Elizabeth Foster was the recent winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. Colorado has eight congressional districts, and the 3rd District, the state’s largest by geographic area, includes Pitkin and Garfield counties, among others.
In this competition, high school students compete for the opportunity to have their artwork selected by the member of Congress representing their district for display in the United States Capitol. Foster received this honor from Congressman Jeff Hurd, who selected her piece to represent Colorado’s 3rd District.
The Congressional Art Competition has been held since 1982, and has recognized thousands of high school students whose artwork remains on display for approximately one year. During that time, members of Congress, Capitol staff and visitors have the opportunity to view the pieces. As Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove said during the 2023 awards ceremony in a video published by the Congressional Institute, “Your work will be feeding the soul and will be feeding the Capital for all of us members and the staff and the visitors
of this amazing and histor-
ical institution.”
Foster was born in Spain, south of Madrid, to an American father and an Ecuadorian mother. A couple years ago, her family settled in the Roaring Fork Valley after spending time living between Spain and the Valley.
This Sol del Valle interview with Foster has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Where does
your passion for
art come from?
My family moved to Spain. That’s where I grew up surrounded by art. When I was 6 years old, my parents enrolled me in an art studio, where I painted every day for three hours. I studied alongside people much older than me, “abuelos,” and they painted beautifully. It taught me to see culture from different perspectives. It’s difficult to create art in a rural place.
Why is painting
important to you?
I think one of the most important things is the nature in our community, where there’s so much green, so much snow, so much natural beauty. That’s what I wanted to show people. Nature is something we have to protect. Through my paintings, I add color. Color is something that represents me. There is so much color people can see if they look at nature or at different cultures.
What is your
painting, “Independence,”
based on?
The painting is based on Independence Pass. People go there and see that beauty. Every time they visit, they can discover something new. It’s always different; the colors are always changing. I visited at sunset and saw those incredibly beautiful colors.
How did it feel to visit the Capitol and stand alongside some of our elected representatives?
It was wonderful. Many people told me that every representative and member of Congress would see those paintings while they were working. It’s an honor for our Latino community and for the United States.
Foster created her artwork using a painting technique called reflection — painting based on memory — capturing the landscapes and colors of Independence Pass as she remembered them. Her piece will remain on display at the U.S. Capitol for the next year, alongside hundreds of works by other student winners from across the country.
To view all of this year’s winning artwork, visit bit.ly/artecongresional