2024 Novel Expressions Art Contest

Thank you for participating!

The submission period for this year's contest has closed as of Oct. 15.

A gala event was held Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Franklin Park Arts Center to recognize all entries and award prizes to the winners in each age group.

This contest is presented by Loudoun County Public Library, Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services (PRCS) and the Loudoun Youth Advisory Council.

Submission Requirements

• Artists may submit one piece of original, unpublished artwork.
• All artistic mediums are accepted.
• Work must be entirely original and previously unpublished (including on the Internet).
• Unpublished work that has won a monetary award in any other contest is ineligible.
• The use of any artificial intelligence (AI) tools, software or applications to create, enhance or modify submissions is strictly prohibited. Submissions found to have utilized AI will be disqualified.
• Artists must live in Loudoun County or any of the following districts:
  • Cities of Falls Church, Alexandria, Winchester or the District of Columbia
  • Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Prince William, Clarke or Frederick counties in Virginia
  • Montgomery, Washington, Prince George's, Frederick or Charles counties in Maryland 
  • Jefferson County in West Virginia

Questions

Email artcontest@library.loudoun.gov with any questions about the contest.  

Submissions

Submissions were accepted via our online form Sunday, Sept. 15 through Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Judging

Entries are separated into three categories and judged by members of the Loudoun Youth Advisory Council, PRCS staff, teen librarians and local professional artists:

• Middle School (Grades 6-8)
• High School (Grades 9-12)
• Adults (Ages 18+)

Judging will take into account the following:

• Connection to literature: How strongly the artwork ties into the literature it is inspired by 
• Artistic technique: Skill, quality and attention to detail
• Originality and creativity: How the artwork uniquely expresses the artist's intent
• Overall impression: The level to which the artwork can be appreciated and understood without having read the literature

Prizes

Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each category:

• First place: $200 gift card
• Second place: $100 gift card 
• Third place: $50 gift card

Middle School

First place: Katelyn Justin
Oceanic Symphony
Inspired by The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson

Second place: Lydia Hsu
Narnia
Inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Third place: Kiana Hsu
The Circle Trilogy
Inspired by The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker

High School

First place: Gautham Agilan
Ablaze
Inspired by Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Second place: Charlotte Woo
The Other Side of Perfect
Inspired by The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk

Third place: Yazheny Jothiramalingam
Price of Progress
Inspired by The End of Nature by Bill McKibben

Adult

First place: Patricia Taylor Holz
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Inspired by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Second place: Maren Magyar
The Secret Garden
Inspired by The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Third place: Amy Cureton-Alston
A Brush with Bravery
Inspired by The Lion and the Mouse by Aesop

View the artwork on YouTube

• Finalists
• All entries