I'll warn you now, this is a rambling, complaining post.

None of my artworks were accepted as entry for the college district-wide juried show. So no show for me at the FW Community Arts Center... not YET anyway.

But that's not what I'm going to complain about.

There were close to 300 entries, only 50 were selected. And they were selected by one person rather than a panel, so it was one person's subjective opinion. That's fine with me-- I know that what one person likes is different from another person. Art is in the eye of the beholder ya know. No biggie... just move on to the next project.

What chaps my hide is our instructors' reaction to it. Several of us in my class tried to enter and none of us were selected, but trying to find out the info on who was selected was like pulling teeth. I asked a couple different teachers point-blank if I got in or not, and each one hem-hawed around not answering the question, instead they gave long lectures about how shows aren't everything. They simply wouldn't tell me "You didn't get in", but talked in circles instead about how good I was and the shows don't matter. When I then mentioned going forward and working toward another competition coming up, one of the instructors said "Don't waste your time. Getting into art shows is like playing the lottery."

Excuse me?? A college instructor saying DON'T apply yourself? DON'T put yourself out there to create a name for yourself? What kind of motivation is that???

I can only guess that either A- they want to spare my feelings so I don't feel despair about my work, or B- they didn't have very good experiences with their own work in shows and therefore don't think others should try either.

Response to A- I've been in competition before (showing horses as a teen), and I know I'm not going to win everything. My esteem's not so fragile that I can't handle criticism, it makes a person better. Some people will like my stuff, others will not, that's their opinion and I'm not going to take it personally. I will however draw upon the experience to try to advance my art skills. That's what motivates me to become better at what I'm doing. I know I have a long way to go to become really good, but the motivation of having a reason to get better is what's driving me.

Heck, that's why I didn't work on my art for the last 15 or so years... I didn't feel like I had a reason to. But now that I have the motivation going to finish college and do something with my life, don't tell me not to bother trying! If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it... or if an artist paints in the forest and nobody sees it... does it matter? Okay sorry for the bad cliche.

Response to B- the same instructor then said she herself entered 10 art shows but was only selected for 3 of them. That's why she thinks it's like playing the lottery. Well I say, you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket! Being accepted to 3 out of 10 shows isn't a bad thing... the glass is half full after all! So don't tell me not to at least TRY. I will always try. If I don't get in, oh well, I'll try again with another.

Alright, end of ramble. Sorry for all the cliches. I'm going to bed now, and tomorrow's a new day and has new things to look forward to. And new shows to enter.