Sunday, June 2, 2019

Enter Here...


 The upside of entering shows...
AWARDS!




Seems like we never think we're ready or that our artwork is ready to enter an art show...I hear more often than not that an artist feels their work is not ready or worthy to enter a show.  I felt this way too, and very often still do!  Though just like the turtle...if you don't stick your neck out there you'll never make any progress!  What if...you enter an art show...you do get in the show...your art gets recognition...you even sell your art?  You'll never know until you show up and risk it!  What the heck...it just keeps you moving in the right direction with your art...progress!

I've recently had three of my pieces juried into the San Diego Fair Fine Art Exhibit...I was pretty happy about that.  Especially since 2,038 2D pieces were entered and only 640 were juried in.  Then I went to the opening night and found out I had received two Honorable Mentions and a Donated Award from Creative Catalyst Productions, a company that does art videos by nationally known artists...WOW!  So happy I entered this show!


Not only did I get an award...
but my piece "The Fledgling" was hung next to one of my very favorite artist
An honor in itself!


 My floral piece
"He Brings Me Flowers" got an award and a buyer!





My piece "In Flight" is in the Fair exhibit, 
hanging next to my friend and fellow artist Susan Brooks.
This piece got me an invitation to do a demo for the
Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild...very exciting!

All this from stepping out and entering this show.

I'll also be doing two all day art demos at the fair this year...
in the outside garden (across from the beer garden)
Friday June 14th + Tuesday July 2nd.
Be sure to come visit with me if you're there.


And then there is a completely different show that I've been chatting up lately...
Not only did the collaborative piece Yahel Yan and I did together get juried into the show
(rumor has it there is an award involved with this one)...


...but its the painting that started the whole collaborative, double trouble movement at the gallery.
That show will have it's opening next Saturday on June 8th.

More on that next week...but for now...
here's a replay and reveal of the piece Ann Golumbuk and I collaborated on
"Stop Holding Back"


Entering shows was completely new and scary to me.
It was one year ago that mentor and gallery owner Kate Ashton pushed me to enter
my first pieces into shows.


"Polka Dot Bikini" 
got first place and sold on opening night...


"Who Puts A swimming Pool In The Front Yard"
sold at opening night.

The moral of the story here is not about my pieces or my awards...its about sticking your neck out and taking the action to enter the shows!  You never know what the outcome could be until you do it!  You may get into the show, you may get an award, you never know what a juror will gravitate to, who they'll pick...it could be you! One juror could say no while the next might think your are is amazing.  You might sell your art!  You will never know until you take the chance and DO IT!

My hope is that this inspires artists who feel they aren't ready yet to enter...
I say ENTER!!!
You may be pleasantly or excitedly surprised...
but you won't know until you try it...and keep trying until you succeed!
You'll never know until you try, try and try again.


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