Art & Music Tips admin on 06 Jul 2008 01:09 am
“Juried Art Shows; Nothing Personal Girl!”
“Why even enter juried art shows?” a lot of fellow artists have said.
I have often agreed, especially while walking away with one of my paintings or sculptures in hand, after being rejected from a show I wrote out a $50.-100. check for. It is humiliating and expensive!
“Why didn’t they like me?” I pout close to tears as I lean towards my car.
It is difficult to ‘not’ take it all personally. What is a girl to do? Every artist I
have met, successful or not, has taken the rejection of their work personally at
one time or another. It is hard not to. I am an artist though, not a girl trying
to be noted in society like Paris Hilton or Britney Spears. Although I must
admit that I have contemplated what a good diet would do for me and possible
a face lift! I am an artist who is trying to get my work out there in the .com
world of galleries that go on forever, to improve my search engine and get
noticed by Google and Yahoo. I don’t find myself saying to the .com world or
to Google or Yahoo, “Why don’t you like me?” Of course not! I get on my
computer and research about how to get my work noticed and how to
compete. I ask myself the hard questions. “Is my work appealing to the buyers
out there in cyberspace? Is it marketable, while still being true to myself and
my own personal idea of creativity? Have I learned all there is to know?” Never!
Who would ever say or think that’?
I don’t look at myself that objectively when I enter juried art shows though…
or at least I didn’t use to. I used to think that it was all connected, my like-
ability and my talent. The juror would not only accept me in the show but
would honor me with an award because they would view my art and see my
heart and glistening smile. They would understand beyond the laziness and
excuse the limitations of my painting or sculpture before it was polished off
enough to truly call it finished. They would magically understand my true hope
for the end result and accept it ‘as is’. They would ignore all other competition
and choose me because I felt so strongly about what I was trying to say to
project the passion inside my heart. Or maybe deep down I felt I should be
accepted because I had worked so hard on the last show by setting up the
table with flowers and linen table clothes for horderves and wine. Surely I had
been noticed!
I am trying to learn to stand back and really look at my work objectively. What
else is an easel for huh? I am taking the same approach to juried shows as I
have been with the .com world and google and yahoo, with a realistic
consideration and an acceptance that there will ‘always’ be people who are
more fit than me… look at Paris Hilton and Britney Spears! Yet, because of my
acceptance of the uphill struggle I see myself in the art world with an upward
posture and a confidence that if I understand the journey and have my
mapquest available to me. I am set. It doesn’t take a tsunami to knock me
over to accept my fate of being just like everyone else. I now enter juried art
shows knowing I have done everything that ‘I can’ to present the best possible
work that ‘I’ am personally capable of before it leaves my studio. Look out
eminem there is a new rapper in town!
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About the Author: Kathy Ostman-Magnusen Aloha! I am a figurative artist and Illustrator. If you check out my website you Check out my website http://www.kathysart.com “Walk On The Wild Side” Series including the painting of “Neon Blue” is not on Aloha! |