Sonali Puri pictured with Mayor Sylvester Turner and her painting, "Hidden Jewels."
Foster High School senior Sonali Puri caught the attention of Mayor Sylvester Turner with her painting “Hidden Jewels.” The 24x36 Oil on Canvas & Recycled Material work earned Puri a $5,000 scholarship as the 1st place recipient of the Mayor’s Art Scholarship Award. Puri ranked number one out of 98 submissions, coming from 24 high schools out of 11 different school districts.
“I painted this piece to represent the unity between Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi cultures. No matter where we are from, in sisterhood we are one” said Puri, regarding her latest work.
The annual Mayor’s Art Scholarship Houston competition fosters collaboration among Houston-area high school fine arts departments and recognizes excellence in student art, which expresses cultural identities and features of life in Houston area neighborhoods.
A display with all the submissions to the Mayor’s Art Scholarship can be seen on the skybridge between the George R. Brown Convention Center and Hilton Americas downtown until May 13th, with the winning works, including Puri’s “Hidden Jewels,” showcased at Houston City Hall.
To read more on the Mayor's Art Scholarship, click here.