The Letter
Spring is here and there are many 'Calls to Artists' coming to my inbox and mailbox alike. Artists who are primarily painters are possibly struggling with cameras that suddenly cannot hold a charge, or desktop PCs that are insistently requesting updating instead of uploading their current jpegs to various sites. Seems like this is an IT rite of spring. In any event, I am out there in the melieu creating CDs, filling out forms and rushing to the post office. A few weeks later is the day when The Letter arrives. Yes, the much anticipated letter of acceptance or even a dreaded rejection. This is true in many instances we have all been through, college admissions, art shows, job interviews and more. If the letter is thin, containing one page in a business envelope we do not even have to open it. We know it was rejection. If thicker, we rejoice and do the happy dance! It has instructions, good news and a new experience to look forward to.
Back in the old days when I was a active photograher we had ratio that held true. If one photo out of a role of 36 shots was a keeper it was a great day. Recently, while watching an art show a nationally known and respected artist was addressing this very theme. His take on the letter was that about one in twenty entries was accepted and was the average needed for one acceptance to a show to come in. That shocked me for a minute because he is a very prolific artist who is represented in museums across the country. Bottom line, we have to not be so thin skinned. There are so many extenuating circumstances involved in getting into a gallery or show. Sometimes our work is not on point with the theme; or the juror prefers watercolor to oil, or has a preference for portraiture; or god forbid, thinks abstract art is a useless waste of paint. We have to let the rejections go; not take it personally and keep applying. I believe this is true of all aspects of life. We do not know the state of mind of anyone else out there. Their bias filter is thier own. Keep going. Don't let it get to you. Be kind to yourself, you deserve it. Give the inner critic a holiday. The fat happy letters will come. I am going to fill out another application today.
Back in the old days when I was a active photograher we had ratio that held true. If one photo out of a role of 36 shots was a keeper it was a great day. Recently, while watching an art show a nationally known and respected artist was addressing this very theme. His take on the letter was that about one in twenty entries was accepted and was the average needed for one acceptance to a show to come in. That shocked me for a minute because he is a very prolific artist who is represented in museums across the country. Bottom line, we have to not be so thin skinned. There are so many extenuating circumstances involved in getting into a gallery or show. Sometimes our work is not on point with the theme; or the juror prefers watercolor to oil, or has a preference for portraiture; or god forbid, thinks abstract art is a useless waste of paint. We have to let the rejections go; not take it personally and keep applying. I believe this is true of all aspects of life. We do not know the state of mind of anyone else out there. Their bias filter is thier own. Keep going. Don't let it get to you. Be kind to yourself, you deserve it. Give the inner critic a holiday. The fat happy letters will come. I am going to fill out another application today.
Hello, guy! I'm totally agree with that way of assumption and all of connected.
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