When I was in second grade, I discovered my parents’ 600 Film Polaroid camera. Somehow, there was still film inside of the camera and the camera worked! I spent that night taking pictures of my family and our pet dog. The next day, I convinced my parents to let me take it to class and took pictures of my friends. I instantly fell in love with capturing memories.

From then on, I would always ask my parents if I could borrow their digital camera during family vacations. I loved taking pictures of everything in sight. When I saw the pictures, I was filled with happiness from the moments I was able to record.

At high school, I took some photography courses furthering my curiosity for this art form. I learned about editing and the wonders of Photoshop. I learned what a great tool it is and I tried my best to practice as often as I could. When I was looking at universities, I was extremely interested in art schools because of photography. I knew deep in my heart that I wanted to do something more with photography. However, I also had a dream and passion to study business. I eventually decided to attend a university where I had the opportunity to study both fields.

During my first year of college, I decided to pursue a photography minor. My love for Business and Marketing helped me to turn my passion into a business. I created Angelica Carrete Photography in 2016 as a way to do more with my hobby. I challenged myself to grow as a creative every day and tried my best to stay motivated through the struggles that come with being a college student. I created this blog as a way to express my thoughts on the many different aspects of photography and to further challenge my creativity. I am so excited about this journey!

In Mark Turin’s article “Protecting Our Public Spaces” in Issue 14, he claims that “all graffiti (涂鸦) is vandalism (故意破坏财物), pure and simple, and offers no benefit to our public spaces.” I would like to point out that many people believe that graffiti is an art form that can benefit our public spaces just as much as sculptures, fountains, or other more accepted art forms.

People who object to graffiti usually do so more because of where it is, not what it is. They argue that posting graffiti in public places is considered an illegal act of property damage. But the location of such graffiti should not prevent the images themselves from being considered real art.

I would argue that graffiti is the most important public art form. Spray paint is a medium unlike any other. Through graffiti, the entire world has become a canvas (画布). These works of art dotting the urban landscape are available, free of charge, to everyone who passes by.

To be clear, I do not consider random words or names sprayed on stop signs to be art. Plenty of graffiti is just vandalism, pure and simple. However, there is also graffiti that is breathtaking in its complex detail, its realism, or its creativity. It takes great talent to create such involved designs with spray paint. Are these creators not artists just because they use a can of spray paint instead of a paintbrush?

To declare that all graffiti is vandalism, and nothing more, is a too simplistic statement. Furthermore, graffiti is not going anywhere, so we might as well find a way to live with it and enjoy its benefits. One choice could be to make a percentage of public space open to graffiti artists. By doing this, the public might feel like part owners of these works of art, rather than just the victims of a crime.

Here are the best art contests to enter in 2023.

Artists Magazine Annual Art Competition

This contest seeks to encourage future artists. Kids under 16 are encouraged to submit two-dimensional artwork including paintings, drawings, computer-generated artwork, photographs, and more to their representatives for consideration, wherever they are. Entries are accepted online each spring. The fees are $20 for each entry. The winners will have their artwork publicly displayed at the Capitol for a year, and are also honored at an award.

The Chelsea Fine Arts Competition

For 30 years, this annual art contest has awarded worldwide visual artists. This contest is open to visual artists from around the world at any stage of their careers who are at least 18 years of age. The entry period is from March 3rd until June 3rd. There’s a fee for entering: $40 for two pieces of artwork. There’s an early bird period with a reduced fee for entries.

Doodle for Google Art Contest

This annual contest gives exposure and support to people around the globe who use technology to create artwork. Aside from the prizes, this contest also involves exhibitions and events to raise awareness. The entry fees are $50 for up to five images and $5 for each additional image. The deadline for entries and fees is in mid-March.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

The art contest is open to students who are at least 13 years old from September to December. No fee is charged for this contest. Winners are selected in the visual and literary arts on the basis of originality and technical skill and will receive prizes that include publication, exhibition, and educational scholarships worth up to $10,000.