Fort Bend high school senior 'extremely surprised' to sell painting for $155,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Competition

Artist and Fort Bend ISD senior Jaydan Kisinger sold a painting titled “Through the Years” for $155,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo school art competition on May 16.

Named 2021 School Art Grand Champion in April, Kisinger’s painting was sold to Ashton and Dallas Garrison, Randa and Ray Gilliam, Mary and Ken Hucherson, and Julie and Alan Kent.

“I was extremely surprised when I won Grand Champion. When I finished the painting, I felt that it would likely win one of the first 10 or 15 spots in the auction, but it totally blew me away to see it win No. 1! It was incredible,” Kisinger told Houston Daily.

The school art contest begins with district shows in January, and all items included in these district shows are eligible for the School Art Auction. In each of three categories (elementary, junior high and high school), three awards are selected: Best of Show, Gold Medal and Special Merit.

Kisinger has participated in this auction in previous years, but says that she took things very seriously when it came to painting “Through the Years.”

“This year, I took a very calculated approach to the Houston Rodeo art contest. Last year, I painted a little girl from a far distance dancing in a field. It was a pretty and cute painting, but it was not Grand Champion material,” Kisinger said. “I looked at what kind of pieces won Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion, and I noticed they all featured something along the lines of a cowboy, a horse and an intimate moment. So, this year I decided to paint exactly that. My competitive spirit is what really motivated me to paint this particular scene.”

Kisinger said that if she does decide to go to college, she will likely major in art and minor in marketing.

“What I do know for certain is that I want to try as hard as I can to make a career with my art. I want to sell my paintings and do commissions more than anything else. College may still be up in the air, but a career in art is certainly my plan," she said.

The HLSR School Art Program is open to students in approved public independent school districts and approved private schools. Schools can apply to join the program, although there is often a waiting list.