Galéria X, Novohradsklé Muzeum a Galéria, Bratislava, Slovakia, Zoom: Miniature Textile Art Show.
This was the very first juried show I entered as a college student. I was accepted and they used my image for the cover of the catalog.
I began submitting my fine art / fiber art pieces when I was a second semester Freshman in Undergraduate School. What I learned from the experience of being a developing artist submitting to established exhibitions is that you can't always cater to the jurors in the exhibition. It is better to create artwork that you are confident in then trying to make your own artwork fit into the mold of the prospectus.
It took me a really long time to accept my own words of advice. But, now that I have, I have been making artwork that I know is truly in my own style and my own voice.
The images I am showing in this post are pieces that have been submitted to multiple shows, only to have been rejected more than they were accepted. All but the last artwork were created while I was in school.
Pierce Arrow Building, Buffalo, NY, Runway 3.0 Buffalo Fashion Show.
Note: This particular piece was never accepted into any formal juried exhibition, but was part of a stationary group show put on by the fiber design program at my college.
Galéria X, Novohradsklé Muzeum a Galéria, Bratislava, Lucenci, Slovakia, The Reverse and the Front Side: Minitature Textile Art Show.
Wayne Art Center, Wayne, Pennsylvania, Craft Forms 2011
This has been the largest national juried show I participated in and I received an Honorable Mention for this piece.
This piece has been submitted to shows, and so far has never been accepted. It sits on my shelf, and I love it - even if it never goes anywhere.
If I didn't create, my heart would hurt. It would hurt more than if I was never accepted into another exhibition in my artistic career.
Because I am no longer in school, I am taking the time to develop my own voice and my own artistic vision before I start budgeting my finances for submitting to shows. Towards the end of my college career I found that I was so desperate to pad my resume I was creating work according to the prospectus, not my own work that just so happened to fit the juror's vision. It became extremely frustrating and I felt defeated.
I am enjoying this break from my competitive side, because I am falling back in love with creating for myself again. Finding the reason I chose this path to begin with.
Though; when I do start applying to shows again- WATCH OUT!