Hoyer honors student artists at CalvART (PHOTOS)
 Justin Astafanous, 17, of St. Leonard shows House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) the photograph he had in the Congressional Arts Competition at the CalvART Gallery in Prince Frederick on Friday.
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House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) stopped by the CalvART Gallery in Prince Frederick on Friday for a first-ever recognition reception.
Bill Chambers, the president of the Arts Council of Calvert County, said that when he heard about Hoyer's 5th Congressional District Congressional Arts Competition, he thought hosting a recognition reception would be a great way to bring some attention to the gallery.
"We think it's great for other students to see the gallery and Congressman Hoyer, too. We're very proud of the gallery," Chambers said, continuing that he started contacting Hoyer's office months ago.
"They said, ‘can you do it Friday the 4th?' We said, ‘we'll be ready,'" Chambers said.
The art competition was open to any high school student in the 5th Congressional District in Maryland, which includes Calvert, Charles, Prince George's and St. Mary's counties.
This year, 22 students were recognized for 24 entries with the winner being Catie Dorshefski of the Beddow School in Fort Washington.
Dorshefski's piece of art will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for a year, while all the other artwork will be displayed in Hoyer's office, with the artists' consent.
"All of these are spectacular and they're different," Hoyer said. " … All of you participants are just so talented and I hope you continue to enrich us with your insight."
Hoyer also encouraged the finalists to consider allowing him to display their artwork in his office.
"I'm a big protector of ‘this is your property' … [but] if you allow us to show it, I'll tell anyone who walks in, ‘These are the talented people in Steny Hoyer's district,'" he said.
Calvert High School junior Justin Astafanous of St. Leonard was recognized for a photo he titled "My Ideal Thinking Place."
He took the photo of a bench next to the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., and was particularly proud of two features, a bee and an American flag, that crept into the picture.
"I thought it was very reflective with the flag in the background," he said, adding that he has practiced photography for about nine years.
"It's been a real passion of mine … it's really opened my eyes to seeing new things in a new perspective," Astafanous said.
Hoyer said he was also impressed that Astafanous managed to include the bee in the photo, which he called "a testimony to a fast shutter."
"Whether you have [art] as a passion or a profession or both, you'll give this world a lot of enjoyment," Hoyer told the students.