What began as a childhood habit of drawing on walls in simple crayons has now led to one of the most prestigious achievements available to young artists. Oak Park High School sophomore Wenqing Lu was recently named the winner of California’s 26th Congressional District Art Competition, earning recognition for her painting “Inner Worlds Never Fade,” an oil painting exploring imagination and childlike creativity.

The Congressional Art Competition is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious art competitions available to young artists. It is an annual nationwide competition that highlights artistic talent from high school students in each state and district. Winning artwork from each congressional district is displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., giving students the opportunity to have their work viewed by lawmakers and visitors around the country. 

For Lu, the news arrived unexpectedly on May 4, 2026, after she finished a grueling AP Biology exam. What had begun as a difficult school day quickly became one of the most memorable moments.

“I was really excited but also shocked,” Lu said. “I had just finished my AP Biology exam and I was so happy.” 

The award marks the first time Lu has won first place in a major art competition, although they previously received high honors in the equally prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards as well as several other contests. 

“I have never won first at any art competitions,” Lu said. “But I have won honorable mention in the scholastic art competition among others.” 

Lu’s winning piece features an elderly woman laughing with her arms raised while surrounded by a dream-like fantasy world with cartoon-like animals and unusual creatures. The colorful background contrasts with the realistic approach Lu took with the portrayal of the woman in the foreground, creating a visual separation between real and imagination. According to Lu, the painting was intended to communicate the enduring power of childhood wonder even in old age.

“I wanted to represent how creativity and inner worlds never fade even in old age,” Lu said. “That childlike wonder still exists deep inside all of us.”

The artwork combines several artistic mediums to strengthen that message. Watercolor and pen were used for the whimsical background, while Lu used oil paints for the woman herself in the foreground. Lu’s goal was to create the impression of a fantasy world around the woman while making her tangible 

“I made the background with watercolor because I wanted to represent how it wasn’t physically there and more abstract,” Lu said. “The lady was painted more realistically using oil paints.”

The contrast between the softer watercolor and the solid realism of the foreground gives the painting its intended dream-like quality. Her piece is an imaginative take on the timeless theme of creativity. It invites viewers to reflect on their own childhood. Art has been a central part of Lu’s life for as long as she can remember and in part it was inspiration for her own work.

“I always loved drawing as a child and I would draw on everything, even the walls,” Lu said.

However, her passion for art did not stop with childhood stick figures drawn on walls. Over time, that early love for drawing evolved into artistic skill and personal expression. According to Lu, art has taught her to recognize beauty in even the most ordinary places.

“I’ve learned to appreciate the beauty in everything and see things from unique perspectives through art,” Lu said.

That mindset is reflected in her painting and creativity in art. Lu emphasizes that creativity is not limited to childhood but rather something that continues throughout life as a belief she lives by in regards to art. Lu also credits her artistic inspiration as the internationally known Italian illustrator and painter Nicolette Ceccoli and her surreal yet symbolic works.

“I really look up to Nicoletta Ceccoli, this Italian artist,” Lu said. “Her art feels deeply symbolic to me and I love her personal style.”

Currently enrolled in OPHS’s AP Studio Art course, Lu is in the process of curating a portfolio for her sustained investigation, a yearlong concentration on the theme of storytelling. Her pieces feature a recurring motif of a girl with a ribbon in her hair, creating a cohesive narrative thread throughout the portfolio. In her AP Art works, Lu primarily uses acrylic paints, allowing her to perfect her semi-realistic style. Through her portfolio, she aims to combine surreal imagery with symbolism.

Beyond the recognition, winning congressional awards represents an important step into her journey as an artist. The honor places her among the top student artists in California, honoring her years of effort and representing an important milestone in her journey. Lu hopes the achievement encourages other young artists to continue creating and expressing themselves freely.

“My favorite part about doing art is being able to bring imagination into life by putting it on canvas or paper,” Lu said.

From sketching on walls to becoming a nationally recognized artist, Lu, like her painting, encourages visionaries around the world to never stop imagining, and to always keep that childlike wonder. 

“I have been doing art for as long as I can remember,” Lu said. “I’ve learned how important it is to be creative and to always keep dreaming.”