Conclusions on exhibiting

Now that various application deadlines for exhibition opportunities have slowed down for the summer, I decided to sit down and make a list of the venues my work has been accepted into and those it was not accepted into, since January 1, 2008. And try to figure out why.

Those of you who are artists, I know you are smiling as you read this. You’re asking, “Why is she trying to apply logic to something as illogical as acceptances and rejections of art?”

You’re right to smile. I didn’t discover anything logical as I pondered over my list. But I did come to the following conclusions:

Conclusion 1: With few exceptions, the offers I received were made BECAUSE I KNEW SOMEONE, not because of my work. I don’t mean to say that my work didn’t merit those offers anyway. But in many instances, someone I knew reached out to help me when a lot of other talented people might have received the same slot as I did. The moral is: it helps to have friends who are well-connected and/or generous!

Conclusion 2: YOU NEVER KNOW what will lead to something and what won’t. On many occasions, opportunities that seemed like a sure thing didn’t pan out at all, whereas opportunities that I would never have expected, much less counted on, did come through.

Conclusion 3: I’ve blogged about this subject before, but I find it to be true time and time again: Juried shows are a TOTAL CRAP SHOOT. They reflect one person or one jury’s tastes and have nothing to do with talent or the validity of what an artist is working to express. If you’re in a gambling mood, go ahead and apply. But take your acceptance or rejection with a grain of salt.

Conclusion 4: NOTHING to do with art is a sure thing! The only reason to be mixed up in this crazy business is because you love it.

Now I'm going to head back to the studio and do something totally illogical – spread paint over a canvas! Honestly, there’s nothing in this world I’d rather be doing, regardless of the outcome.

Another new painting, shown at top of this blog entry. I'm continuing to expand on the Web Series.