Every time I log onto my Juried Art Services account to enter a show, I see this list of my entries and have a good laugh.
See all those red x's? Those represent years of rejection.
I know a lot of artists who take it personally when they don't get into a particular show, but here's the deal - behind EVERY artist you see posting excitedly about their latest show acceptance on Facebook, there is a long list of rejections. Rejections from shows, galleries, whatever. And every successful artist had to brush off those rejections and keep trying to get to where they are today.
So, even though it sucks when I don't get into a show, I try not to take it personally. That show up there that I got rejected from for five years in a row? I got into it the previous two years and won awards. Totally unpredictable.
You have to laugh when you fall, brush yourself off, and keep on trying. And also, just use it as motivation to make your paintings even better - sometimes getting better is the best revenge.
