New Student Art Competition for Gallery Exhibit
“Healthy Horizons:
Frederick County through Students’ Eyes”
Frederick Health is one of the county’s largest employers with over 4,000 team members across 25 locations and also operates the county’s only hospital. It has an extensive network of providers, from primary care to a wide range of specialty services. Frederick Health’s mission is “to positively impact the well-being of every individual in our community”. Its role in keeping Frederick County residents healthy is unparalleled!
We have partnered with Frederick Health to put on display the perspectives of local high school students as they artistically express what health and wellness means to them.
Click HERE for the competition instructions and full exhibition details!
All student submissions are due by Friday, December 12, 2025 via email to: info@haveahearts.org
Check out a brief interview between the Have A HeARTS Founder and the Frederick Health Art Gallery Curator below!
Sia Lakshmi Sampson: Ms. Baldwin, this collaboration between Have A HeARTS and the Frederick Health Women’s Center Art Gallery is truly exciting! It’s a chance for us high school students to connect with our community through art. Our artwork can be viewed by people who genuinely need a moment of beauty and inspiration as they manage their health. This is an incredible opportunity for students to help others, while earning the respected title of an ‘exhibited artist’, something that looks amazing on a high school student’s resume or portfolio.
Sia: What do you, as the gallery’s Curator, hope students will gain from participating in the “Healthy Horizons: Frederick County through Students’ Eyes” art competition?
Karen Baldwin: To learn the basics of how to submit artwork to a local gallery including attention to details on submission dates, hanging your art and criteria needed for a local art jury to notice and accept their artworks.
Sia: The theme ‘Health and Wellness’ is very personal to me and it also feels like an important time to share perspectives about health and wellness. This theme is not just about physical health, but also our mental health and emotional well-being. It’s a chance to show what we envision for the future and how we presently see and cope with these aspects of life.
The theme is intentionally broad, so there’s lots of ways to illustrate it. How do you envision high school students interpreting this theme through their art, and what kind of diverse perspectives are you hoping to see in the submissions?
Karen Baldwin: The mission of the Crestwood Gallery is to support local Frederick County artists and their diverse interpretation of their artwork in a healthcare setting. This can be illustrated through traditional mediums such oil and acrylic works, it can be scenic or abstract in style or represent a healthcare theme. The students should send in their own interpretation of health and healing using their own unique style.
Sia: For many high school students, the idea of having their artwork displayed in a gallery setting, alongside adult artists, might seem like a distant dream. What makes this exhibition such a valuable opportunity for young artists to take that first step into the art world and become exhibited artists?
Karen Baldwin: It will help them gain experience on displaying their artworks and realize that their pieces may not be much different from the regular adult artists who display on a regular basis at the gallery. It should also give them confidence to appreciate the various styles of artwork that are available for purchase.
Sia: The Women’s Center Art Gallery provides a uniquely inspiring setting for this exhibition. How do you see the artwork contributing to the healing and uplifting environment of the center, and what impact do you hope it has on visitors?
Karen Baldwin: The audience who views the Crestwood Gallery are outpatients visiting the building for their various doctor appointments. Many physical therapy and rehab patients walk the gallery and enjoy the distraction it provides while receiving their treatments/therapies. The Crestwood employees including nurses, lab technicians, doctors, etc. enjoy walking the gallery during their breaks to help reduce the stress of a difficult day.
Sia: Beyond the exhibition itself, what advice would you give to high school students who are passionate about art but might be hesitant to put their work out there? How can this competition be a stepping stone for their artistic journey?
Karen Baldwin: If you never try something new, you will never know if it would be accepted by an art jury. Even if your piece is not chosen for the final 10, the experience you gain trying should give you the confidence to try again. This is a good life skill to learn as you enter college or the workforce, demonstrating tenacity and persistence is a skill most future employers are looking for on any resume.
Sia: What would you say directly to a high school student who is on the fence about submitting their artwork? Why is it beneficial for students to seize this chance and share their personal vision with the Frederick community?
Karen Baldwin: It is extremely rewarding to know your artwork has had a positive impact on someone or yourself even if it does not get displayed in public gallery. Art not only heals or inspires the public it also does the same for you when creating your vision. It is a skill that will last a lifetime.
Sia: Our art has the power to uplift, to help heal, and to bring a sense of calm to patients and visitors at the Frederick Health Women’s Center. Thank you so much for collaborating with me to share Frederick County students’ creativity, recognize their talent, and contribute to a healthier community through art.