A Pasadena Memorial High School student was named grand champion of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s School Art Program on Sunday. His painting is one of 90 that will go on sale for an auction in March.
Joshua Washington’s painting “Between Boots and Moccasins” received the 2026 Grand Champion Work of Art award from the rodeo during an awards ceremony on Sunday.
Clements High School student Mingyi Li received the 2026 Reserve Grand Champion Work of Art award for her colored drawing “Head On.”
Their two works will be displayed in the lobby of the NRG Center for the entirety of the Houston rodeo, beginning on March 2. Both of their pieces, as well as those from 88 other students, will be featured in an art auction at 11 a.m. March 15 in the NRG Arena Sales Pavilion.
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Nearly 4,000 pieces of art were submitted to the Houston rodeo for preliminary judging, which was narrowed down to 796 pieces, and then to 90 winning artists chosen to participate in the auction.
All winning artwork can be found on the Houston rodeo’s website.
In 2025, the two winning pieces collected nearly $500,000 at auction, including the grand champion winner setting an all-time rodeo record sale in that category of $276,000. The auction benefits the rodeo’s educational fund and funds the student winners’ premiums for their art.
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