Art on the Corner & The Truth About Contests

In this episode of Wildly Unplug, Lauren celebrates her latest public art installation—Man’s Best Friend—featured on a utility box as part of the SURGE project in Springfield Township. She shares the behind-the-scenes joy of the artist community and offers real talk on navigating art contests, rejection, and creative resilience. If you're an artist looking to apply or sponsor a future utility box, visit www.theartsconnect.us or email artinfo@springfieldtwp.org. This one’s for every artist who’s ever heard “no” and kept creating anyway because when you finally hear “yes,” there’s a SURGE of excitement that makes it all worth it!!!

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Transcript

Transcript:

 Welcome to wildly Unplug, sharing stories of nature conservation and creativity. Discover what develops when you unplug and step outdoors.

 Hello, nature lovers, creative spirits, and fellow art explorers. Welcome back to Wildly Unplugged, the podcast where we slow down, connect with nature and rediscover the creative spark that lives inside of all of us. I'm your guide Lauren, and on today's journey through wild places and creative spaces, we're gonna be talking a little bit about a celebration and a little bit of real talk about what it's like to put your art out there for the world to see.

Because guess what, big news, drum roll please. My artwork is now wrapped around an electrical box. I am beyond thrilled to be part of the Surge project. That stands for Springfield Township Utility Revitalization through Graphic Expression. It's an initiative that transforms ordinary utility boxes into extraordinary outdoor art exhibits, and it launched in 2024.

My piece is located at the corner of Winton and Fleming, and

it's a tribute to our beloved pets dogs in particular, they bring us joy, loyalty, and connection to our everyday lives. I named it Man's Best Friend because it really is about those heartfelt connections. It is part of a collection of 18 wrap boxes along Winton Road, turning the streets into a kind of drive by gallery.

And let me tell you, it is powerful to see something that you've made become part of the landscape.  A huge thank you to Arts Connect and the sponsors for making this possible. You can actually see the whole collection and see how you can get involved yourself through the website, which I have linked in the show notes.

Or if you'd like to be a sponsor and apply to design a Future Utility Box, you can email Art info@springfieldtownship.org and I'll link that in the show notes too. Mark your calendar for the Artisan Fair on May 17th, 2025. We're gonna be celebrating the works in so much more.

Public art is one of my favorite ways to bring art to people who might not seek it out in galleries or museums. It's accessible and it's unavoidable in the best way. 

If you're sitting at a red light or walking your dog, and boom, there's this bold expression of creativity staring right back at you. It changes the vibe of the street corner and it can make people feel more rooted in their community. . I am also gonna be bringing my lab mix, George, by the utility piece to get his picture with it because his adorable smile is on that box. , I'm really hoping that the dogs that are local are able to stop by and get their photo with the box too.

Being a part of this as an artist feels incredibly grounding and exciting all at once. And what has made the experience even better is the artist group chat. It's full of encouragement and feedback and questions and so much heart.

Every time an artist's finished utility box picture is posted, all of the other 17 artists instantly jump in and start cheering each other on. They really know how to build each other up. It's part of the art world. I wish that people would talk about more the creative community. 

It doesn't always have to be competitive. It can be collaborative, generous, and joyful from the personal phone call announcement to the meeting where we all got to see a tiny paper representation of our utility box and the opportunity to fill out the paperwork together In all the amazing opportunities that Arts Connects has for the 18 artists over the course of the next few weeks, it really feels like a celebration.

They know how to treat their artists right and make them feel very special. Now, here's where I wanna pivot to the real talk about today's episode, because while this experience has been totally incredible, not every art contest or call for entry is a dream. I've had some incredible wins and I've also had some painful rejections, wasted money in even a couple scammy situations that I wish I had seen coming.

So I wanna pull the curtain back and share a little bit of information that I've learned throughout the years. My first tip is to always read the terms and conditions. You wanna know if you are gonna be able to reuse your artwork elsewhere. Are you giving up the rights to your piece and do they plan to sell prints or use it in marketing without additional compensation?

That stuff really matters, especially if you're trying to build a portfolio or to sell your work later. . Some contests want JPEGs, some want PDFs, some wanna make sure that it's a 300 DPI image. That means dots per inch. , if you're submitting your work digitally, the DPI determines the resolution. So you can go into your photos and click info if you're on a Mac. And it'll tell you how much DPI is in your photo and there are tons of free tools online to help you convert your file or to also increase your DPI.

So if your image is not the right size, maybe it's too low, fear not, there are plenty of places out there that will help you convert that  DPI bigger. I also keep a spreadsheet, so every contest that I enter, I've got notes about the deadline, the fee, the specs, how long they plan on keeping the work, the address, the contact.

Important phone numbers. Whether or not the item needs to be framed, what kind of label or information for the description they require, I cannot stress enough how important it is to follow the submission guidelines, because if you don't get that part right, your work's not even gonna get seen at all. So let's talk about the cost of exposure and money.

So some contests are free, which is amazing, and others not so much. I paid $65 to enter a contest thinking that I was guaranteed a spot in the exhibit. I was not  I didn't get accepted, and I didn't get a refund. Honestly, it stung. I asked for the money back and they said no. And you know what?

That's okay. I spoke up. I might be blacklisted now, but I still stand by it. That is a huge amount of money to just have your work looked at and not even featured in a local gallery. I don't have to win everything, but to pay that amount of money and not even get featured seems kind of ridiculous.

To have your work just kind of tossed aside without any feedback. I mean, for that kind of money, $65 might not be a big deal to everyone, but for many artists, we're paying for our own supplies, printing, framing, transportation, and entry fees too. It adds up so fast.  As creatives, we often post videos of our work and sometimes companies will reach out for exposure and even payment.

I once had such a video where I was taking wildlife photography out in the field and a mama bear and two cubs walked in front of my car. The video was going viral and a company reached out to me to see if they could share it on their site, and I would get paid as compensation. I agreed to their terms and conditions, and the site even looked legitimate, and when asking about payment, I got ghosted.

 You always have to be on guard when your work is on the line, and unfortunately this time I was not. I like sites like cafe.com, it stands for the call for entry and application management for the arts. It has calls for entry from all over the place.

You can filter it by state, by type and more.  It's a pretty reputable source that I've seen so far and they have nearly 20 years of experience. My advice, make sure you set a budget either monthly or yearly and decide what you can invest and stick to it. Be selective. Enter only the contests that feel aligned with your values and your style.

And remember, contests are not the only way to succeed as an artist. Rejection does hurt and that's okay. Let's be honest. Rejection does suck. We put our hearts, our stories, and our souls into our work. And when it gets rejected, it can feel personal. But art is subjective. A panel might be looking for something totally different than what you created, and sometimes it comes down to the theme, the tone, or even the trend that you don't even know about.

Let me tell you a quick story. One year I entered a Valentine's Day card contest. And I painted this really cute pair of flamingos in their heads in the next form jaw heart. And I thought, nailed it. Nope, I did not win. Why? I later realized much to, uh, my husband telling me that it didn't really speak to the town of Loveland, which is the area that the theme of the Valentine's Day card is from.

 So the next year I painted the Loveland Castle and I won. The next year, I leaned into the Frog Man theme, a local legend, and that was a hit too. So all of these rejections, they're learning moments and each time I feel that I get a little bit better  and understand the vibe and expectations a little bit more.

 Why bother with art contests and calls to action at all? Well, because it builds our cv, which by the way is like a resume for artists. , it shows your exhibit history, public works, publications, awards, and more. It gives you visibility. 

 Sometimes your work gets shared by the hosting organization or even featured in the media. It can also create new opportunities. I've had offerings to teach workshops, to speak, and to collaborate just from entering into something and getting noticed.

Just make sure you're entering contest for the right reasons, not for approval and not to feel legit, but because you have something to say and you want to say it in that space. And if you need a break from contests, take one. Try something low pressure. Maybe take an art class with other artists where they can give you some positive feedback and help build your confidence back up that way.

It's very important to be grounded in who you are as an artist and not seek the external validation, because I'm gonna get really real with you right now. After so many rejections, sometimes I feel like giving up. That is when I take a break from the contest and remember why I love to paint. It's meditative, it's beautiful, and it feeds my soul when I'm doing pet portraits for someone.

Those pieces truly feel special for the individual and it makes a difference for them. At the end of the day, your art needs to be for you.

I am so excited that this one ended up being a win with Surge on Wynton, and it feels so good to see my artwork on Wynton Road, and I am so grateful that I get to highlight our furry companions, and I'm inspired by the conversations I've had with other artists on this project. 

If you're local, I'd love for you to see a man's best friend at the corner of Wynton and Fleming. Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at Wild Development Studio and also do the hashtag surge on Wynton. And make sure to check out the other 17 amazing work. Let's keep sharing in supporting one another.

 And if you've ever been burnt out by a contest, rejected or discouraged, just know that you're not alone. It happens. You're still an artist. You're still worthy, and your voice matters. Until next time, unplug. Get outside and see what develops.

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