“Sooner or later things come to you if you work hard. And it’s great that there are things continually coming, and that there are still more to come.” – Alberto Mielgo
Every year, millions of visitors walk through Cannon Tunnel, the most traveled access point between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol. Many pause to admire the framed artwork tidily hung along the underground tunnel’s walls, thanks to the efforts of the annual Congressional Art Competition that honors the artistic endeavors of the nation’s high school students.
Since its inception in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have submitted their work to the Congressional Arts Competition. Every participating district selects a winner through local judging panels. To be eligible, artists must adhere to rigorous technical rules. The winning artwork of each district is brought to the U.S. Capitol, where Members of Congress, distinguished visitors, and thousands of tourists view it.
Ahwatukee resident Lillian Conroy, a senior at Desert Vista High School, is among the national 2024 winners for her surreal acrylic painting of a cowboy with his hat cocked to the side, his face comprised of prickly pear cactus and other desert fauna.
Conroy says she was inspired by a video revealing how diverse the Wild West was compared to what’s represented in Hollywood western films. She shares, “I aimed to represent that human diversity through the biodiversity of the land they inhabited by depicting Western figures as plants themselves.”
Conroy's choice of painting style was influenced by the Spanish artist and director Alberto Mielgo, evidenced mainly by the loose style of her flowers.
“When my work was announced as the first-place winner [of Arizona’s fourth congressional district], I felt lightheaded and like I was dreaming as I walked up to shake Congressman (Greg) Stanton’s hand in front of the crowd,” she says. “Driving home, my mom and I were elated.”
Last June, Conroy and her family flew to D.C. for the national awards ceremony. “As an artist, it was very validating,” she says.
The award winners and their families were given a private tour of the Capitol. Conroy calls the experience mind-blowing, saying it “was so cool to see all the historical things I’d only read about. They have so many beautiful paintings there.”
Conroy has always enjoyed drawing. At age 12, she discovered YouTube tutorials, which helped improve her technical abilities. She practices many mediums, from pencil portraits to acrylics. Her favorite depends on whichever she is absorbed in at a particular moment.
“I try to take inspiration from practically everything I see and hear in media, and love compiling inspirations through Pinterest boards and YouTube playlists,” Conroy says. “I’ve also subconsciously trained my eyes to see things in terms of how I’d draw or paint them, like the outlines and shading and textures.”
When asked who her favorite artist is, Conroy says, “It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, it would probably be Jamie Hewlett, the co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz. Everything from the poses, shading, and lineart, I just love.”
Conroy’s talent has been on display before. Recently, she placed first in the Tempe Festival of the Arts student competition’s high school division and received two Silver Keys in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Although she will attend ASU in the fall to pursue a degree in sustainability, Conroy says art will always be part of her life as a hobby and a side hustle. Soon, she plans to turn some of her work into prints to sell on Etsy because Conroy loves to share with others what she envisions in her brain. To her, this is the highest reward of being an artist.
On Display in D.C.
The 2024 winning entries hang in Washington D.C.’s Cannon Tunnel until June 2025. Although this tunnel is the most traveled access point between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol, it’s not open to the public without a congressional staffer escort. However, Conway plans to sell prints of her artwork on Etsy soon.