Wednesday, January 18, 2012

""Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" 6"x6" acrylic on panel

This is the second of  three small panels I did hoping to get them into the "IN and OUT" show at the South Shore Art Center.
Well, they were "OUT" and I will admit the rejection stung! But it's part of the deal with juried shows- and here is a great thought about rejections...


After submitting for a juried art show and being rejected, it can be quite a negative experience to the artist. Sometimes this will lead the artist to doubt their artistic talent, their technique and their overall sense of well being.
Artists’ should understand that the decision as to who is accepted into a show is a very subjective and personal decision made by the juror(s). This decision simply means that your art was not appealing to that judge or person. It is as simple as that and nothing more. What is rejected by one juror for an exhibition might be selected by another juror for a different show.
I have had some of my “best” images rejected for a particular show that I was sure that I was going to get into, only to be rejected. While at the same time I had those same images out to another juried competition, only to find out that I won! Why and how does this happen? It is a personal and subjective decision made by the judge for that particular show. It is really as simple as that. Possibly a different piece of art or a different style of art may have made the juror look and select your art for that show. Who knows? I do not believe that you could ever find out why your art was rejected. The bottom line is that they did not like it, for whatever personal reasons that they had at the time.
The good news is that every artist has experienced some rejection of their art and that rejection is all part of the game. When an artist is rejected for a show or by an art gallery I think it is a good time to remember why you create your art. Your art is a personal reflection and expression of you. Through your art you are communicating what is inside of you and if people are “listening” great and if not, who cares! If your sole reason for creating your art is to “get into shows” I think you need to reevaluate your reasons for creating your art.
To most artists we love what we do and the inner joy and feeling that we get when we do, what we love to do. If some juror or judge just doesn’t “get” what we do, remember, he’s just not that into your art and that is nothing personal!
Don’t ever give up creating, trust yourself and create your art for you, not for some judge.

4 comments:

Paintings by Patricia said...

Nice words, Sally. I didn't even try for that show as I got a few rejections last year and decided to take a year off...well it didn't last. I entered Dux. and was rejected..Oh well, a year off sounds good.

Kelley Carey MacDonald said...

Yup, yup, yup, we all know the whole 'crapshoot' thing.. but it STILL stings when we get rejected. Here's what makes me feel better: First i say "Who cares?" and try to act all nonchalant. Then I start to question my own work/mission/abilities.. and then... I cry a little - just a couple of drops. Then I get angry... really angry at those STUPID judges, and I look up their work and say to myself - "ARE they KIDDING? Their art is BORING! or They can't paint their way out of a paper bag!" They are just jerks. JERKS. I'm never submitting to a juried show again." Then I sleep we'll, and forget all about that 'never submitting' thing... and I call a friend who cares and voila! Over it!

Anonymous said...

Lovely image; wonderful advice!

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

amen and well said.
Your work is so damn popular so TAKE THAT JUDGES !
I love what Kelley said too.