Pasadena ISD student Joshua Washington’s grand champion artwork raised a record-breaking $525,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on Sunday.
Art from 90 students was auctioned during the annual Student Art Auction, including the grand and reserve champion artwork, with proceeds going to educational programs and student scholarships. The top two pieces combined for $825,000 – almost doubling last year’s earnings.
The 88 other selected artworks came from districts across the Houston area, with 18 students representing Pasadena ISD, 13 from Katy ISD, 13 from Pearland ISD and nine from Fort Bend ISD.
Judges reviewed more than 4,300 entries produced by students in pre-K through 12th grade from 97 Houston-area school districts and 54 private schools.
Washington’s painting, “Between Boots and Moccasins,” shows a man in traditional Native American wear conversing with another in traditional Western wear. He said bringing together two people from different backgrounds could inspire different interpretations and serve as a symbol for the rodeo.
Joshua Washington stands with his artwork after being named Grand Champion at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Auction at NRG Center in Houston on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle)
STUDENT ART: See all the winners of the 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s student art awards
The piece sold for $525,000 – nearly doubling the previous record of $276,000 set last year.
Washington’s moment as grand champion on the auction stage was a long time coming. The Pasadena Memorial High School senior has been inspired by the rodeo and Western art since he was a child and has earned five awards across different mediums since fifth grade.
I’m speechless … it just felt like the most surreal experience of my life,” Washington said. “I’m just very grateful.”
Reserve champion Mingyi Li also broke an auction record, raising $300,000 with the sale of her colored pencil work, “Head On.” The Fort Bend ISD senior and her friends often travel to a ranch together to take photos, and this year, an image of two cows running through a cloud of dust caught her eye.
Mingyi Li showcases her artwork after being named Reserve Grand Champion at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Auction at NRG Center in Houston on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle)
Students receive a guaranteed premium of up to $40,000 from the auction for their artwork. The rest goes to the rodeo’s educational fund for scholarships and art programs.
INSIDE MUTTON BUSTIN’: A behind-the-scenes look at one of RodeoHouston’s most popular sports
Li, who has also earned several awards through the art program, said she is grateful that she can help create a new cycle of student artists through the educational fund.
“Having this opportunity to use something that I really love, which is art, to contribute to such a good cause is really meaningful,” Li said. “Allowing more kids to learn about art and go to college, that’s such an honor.”
Li will likely pursue business at the University of Texas next year, while Washington plans to go to San Jacinto College and the University of Houston to study graphic design.
“I want to expand on that creativity,’ Washington said. “I think having that creativity is really important in the art world … and I’ll go from there.”
This article originally published at Pasadena ISD student sells grand champion artwork for record $525K at Houston rodeo art auction.
