WSMC Alumna wins Congressional Art Contest

We're so proud of Tiah Ross for her amazing accomplishment as an artist!

Tiah Ross and her teacher Kelly Austin holding the winning artwork

Our community proudly recognizes and congratulates Tiah Ross, The Waldorf School of Mendocino County Alumna, as the Congressional Art Contest winner for California, District 2. Tiah was a student at WSMC and graduated from Mrs. Austin’s 8th-grade class in 2021.

Since 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated in the Congressional Art Competition. This is a nationwide high school visual arts competition to recognize artistic talent. In each congressional district, students’ artwork is submitted to their representative’s office and a panel of artists selects the winning artwork. Winners are then congratulated at an annual awards ceremony in Wahington DC, and their artwork is displayed at the US Capitol for one year.

Tiah is a student in the Mendocino College Middle College program, and her teacher, Mary Colvig, asked her to create an artistic piece representing her American experience. From this, Tiah reflected on her own experience growing up in California and her family’s Yurok and Karuk heritage. Tiah’s painting represents their homeland in northern California drawing upon the artistic experiences of her family. The abalone shell is a nod to her great-grandmother who often painted colorful abalone shells. Her grandmother was also an artist who inspired Tiah. The river represents the Klamath River, a river both tribes depended upon for salmon, as it flows through the redwood forest. The grizzly bear represents the 100 years they have been extinct in California.

Tiah remembers her years spent at WSMC with fond memories and feels it built the foundation for the artist she has become. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Tiah and her artistic endeavors.