Katy Provonchee thought it would be nice to submit both her and her 9-year-old daughter’s artwork to the Maine Artists competition in Washington, D.C. She thought the judges might get a kick out of a mother-daughter entry.

Imagine her surprise when her work was rejected and daughter’s was accepted.

“I didn’t think it could really be possible,” said Christy, the youngest participant in the show. “I don’t think of myself as an artist.”

Christy calls her pen-and-ink drawing “Sea Birds,” which she describes as “a picture of some birds around a fishing boat, and a mother duck with a few ducklings.” It is one of 40 paintings on display through June 27 as a part of the Maine State Society “Next Generation ” exhibit at the Sumner Museum in Washington.

Although Christy hasn’t taken formal art lessons, she has picked up tips from her mother.

“My mom told me about the form of people and gave me pointers,” said the third-grader, who lives with her parents in Union.

In addition to Maine seascapes, Christy likes to draw medieval knights, princesses and dragons. “Dragons aren’t actually medieval,” she said, “but a lot of people think of them that way.”

When Christy isn’t drawing, she enjoys playing with her miniature goat, Petite.

“Petite doesn’t do much, but is nice to be around,” said Christy. “We used to have a goat named Josephine, but we didn’t have her dehorned and she starting butting me. It was a painful relationship.”

Christy also has two dogs, two cats, a fish, and an 18-year-old sister, Kassandra.

On June 10, the Provonchees will travel to D.C. to see Christy’s “Sea Birds.” Christy also wants to visit the National Zoo and the National Gallery of Art, where she hopes to see paintings by her favorite artist, Monet.