Embracing Our Differences Announces 2022 Outdoor Art Exhibit and Top Winners

Since 2004, Embracing Our Differences has used the power of art and prose to promote diversity. One way it achieves this is through its annual, juried international outdoor art exhibition comprising 50 billboard-sized works of art, each accompanied by an inspirational quotation. This year's response to the call for artwork and inspirational quotations broke last year's record, with 17,413 entries pouring in from 123 countries and 47 states. Students from 423 schools around the world submitted artwork or quotations to the juried exhibit. The winning quotations and art will be showcased in the 19th annual exhibit, January 15 through April 10, in Sarasota's Bayfront Park. For more information about this exhibit or Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710 or visit www.embracingourdifferences.org.

Sarah Wertheimer, Embracing Our Differences' executive director, is delighted by the outpouring of global response to this year's call for submissions. "Yet again, thousands of caring people jumped at the chance to celebrate the values of diversity and inclusion," she says. "Our art selection jury was deeply touched and inspired by their heartfelt honesty and level of artistic excellence."

According to Wertheimer, the submissions cover a broad spectrum of personal conviction and artistic expression. But one core belief unites these diverse voices.

"It boils down to respecting each individual for who they are," Wertheimer says. "Human identity is an intricate tapestry of culture, nationality, sexual orientation, personal experience, the social construct of race, and more. That incredible diversity is a beautiful thing. Embracing Our Differences honors that beauty, and we select the quotations and artwork that best express it."

Wertheimer adds that only a fraction of the powerful submissions are chosen for each year's outdoor exhibit. "What you'll see is only the tip of the iceberg," she says. "We're profoundly moved to see how many people share our core philosophy all over the world."

Selection criteria boil down to medium and message. What is the core idea of each submission? How well is it expressed? "Our judges try to imagine the impact the artwork will have when it's enlarged to the size of a billboard. Will it stop me in my tracks? Will it move me and make me think? Will its truth stay with me on the ride home? That's what we're going for."

Awards are given for "Best-in-Show Adult," "Best-in-Show Student," and "People's Choice" categories, with the last chosen by visitors to the exhibit. Adult art winners each receive $1,000; students receive $1,000, which they split with their school's art program. The person who pens the winning quotation is awarded $1,000.

2022 ART WINNERS

The Best-in-Show Adult winner for art is for "Cultivation" by Samantha Miller of Sarasota. The work shows a garden of flowers-some blooming, others withered or dead. The stems are illustrated with words designating attitudes and emotions, including "Love," "Hate," and "Integrity." In her artist statement, Miller says, "just like plants, we grow depending on what we feed ourselves. If we continually live with hate, jealousy, and resentment then we will fail to bloom. By feeding ourselves positive attributes we can grow and help others. If we continue to build each other up, we can create a healthy and thriving community."

Jenai Barco, a 9th grade student from Waipahu, Hawaii, won the Best-in-Show Student award for her painting, "You Are Enough," which depicts a figure inscribed with positive words. Barco notes: "Body positivity is a social movement initially created to empower and shed light on plus-size women and men, while challenging the ways in which society presents and views the physical body. The movement advocates the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of physical ability, size, gender, race, or appearance. My artwork serves as a reminder to never change yourself for society; society should change for you."

2022 QUOTATION WINNER

The award for the Best-in-Show inspirational quotation was given to Alicia Chalmers of Bradenton for: "We are so much better united in kindness than divided in anger."

Wertheimer stresses the importance of the statements accompanying each artwork. "Every quotation opens a window into our common humanity," she says. "They touch us with their wit, insight, and empathy."

Embracing Our Differences' annual outdoor exhibits are the heart of a year-round program of activities designed to use art as a catalyst to create awareness and promote diversity.

For more information about Embracing Our Differences, call 941-404-5710 or visit www.embracingourdifferences.org.