A Night I’ll Never Forget
Flat Out Under Pressure: A Night I’ll Never Forget
Flat Out Under Pressure is a local 24-hour annual competition hosted by Greenville’s Metropolitan Arts Council (MAC). According to MAC’s website:
"We’re home to clay makers, dancers, musicians, painters, actors, poets, sculptors, and a kaleidoscope of others. Individual artists, collectives, and organizations of all sizes are shaping Greenville into an arts and culture hub. MAC exists to stimulate and support this thriving arts scene and help more people enjoy and appreciate it."
I had heard of the Metropolitan Arts Council before. I knew some of Greenville’s well-known and top artists were or are connected to the organization through local exhibitions and galleries. A friend, Mrs. Barbara Castañeda—a phenomenal mixed media artist—encouraged me to apply for the competition as a way to help me flow in creativity and get outside my comfort zone. Truthfully, I knew nothing about the competition before applying.
Here’s how it works:
Artists apply online, and once you receive your confirmation email, you choose your surface for the competition. After your surface is stamped, you have 24 hours to create a piece. You can work on more than one surface, but only one piece may be submitted for the juried art show.
I went in at 9:30 a.m. on Friday to get my canvas stamped and started creating around 11:00 a.m. By 9:00 p.m. that night, my eyes were getting heavy, and my headspace was foggy. I already knew I would lean on elements from my previous work—charcoal or pencil drawing, floral arrangements, and layered textures using paper and molding paste. I wanted to stay in my comfort zone to ensure I finished the piece by 9:30 a.m. the next day.
While burning the midnight oil, I made the mistake of redownloading Instagram to check the hashtag #foup2022 and see how other artists were progressing. Some had already finished their pieces. Others were halfway through. I was amazed at how effortlessly it all seemed to come together for them. But instead of feeling inspired, I started spiraling. I was wasting time, so I deleted the app again—but as the saying goes, “A little bit of yeast leavens the whole lump of dough…”
Watching and comparing myself to others fed into a deep insecurity that maybe I didn’t belong in this room. I didn’t want to show up looking like an “emerging artist.” I wanted to feel like I belonged among Greenville’s finest. That night, I put unhealthy pressure on myself instead of simply enjoying the process. Around 1:00 a.m., I called it a night and got some sleep. I woke back up at 5:00 a.m. to finish what I had started.
The truth? I just wanted to be in the room. I wasn’t competing against other artists. My biggest competition that night was me. I wanted to show up for myself, to step into a space I had never been before, and push past fear. I was determined to finish.
That night, the reception began at 7:00 p.m. The room was filled with more than 100 Upstate artists—some of whom were well-known across the Southeast or deeply connected through local galleries and art centers. The space buzzed with excitement. Old friends and colleagues bustled like busy bees, catching up and chatting.
My sister and I stood quietly against the back wall, just observing. When the ceremony started, we couldn’t even see the people holding the microphones.
There were seven placement spots. First place came with a cash prize and a trip to Italy for two!
“And the first place winner is… we need a drumroll… Destiny Oliphant!
Is she here?
Oh, here she is…”
My mouth dropped. I turned to my sister, Zoe, and whispered, “Are you kidding me…” My heart fluttered. My stomach churned. My palms got sweaty—even as I type this now, I feel it all over again!!
I shuffled my feet toward the front, my sister close behind me.
“Excuse me… excuse me…” I said, parting the crowd bashfully.
I greeted those presenting the award and tried to avoid the awkward gazes of my fellow artists. I made my way back to the wall I had previously been holding up, envelope in my shaky hands.
My body must’ve gone into shock, because people kept coming up to me:
“Where’s your work?”
“Are you Destiny? Wow, congratulations…”
“Your work is great, Destiny…”
I could barely respond—just smiled, nodded in disbelief, and stumbled over my words. The introvert in me wanted to say:
“Y’all… wait… wait… I just wanted to stand in the back and observe… not win! That wasn’t the plan…”
It felt like every eye was trying to figure out who I was. Mrs. Barbara found me and embraced me like a long-time friend!
“I had to find you… This is overwhelming, but I am so happy for you!!”
Then my elementary school art teacher appeared with a warm hug and said:
“I was like, that’s my student!
Lessons learned: ”Put your head down and work. Honor and listen to the ones who have been in the room before you. Just start walking even if you’re afraid, if God is in it… He’ll make it clear for you.
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