A Step Forward

I recently entered a competition through a gallery in Melbourne. Only 50 entries would become finalists to be judged for the prizes. First prize $5,000 and second prize an all expenses paid solo exhibition in the gallery and various other prizes. I received an email from the gallery. Unfortunately blah blah blah, another rejection I thought. I read further and to my surprise it said unfortunately I was not one of the 50 finalist but I was in the top 75 and that they liked my work very much. And here's the best bit, they invited me to have a solo exhibition either this year or next. I have been trying to get into a gallery in either Sydney or Melbourne for awhile now so I am very excited with this development. Next year would be better for me as there is a lot to organise to get an exhibition worth of work over to Melbourne. Plus I have been developing a new series and I want to have time to get some of these ideas onto canvas. I want to use altered paper to create a retro wallpaper look for the background but its still early in the development stage. To quote Laura "I'd better bust a move". I bust a much faster move when I have something to work towards that has a deadline.

Support

Thank you all for your supportive comments. They mean a lot to me and put a smile on my face. It is a big step for me to enter my work into competitions. They are some of the biggest art competitions in Australia with prize money in the thousands, some even in the hundreds of thousands. There are always so many entries and only 30 places so I am sure there will be a lot more rejections in store for me. Its like buying a lottery ticket. I just have to keep telling myself to "toughen up princess". My portrait of Zoe should be in Sydney by now as I entered it into the Moran Prize. Entries close today. This is the riches portrait prize in the world. $150,000 first prize!!!!! I have to listen to what Laura said and remember how far I have come. I have made huge strides since August 2007 when I joined the online Artist's Way Journey and started putting my work out there. And without trying to sound full of myself I am proud of what I have accomplished.

I am still struggling with my painting. I feel I am at a turning point. You know those times when your work shifts slightly and you make new discoveries. Paintings are slow in coming at the moment. I am not as productive as I have been in the past. I feel a little lost and floating if that makes sense. I don't seem to be content painting mundane inanimate objects any more. They have been my passion for such a long time I feel reluctant to let them go. Whenever I try to paint them I come to a standstill and can't seem to get moving again. They seem to lack something and I can't resolve whatever it is they lack. I need a big dose of inspiration. Maybe I need the sun to come back. Its a cold winter with dreary weather.

Another Rejection

This morning I woke with that excited feeling as there was still hope of being a finalist of one of the art competitions I entered. But alas this afternoon the rejection letter came. A nice letter but still a rejection. I try to be strong but I still question whether or not I'm on the right track. Agh, this is hard. There is no manual to follow. I just have to pick myself up, dust myself off and keep blundering along in the dark. Now where did I put that next entry form........