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| Author |
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Marian
Posts:183
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| 07/23/2006 8:25 PM |
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Hi,
I've submitted some of my work to a few competitions and twice to a gallery. I was able to show work in one gallery in a group show and have won a few prizes but mostly I've gotten a nice letter back about how there were many fine examples of work submitted and they appreciate my work and I should try again next time.
I know people's work gets rejected all of the time. And I know it's almost par for the course. However, I guess my problem is, that I'm not sure what needs to be done to NOT get rejected. I really don't know if my works get rejected because they've got major flaws or because they're not the style the group or gallery was looking or WHY?
I also wonder why it matters to me. I SHOULD be able to paint just for me. But I guess I've gotten to the point where I really would like to sell my work and or show my work and I guess that means I have to paint for more than just me....
What are your thoughts...? Have you had similar experiences?? Is anyone in the same situation?? Any suggestions???
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Sometimes we paint to see more clearly or to feel more deeply.
Marian
www.marianfortunati.com
www.fortunatifineart.com |
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Jim
Posts:2345
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| 07/25/2006 7:16 PM |
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I guess the best you can do is paint what you like and hope others like it too. You start painting
what sells and I think you lose something inside that helps you be creative.
Sometimes challenging yourself and creating something you thought you could never do is quite a
motivator.
Jim |
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All the best,
Jim
www.paintingsbyjim.com |
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Marian
Posts:183
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| 07/26/2006 12:07 AM |
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In a sense I know you're right, but it's hard to be able to judge what you do against yourself or against your own set of standards when you really don't know what might even be a larger group's "accepted set of standards".....
How do you grow when you don't know where the sun shines.... Inner voices do lie...
How many people have you seen that wear the latest fashions but look really ridiculous in them. It's not that I want to paint things that everyone else thinks are wonderful... but I would like to have some better idea of what it is that makes the things other people think of as beautiful.... well beautiful.
I guess it's a cunundrum that all of us have to face. |
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Sometimes we paint to see more clearly or to feel more deeply.
Marian
www.marianfortunati.com
www.fortunatifineart.com |
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Rosario
Posts:77
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| 07/26/2006 8:17 AM |
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Marian
I think you must paint for yourself. Absolutely. Unless
we are talking about "work" here. If it's a business then
you must make the customer happy.
I'm trying to improve my painting every day. I am never
totaly satisfied with what I do and my only competition is
myself. Some time in the future I would love to show my
work just to get feedback. Lets face it, we all love recognition and praise but how can we depend on this and
still feel free to do what suits us. Obviously we need to
enjoy what we are doing. I hope that helps you a little.
Rosario |
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studemobile
Posts:13
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| 07/26/2006 1:58 PM |
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Hi Marian,
I am in a similar situation. Linda Blondheim helped me get perspective on what it would take to make the transition from amateur to professional. She is a professional artist as well as artist's consultant. I haven't become a client of hers yet because I need to alter my schedule to allow for at least 20 hours a week to devote to my art. I hope to be in this position as of Jan 2007. Anyway, check out her website: www.lindablondheim.com. |
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 07/27/2006 1:26 PM |
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Welcome to the art world.
I have been through this a lot also. It is just part of the course. I really wish they would stop with the form letters.
It does help to understand why, but most of the time you will not. Just keep track of the ones you enter, what gets in and what does not.
All artist, even successful ones, get rejection letters.
You can never tell what will appeal to the judges. and it is just a mater of taste. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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bggordon
Posts:220
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| 07/27/2006 9:44 PM |
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| Marian, I've have the same issue, I'm at a point where I want to get my art out there and get it sold. I've had one drawing returned on a commission job, but I knew why, it was too light. I've never tried to enter a contest with my art, but I've been considering it lately! |
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 07/28/2006 10:28 PM |
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before you go through the jury process again, it may help to find someone to talk to. Someone who has done this and can mentor you.
There comes a point for every artist when you have a need to show your work to others and get good, qualified feedback.
Unfortunately, the art world is not set up this way. So many in it believe in the drill sargent way of crique and instruction.
You are just supposed to jump in and hope you can swim. While a few do well, most of us drown.
You do need feedback, both positive and negative. You will not get it from the juror system but you need to find a more artisticly mature artist who is willing to take you under her/his wing.
You need this system explained to you.
I would help, but I don't have this knowledge either. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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bluiiz
Posts:522
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| 08/26/2006 4:47 PM |
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| Hello, I feel the same way. It's strange I walk in and someone is commenting, WOW they're beautiful, and I think, I have a shot. But, no I am rejected again. My family keeps telling me that I shouldn't feel bad, and just paint for myself, which I do, but you get to a point that you can't help but want acceptance and validation. Funny thing is that when people see my work, everyone likes a different painting. Art is so subjective. I just keep trying. My most recent, was of my son, I usually do landscapes, and for the first time, I thought WOW, I actually did something that captured a moment in time. I liked that a lot. Maybe that's all that really matters. Did anyone else ever see a famous work that you wonder, I bet that one went in the closet, and then later someone took it out and said wow it must be great so and so did it? |
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Anna |
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 08/26/2006 6:28 PM |
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I know how you feel. And so often the reason for rejection is not given. You do not see the judges evaluation, so you do not really benefit from this process. Also, the judges are off the hook, so to speak, and do not need to justify their selections, which I feel they should.
Know why one piece was chosen over another would help you understand the jury process, and what they are looking for, and even if you want to paint in this manner. It would also save you the entrance fees!
While it should be slightly stressful to jury, you should be put on your metal, work to excell, without a direction you are only shooting in the dark. Those "classicly trained" have the better shot.
They know the "correct" way to present, and what these jurors are looking for.
Just remember, Monet, Manet, etc, could not get in the juried shows of their times. They had to open their own salon. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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sammy
Posts:691
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| 08/26/2006 8:36 PM |
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| Van Gough sold only one painting out of about 900 in his lifetime. And one was used to cover a window in an out house. What kept him going? His love for creating and expression. Please keep painting. |
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 08/26/2006 9:22 PM |
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So we really must believe in ourselves.
We paint for love not money, although recognition is nice, it is not always forcoming from the greater art community.
If you are getting positive responses from others, that needs to be enough for now. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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Jacquie
Posts:54
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| 08/28/2006 1:44 PM |
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I could seriously write an article on rejection and how difficult it can be. As artists sometimes it is very difficult to separate our selves from our work, so when our work is rejected we feel we are being rejected. But this is not true for any of us. Here is the proof of this, I personally do not like country music - never have. But I would bet any of my paintings that Faith Hill is a wonderful person.
I believe when we get rejected we do have to acknowledge the disappointment, but then move forward and through creating our work we get past it. The worst rejection I ever got was about 9 months ago and the judge stated my work was "uninteresting" - what the bleep does that mean? At first I was embarassed and mortified, but this same group of paintings he said were uninteresting had won an award elsewhere. So who knows...
What I have come to truly believe is if I do my most honest work, the work I am meant to create, when it gets rejected it will sting that much less because I know I'm creating my paintings and noone can reject that or tell me anything otherwise.
Steven King used to have a big nail sticking out of his wall above his writing desk. Every time he got a rejection notice, he would stick it through the nail and ended up with a stack of them just hanging there.
The fact that you are getting rejected means you are taking risks and going after what you want - so congratulations!
Jacquie
www.jgouveia.com |
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Marian
Posts:183
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| 09/08/2006 9:50 PM |
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Great attitude everyone!! It is not really "good" that so many of you have had the same experiences, but it is somewhat soothing to hear everyone validate what I've been feeling.
It's just that I want to keep improving my work. People who talk to us -- those who see us face to face rarely REALLY critique us.... This forum has provided some of that.
At a show I recently participated in, I was lucky to get two little awards and was extremely proud of them!! The lady who won the overall show prize had submitted more than one painting. The one that DIDN'T win, was in my humble opinion the better painting -- better than her winner and better than my honorable mention in the same category. When I mentioned to her that I really liked her other painting a lot, she smiled and told me she thought it was a better painting than the one that won. As at least one of you said, art is very subjective!!!
I guess we'll all just keep on painting and working to improve what we do. For ourselves....... and maybe someday for a greater audience.
Marian
www.fortunatifineart.com
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Sometimes we paint to see more clearly or to feel more deeply.
Marian
www.marianfortunati.com
www.fortunatifineart.com |
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Marian
Posts:183
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| 10/11/2006 10:07 PM |
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I'm still racking up the rejections..... Thank goodness once in a while I get juried in to a show or someone contacts me and says they want to buy one.
It is really too bad that I feel the need to have others appreciate my work... not just paint because I like to paint. That's life I guess.
One of you mentioned Steven King... Have you read his book "On Writing" ??? GREAT BOOK... and yes it does talk about all of the rejections he got. However, he did also get specific comments on what was needed to improve. Wish I had a mentor or some friendly judge besides myself.
www.fortunatifineart.com |
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Sometimes we paint to see more clearly or to feel more deeply.
Marian
www.marianfortunati.com
www.fortunatifineart.com |
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sammy
Posts:691
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| 10/11/2006 11:15 PM |
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| Because your art is rejected doesn't mean your art is no good. Some critics are biased to realism, some to impressionism, some to abstraction etc. So as the lyrics go -you can't please everyone then please yourself.(from one of Ricky Nelson's songs, I think) |
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Janie
Posts:120
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| 10/12/2006 6:42 AM |
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| Everyone here has some fine thoughts. It really is an interesting subject because for everyone the experience is different I am sure. I have had my share of rejections as well but when you make it in it is worth the other. Each rejection made me push myself harder. The way you learn is if you can go to the show when the judge is juring it. He will look at each piece that made it in and explain what he saw in it, it's strengths etc. You can learn alot that way. And yes, each will like a different piece and because in some shows they have over 1000 submissions and can only take lest us say 96...obviously some very good pieces get rejected. There just is not room. And some judges say that if they were to look at them all again, they would make changes. But for the most part, a good strong composition will be in the top no matter what. So learn composition, color, contrast...all the basics to know that is strong...then go out there and meet them toe to toe and learn from each judge. Belonging to a society will help as well as many will be going through the same things as you and you can share information. Never feel that because the judge is an abstract or impressionistic painter that he will only pick that...they will pick a well rounded show...sometimes they allow 4 flower paintings...8 landscapes etc...and so pick by catagory...it might surprise you how this process goes! But if it is a big show, juried by slide...the first go around he will only look at each slide for a few seconds...so it's strengths must be obvious... |
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www.janefreeman.com
Paint what you love and you will love what you paint! |
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 10/12/2006 4:52 PM |
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That is very good advice and reminders, Jane. Some shows do get a lot of submissions. Some have fewer, so can select more.
I have found that some what a certain kind of art, because that is what those attending want to see. Every show is not for everyone.
While some encourage variety some do not. Neither is right or wrong. They just are. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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Starrpoint
Posts:186
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| 10/12/2006 4:52 PM |
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That is very good advice and reminders, Jane. Some shows do get a lot of submissions. Some have fewer, so can select more.
I have found that some what a certain kind of art, because that is what those attending want to see. Every show is not for everyone.
While some encourage variety some do not. Neither is right or wrong. They just are. |
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Starrpoint*
www.tschantz.myexpose.com
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EmptyEasel
Posts:37
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| 11/13/2006 3:02 PM |
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Marian, as some of the others have said, it's really commendable that you've pushed onward and haven't allowed the rejections to affect you.
And although I don't recommend changing your painting style or subject matter for other people, there ARE galleries and shows which will want your specific type of art; and it seems like you've had some success finding those.
To be truthful, many people who REALLY want to be artists, never get as far as you have. You must be doing a lot of things right! Keep painting and good luck. |
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EmptyEasel.com - Art & Painting Resource |
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