Friday, February 20, 2015

Week in Review 2015 - 2/20





Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Adoration - submitted, but rejected from
Legacy, an upcoming art exhibit at the
Neville Museum in Green Bay, WI
The question I am asking myself as I sit down to write this week's post is how best to frame the past week? It would be easy to put myself forward in the best light and share my week's successes. It may be cathartic for me and enlightening to you to share the more difficult issues I faced. Dickens said it best when he opened A Tale of Two Cities with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." In truth, my week was neither of these extremes, but it certainly hasn't been inconsequential times either. I received the slim envelope twice this week. First from the Neville Museum in Green Bay, WI that requested artwork for their upcoming exhibition titled, Legacy. What could better suit the theme than Adoration? Well apparently after reviewing all the entries the juror came up with an exhibition that was land based. Adoration certainly didn't fit into that slant on legacy. Next to be rejected was Night Vision. I was in very good company with this one. 80% of the works entered were rejected. How do I dust myself off? I fill out yet another call for entry this time to an art exhibit in Missouri titled Wild Thing, that is looking for art based on wild animals and even mentions creatures of the rain forest in the prospectus. So the waiting game begins again.
Night Vision - submitted, but rejected from
Wild Fabrications. Now waiting to hear if it
got into Wild Things.

Another way I cope with rejection is to focus on what has gone well. It took a little more than two weeks, but I am finally able to attend to my work as Interim Chair of SAQA's Exhibition Committee and still spend three solid days working in the studio and another day handling the business end of things. How did I spend my studio time? Beading, of course.

1) Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci - (Due May 1, 2015)

a) Continue beading - Done!

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Oops. I meant to do this yesterday, but I was so caught up in my beading that I just plum forgot.

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015 - 19.5/126

Two rows of beading complete in each of the four
quadrants of the 16" square white block in
Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci 


4) Perform a random act of kindness - I was kind many times last week, but I didn't manage to perform a random act of kindness.

5) Night Vision - 

a) Add the label - On hold until I need a second label

What will next week bring? Will it be the best of times? Will there be more challenges? At least I have a plan to help smooth out the emotional upheavals. It is as follows:
I opted to try my hand at moss stitch beading
for the 4" square block. 

1) Mondrian Tackles Fibonacci - (Due May 1, 2015)

a) Continue beading

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015

4) Perform a random act of kindness

5) Night Vision - 

a) Add the label - On hold until I need a second label

I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.

12 comments:

  1. I hate weeks like that where it seems like bad news just follows bad news- even when it's not something catastrophic or tragic- it's just so disappointing and frustrating. Your moss stitch beads look great though- I love the slightly irregular texture. I've seen that before but never tried it.

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  2. It's not rejection but lack of acceptance and your quilts are definately worth being in any show. It's hard to get your hopes dashed though. You have the right attitude - keep moving forward! Do you still have to pay them a submission fee if they don't accept the piece? That would seem unfair.

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  3. Good luck with the Wild Thing entry. Sorry about the other two entries; sometimes our work just doesn't fit with the look that the jurors want for the exhibition.

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  4. Sorry your quilts didn't get into the shows. They are very beautiful works. Even when the reasons can be explained, it still doesn't feel good. I hope Wild Thing gets accepted.

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  5. I love the joy in Adoration... it is simply wonderful!
    We focus in on making each piece the very best we do, and then send them out into the world. Each jury is unique, and the show make-up is often bent in the direction of preference of the juror(s) or the perceived direction of the Exhibiting venue/Committee. We trust as we respond to the Call to Entry that our work is seriously considered and just move forward. I would love to see both of these pieces in person, and perhaps will one day soon.
    Bethany

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    Replies
    1. Bethany, thank you for your thoughtful reply. It is fun to put a face with Friday's voice. :) BTW Adoration is my self portrait piece. It is generous artistic interpretation of a picture taken of me holding my first grandchild.

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  6. I'm disappointed along with you......esp. because viewers of these exhibits won't be enjoying your fine work!!!

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  7. I too had a similar experience this week and am trying to consider how best to determine which calls of entry match my work. It would be helpful to artists if the criteria for selection related to the theme is stated clearly. My challenge is to get larger works shown, but to find low/or no cost entry fees and venues. Joni

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  8. Sorry for the rejections, Gwyned. Despite knowing that it is not about your work but about what the juror wanted for the particular show, it still hurts. Better luck with the new Call. Glad that you are getting back to three days a week in the studio - sounds absolutely glorious to me!

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  9. The comments before have said it well, so I won't say it again. I will say don't give up. Mario Puzo's manuscript for "The Godfather"was rejected 13 times before a publisher took it on. Your glorious work will get seen. Love your FMQ and the beading.

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  10. I hope Night Vision gets picked up! It's quite striking. :) How do you find all the calls for pieces that you submit pieces to? Yeah, don't give up, despite the disappointment of thin envelopes. I've seen more than one "superstar' person that I thought must have everything they submit always shown say that they actually get denied many times more than accepted! Who would have known? Certainly not me.

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  11. Hello Gwyned,

    Really sorry to read about your rubbishy week. Your quilts are brilliant, whether they make it into exhibitions or not.

    The white on white plus beading works really well - it gives a lovely lace-like effect. Will there be more beads on the other sections? I'm looking forward to seeing how it will all tie in together.

    Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!

    Love, Muv

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