SARASOTA COUNTY, FL — After spending six months campaigning for a seat on the Sarasota County Commission, Julie London has a creative plan for what comes next for the hundreds of campaign signs left behind: turning them into art.
London, a Democrat who lost her bid for the District 4 seat in the Nov. 3 election to Republican Jim DeNiro, is organizing an art contest inviting community members to transform her used campaign signs into something new.
There's just one stipulation for the artworks — every submission must incorporate the dogs wearing sunglasses featured in her campaign signs.
The idea is part environmental initiative, part creative community project, as Ferguson tries to make sure the campaign materials don't simply end up in the trash.
She distributed well over 200 signs during her campaign, including additional signs she had to order after some were stolen.
"I'm not going to throw their [donors'] hard-earned and thoughtful money away after a few uses, so I decided we're going to do something beautiful and lasting with them," she told Patch.
An "unabashed tree hugger," Ferguson said that protecting Florida's natural environment and ecosystem was a major part of her campaign platform. She sees the contest as another opportunity to put those values into practice.
"I always want to back up my talk with my walk. This contest accomplishes many goals — including the ease and even fun in recycling and repurposing," she said.
The required canine element has its own inspiration. Ferguson pointed to the late Louisiana artist George Rodrigue's popular Blue Dog paintings, which used a recurring blue canine character to tell stories and convey messages.
She hopes Sarasota artists will bring their own creativity to the dogs on her campaign signs.
"It would be amazing to see what people in Sarasota can come up with based on dogs wearing sunglasses," Ferguson said. "They are local figures now. The watchdogs belong to all of us. Art evokes emotion."
The contest will be limited to signs from Ferguson's campaign. She said organizers are currently working out the logistics, including coordinating locations where participants can pick up signs and how physical artwork will be submitted and judged.
Judges have already been lined up, with more potentially joining the panel. Ferguson is also looking for sponsors to help support the contest.
Categories include Best Student Artwork, Best Sarasota Resident Artwork, Best Sculpture and Best Collage. Only family-friendly content is allowed.
Those interested in participating can email Ferguson at jslferguson@gmail.com. Additional details, including sign pickup locations and submission logistics, will be announced as they are finalized.
As for the signs that don't make it into the contest, Ferguson plans to find a use for every last one, mentioning possibilities such as using them as weed barriers or donating them for beekeepers to repurpose.
"We will use every last one up," she said, adding, "I could paint on all of them myself, but I won't live that long!"
As for Ferguson's own next chapter, she plans to continue writing her Substack blog, Dear Bubbie, and remain involved in making a difference in her community.
For now, though, she's ready for a little downtime after a long campaign.
"Right now, I just want to straighten up the house. It's been a long six months!"
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