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.
Thanks for posting, Stacey. It's heartening and inspiring to hear other artists similar experiences. Congratulations on your current acceptance by the way! --Joan
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree with you more. I wrote a blog earlier this year titled "Rejection Sucks!" after being rejected by Salon International, a show I had been in for several years in a row. Need less to say you were much more eloquent in expressing your feelings of rejection.
ReplyDeleteRejection is a terrific motivator to be self critical and seriously evaluate the direction of one's work.
Your work is so terrific. Can't imagine you ever being rejected.
Great post Stacey.
ReplyDeleteThis is reality at it's best and shows those new to the juried process that persistence pays off. If there ever comes a time when you are invited to all of them, THEN you will have a problem....like having all of us begging for your signature on a piece of art!
Keep it up my dear! It's a journey!
Stacey, when I judged the FASO Boldbrush show, I had selected over 100 works out of 800 that I thought had merit. And then I had to narrow those 100 down to 11. There were many works that were worthy of winning an award, but I couldn't pick them all, and I tried to get a variety of work. I also purposely didn't pick any of my close friends. They didn't know I was juror, and I kept ot from them.
ReplyDeleteStacey, excellent post and I totally agree :-) Persistence and learning from the experience are keys.
ReplyDeleteThere is something that really helped me to stop taking rejection personally. Another artist a long time ago told me to stop saying aloud (and to myself): "I didn't get accepted into the show." Instead say, "My painting didn't get juried into the show." That slight change of wording from "I" to "my painting" made a world of difference for me over time.
Thanks -- good observation and advice. I've got a good number of those red marks myself. Sometimes the judging is just beyond belief, but we just have to go on and be yourself.
ReplyDeleteAmen to this post...we've all been there!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for commenting all! We've definitely all been there, but I think that with social media we can get bombarded with everyone's various successes and forget that for every success, there is someone who is working hard and persevering. I see a lot of artists who start out with loads of talent who let stuff like this make them bitter, and before you know it they've given up on art.
ReplyDeleteA good thing you haven't given up! Thanks for the inspiration; it's just what I needed today...
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh Stacey! You are awesome. I hope people realize what a wonderful thing you did here by posting your juried results! If they could only see mine :) This was really an inspiring post. Thank you.
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