The Olive Hyde Art Guild (OHAG) led an award ceremony for their art competition on April 25, commemorating 14 student artists for their artistic expression.
Under the theme of “utopian vision,” their pieces were woven into a single collage and wrapped around an electrical box at the intersection of Country Drive and Paseo Padre Parkway, transforming it into a vibrant celebration of art.
The project was initiated when OHAG was awarded a grant by Alameda County Arts Commission to spend on community art. From there, organizers thought to make it oriented for middle-schoolers, with winning designs landing on an electrical box.
Lisa Stambaugh, an organizer of the event, said, “We were trying to expand their thought processes beyond Fremont. Like, how will the world be when you’re an adult? What feels like a world you want to belong to?”
Stambaugh said that the theme might be too difficult for the students. However, each artist had their own version of a utopia, whether a life with their family or more nuanced topics of equality. “It was really great to see how they interpreted the idea in such different ways,” said Stambaugh.
Many applicants who submitted to the Box Art competition had made their artworks initially for the national Parent-Teacher Association Reflections competition, with a similar theme of “I Belong.”
Sahasra Gudipati, a winner of the Box Art competition and state ranker of the PTA competition, drew a picture of a puzzle with a girl trying to piece herself back together, called “Pieces of Belonging.”
“Some pieces of myself I tried to force myself to belong and change myself, but it didn’t truly feel like myself,” Gudipati said. “Belonging is like belonging in my own body, my own self…People should…be comfortable with themselves, and not try to change themselves to belong,”
Another student artist, Meera Amarnath, drew a picture of a girl trying to paint a rainbow called “Painting the Sky.” She said, “[My piece] shows expressive creativity. I feel like it represents how people can express themselves in the world.”
She added, “Having my artwork shown for people to see really affected me positively as an artist.”
Fremont Mayor Raj Salwan led off the event with a speech commemorating the artists. “Anytime somebody walks or drives by, they’re gonna appreciate the art—that kind of makes art part of the fabric of our community.”
Salwan added, “Art is something that doesn’t require a language. And so you can appreciate good art.”
Stambaugh said, “Everybody is capable of contributing beauty to the community. Everybody can create art, and it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s your idea of what’s beautiful.”
