By Brittany Anderson
During the Hays CISD Board of Trustees meeting on March 28, Hays High School senior Soleil Johnson was recognized for her digital art piece titled “No More,” which is currently being displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.
Hays CISD fine arts director Patty Moreno explained that through Artistic Discovery, the U.S. House of Representatives official art competition, house members honor one high school student from their district by selecting their artwork to be included in an exhibit at the Capitol.
Johnson explained her piece to the trustees during the meeting, adding that she first sketched the artwork out on paper before taking a photo of it and using a digital art program on her iPad to go over it.
“During the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, I had a lot of pent up frustration and fear towards the brutality of people of color,” Johnson said. “But I also felt a surge of admiration and pride for the protestors who went out and risked personal danger to shout their pain and fight for change. I wanted to speak my piece as well, as a high schooler. I was given a gift in my art skills and I wanted to do some good with it. I’m really thankful I got the opportunity to share it with the world like this.”
“Hearing you say that brings tears,” trustee Courtney Runkle said. “To be able to stand up for what you believe in is so incredibly important. You are an inspiration to not only your peers but everyone in our district that is watching and can see what can happen when you use your skills. That’s beautiful.”
Johnson’s artwork will be on display in the Capitol for one year.
