Naperville Central teen takes 2nd in international art contest
Naperville Central High School student Claire Shen placed second in the 15- to 18-year-old age group of the 2026 Young Artists and Authors Showcase.
The international competition invites submissions of original works of art, writing, photography, film and music to express the Sister Cities International mission.
Shen’s work titled “Through the Looking Glass” was entered in the showcase’s Classic Art category.
This year’s theme, “Voices of Today, Visions of Tomorrow,” was chosen to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary and Sister Cities International’s 70th anniversary. Participants were asked to reflect on the past and envision a more connected and peaceful future.
Shen, who will be a high school junior this academic year, said her piece was created using oil paint and charcoal and took about three months to complete. It was inspired by a train ride from Naperville to Chicago, she said.
“Watching the neighborhoods transition into the city’s skyline, I began to see the journey as a metaphor for change, growth and the unknown future,” Shen said. “The two girls represent the present, while the charcoal city beyond the train window symbolizes a future that is still taking shape. I titled the piece, ‘Through the Looking Glass,’ because the train window serves as a portal between the familiar and the unknown.”
Shen, 16, has earned accolades at local, national and international levels. She won the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Illinois’ 11th Congressional District and had her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol. She also received numerous honors in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, including a 2026 National Gold Medal.
Her work has been showcased at several locations, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, Nichols Library in Naperville, Naperville Fine Art Center & Gallery and Lisle Public Library’s Gallery 777.
She said her artistic journey has been inspired by artist Bing Ma from M.Y. Art Studio in Naperville.
As a second-place winner, she will receive a cash prize and her artwork will be featured on Sister Cities International’s various platforms.
• Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.