Two-peat for East Rockaway student in ...

For the second year in a row, East Rockaway High School senior Natalie Hayes won the annual 4th Congressional District art competition as her piece “Hideout” beat 80 other submissions.

Hayes’ entry impressed a panel of judges and Congressman Anthony D’Esposito with its attention to detail and three-dimensional quality.

“Natalie as an artist is not afraid to challenge herself or to try something different,” Kristie Galante, Hayes’ art teacher for the past six years, said. “Just the bravery to challenge herself and to try different things.”

Hayes’ depiction of a person touching a teddy bear incorporates everything from paint to toilet paper, creating a textural element that draws its audience in. The judges chose her piece as the winner on-site at the May 3 exhibit and competition in Island Park Library.

“Hideout” will be hung in the Cannon Tunnel in Washington, D.C., which connects the Cannon House Office Building to the Capitol building.

Hayes also won the Scholastic Art and Writing Award and is the first East Rockaway student to take two AP Art Portfolio classes in one year. She will be attending Rhode Island School of Art and Design in the fall.

“I’m sure this is just the beginning of a very bright future in their artistic career,” D’Esposito said.

D’Esposito was impressed by a number of submissions from East Rockaway High School, describing the art department as “very robust.” Another East Rockaway senior, Gabriella Folk, won the digital piece category for her piece “Pipes.” Folk specializes in multiple mediums and is involved in photography and sculpture.

“Gabby is very multidimensional as an artist,” Galante said. “She really focuses on giving insight into scenes or things that you might just pass by.”

Galante said that art is vital in giving young people a way to learn about themselves and others in a unique way.

“It's just so important because it’s really the way that students are able to express themselves,” Galante said. “Or to voice what an actual teenager today is going through, what they want to talk about, or issues that are important to them.”

To D’Esposito, the success of students like Hayes and Folk is a sign that young people are driven, motivated, and passionate.

“It really brings out the best talent and the finest abilities of a lot of our high school artists,” D’Esposito said. “They have tremendous talent.”

The 4th Congressional District art competition is growing annually. D’Esposito and his colleagues are in talks with the Long Island Children's Museum to potentially create an exhibit for future competitions, so community members can have more opportunities to appreciate the creativity and talent of the young artists.

“It's just great to see them really embracing their hard work at a time where everyone wants to find ways to criticize our youth — that they're too busy watching YouTube and playing video games — and here you have young students throughout the country who are working hard,” D’Esposito said.