Rejection of Work

[Sherry McNamara]

Just wondering how people deal with the rejection of work in a juried show or perhaps when trying to get a gallery.  What do you do to get over the emotions of it?  How do you allow your intellect to take over and preside over the emotionally aspect of it?  Did it prevent you from working/being creative for awhile?

[Donald Maier]

Rejection can be a very depressing thing when it comes to your art. It is like the opposite of inspiration when you sell a painting or win an award. Again, the fear of failure can be a barrier to doing what we must to exeed our expectations. We must try to muscle through these set backs and try again. I know it is hard to do. Most things worthwile are. But embrace the failure and learn from it. Be your own best critic and really try to remedy what you think the problem might be. Are you trying to get into a gallery where all the artists are actually at a higher level than yourself? Right now, unless you are something very special, galleries are struggling to stay in business. They are not in a mood to play around with new artists that are not well know and successful. Breaking into a gallery is difficult in the best of circumstances. We need to get our motivation where we can. Perhaps arts and crafts outdoor shows would be a good fit, or juried art shows where you could win an award. Above all, don't give up. Take a workshop or classes when you can. Keep a scrapebook as I have said before, and frequently look back to see your progress. Try to do your best painting everytime you paint.

[Cecile Hines]

In the '80s was pressured into doing a one woman show by a my father (a a forceful and insistent man). Not only was it costly, and a pain (had to get paintings that I had given away to be loaned back) but the woman responsible was busy and the "show" was not announced in any way until after it had been up for 3 weeks and time to take down. The reason that it was a one woman show was that that was all that came to see it. That ranks up there with spilling my milk at a fancy boys school luncheon in 7th grade as one of my most humiliating experiences. Even now it makes me wince. It was like taking off your clothes and no one even looking.

[Richard G Lawrence]

Hello Sherr

    I live in Lancaster ,PA  and enter juried shows every year , my  work has been accepted only twice in many yearsof entering but it all up to the judges ,seems like every judge is different , but that does not keep me from entering other shows ,

My work is usually in shows every month ,I try to enter as many as possible , Last December , my work was showned in four galleries during the month , We have what they call first Fridays here .

 I have a I phone 4 and take pictures of my work It's like a portable gallery in my pocket and show people that I meet my work that way , 

  don't worry about getting rejected it happent to everyone even the pros !!!!

 Richard Lawrence

[Sherry McNamara]

Thanks for your words of encouragement.  I have only entered two shows and was rejected from both.  The first show was only accepting a very few items and most were quite abstract - my paintings are not abstract.  That was okay, a bummer, but okay.  The second show had a lot of entries, 450+, and only took about 100.  This show included all types of 2d work as well as 3d work.  After I got past feeling bad, I did go to the show and realized that the number of 2d things that fell into a category that were "like mine" were only about 20-25 pieces.  That did help to go there with an open mind and look it over to see what I thought.  The things like mine that were chosen, were very good.  The things that were not like mine were mostly very good, of course, there are always those things that I wonder how they ever make a show, but I suppose they are good conversation pieces for the show.  It is a learning experience and I guess if I want to continue to try to get into shows and I will be looking for a gallery this spring, rejection is a continual possibility.  While I hate to hear you or anyone else got rejected, I think there is some comfort that other people have done it and survived and continued to create.  Thanks!

[Richard G Lawrence]

I usually enter one juried show ever year , yes I get rejected and Yes my work also is also accepted , I never stop trying as long as I am happy that's all that matters . I belong to two large art groups where I live and enter shows every month , for many years I have been entering these ,never won a ribbon or money , but that does not stop me .

  I  had several one man shows myself and  packed them in , was interview on TV several times with different stations and also local newspapers and magazines also had my work published in a paperback book still in publication . 

   I enjoy painting it Releives my STRESSSSSSS .  so my work get rejected no big deal ,I get more enjoyment in donation some of my work to Local Hospitals and local businesses where people see them every day and ask about the Artist .

Richard Lawrence

  

[Lyn Asselta]

I remember one time years ago I entered a local show that I was absolutely intent on getting into.  I worked like crazy for about a month to do what I thought was a good painting, only to have it rejected.  I was thoroughly discouraged by the rejection until I had the opportunity to see what had actually been accepted.  There were pieces hanging that I personally thought were terrible, showing either very little skill or depth and looking quite amateurish.  A juror is only a human being and his/her choices will always have an element of personal preference combined with his/her knowledge of technique and medium. Long story short,  I walked away from that particular show thinking I would have been embarrassed to have had my work hanging with his selections.  At that point, I realized that sometimes it can be a good thing to be rejected.  Of course, I've had my share of disappointments along the way, but for me, it always made me want to work that much harder the next time and over the years, those rejections have paid off in the sense that I have developed a strong urge to continue learning and honing my skills.

[Darrell Baschak]

I think it is very important not to take it personally and also to remember that you are actually the best judge of your work.  I believe that most artists instinctively know what there best work is. Always keep in mind what motivates you to produce a work of art, it usually is at odds with the motivation behind juried shows. Rejection letters make good wallpaper, or you could use them in collage work.  Commercial galleries exist to make money, period. So, at the end of the day, I suggest keeping your nose to the grindstone and challenge yourself to do the best you can!

Lyn Asselta said:

I remember one time years ago I entered a local show that I was absolutely intent on getting into.  I worked like crazy for about a month to do what I thought was a good painting, only to have it rejected.  I was thoroughly discouraged by the rejection until I had the opportunity to see what had actually been accepted.  There were pieces hanging that I personally thought were terrible, showing either very little skill or depth and looking quite amateurish.  A juror is only a human being and his/her choices will always have an element of personal preference combined with his/her knowledge of technique and medium. Long story short,  I walked away from that particular show thinking I would have been embarrassed to have had my work hanging with his selections.  At that point, I realized that sometimes it can be a good thing to be rejected.  Of course, I've had my share of disappointments along the way, but for me, it always made me want to work that much harder the next time and over the years, those rejections have paid off in the sense that I have developed a strong urge to continue learning and honing my skills.

[Sherry McNamara]

All good comments and it helps to hear all your different experiences.  Like Lyn said, sometimes seeing the pieces that made it into the show is telling.  The first show that I didn't make it into was not quite as upsetting once I saw the paintings that made it.  As I mentioned, they were mostly abstract and I do like some abstract, but most of these were pretty awful.  However, some were darn good.  But, overall, they were just not what I do, so that judge must have really just preferred that type of work.  I guess I just have to learn to leave my feelings at home and step back and objectively look at what was chosen and learn from it.  Were they a lot better, or were they just very different, and were they worse than mine?  All valid points to consider.

[Ned Mueller]

Some very great comments based on real experiences. I am now 71 years old and have been in this business for over 50 years and have been fortunate to get somewhat of a National reputation. I still feel the sting of rejection and about all I can say is that it is rarely a black and white kind of thing. I have also juried a  lot of shows and some major National shows and I think that if one is honest about jurying it is not always as objective as one may wish. I feel that when I jury a show I want to be as objective as I can, but the reality is subjective decisions do enter into ones choices and to say otherwise I think is disengenuous. We are all very different when it comes to prejudicious, tastes and style for the  most part and those things can not just be put aside..as we are not machines but fallible human beings. Being picked for shows or galleries I think one is subject to those same criteria and judgements..certainly open to what all  of us face as living in this often unfair and sometimes frivilous world!  A fine example of the incongruity of it all is that one can enter a painting in a juried show and get rejected there and enter into another show and the painting may win an award..a lot depends on the judge or judges and their choices could vary from one week to the next. We also at the same time have to try and be as honest and fair of our own work as we can be..and with the level of competition we are in. It is complicated to say the least, but our love of art, the creative process should be what keeps us going...keep on trying, keep on trying to get better...failure and mistakes may be the norm as we attempt to grow and we must try and embrace them as part of the richness of seeking knowledge and accomplishment. I often tell my students of one of my own experiences in trying to get in a show called the "Artists of America" show that use to be in Denver. It was considered to be the best show in the country with most of the best artists in it and most artists wanted to get in it. I submitted work for fifteen years, getting rejected off and on for different reasons.. work not of the caliber wanted,.different judges, freezing the number of participants. I finally got in after all that time and sold one of my paintings to the director of the musuem and was also asked to do a demonstration along with some of the giants in the art world! Unfortunately the show was discontinued the next year...the point made though is I just kept perservering...but if you love what you are doing the perservering is not so acute. Along with keeping in the "game" goes the risk of rejection and disappointments...but also the acceptance and the accomplishments!

 

 These forums are really great as I believe that as artists or whatever our endeavor we need each others support and encouragement. Hope this was of some help and certainly most of us can identify with much of it!

[Sherry McNamara]

Mr. Mueller,

 

Your words are very kind, and all of what you said is true.  I can fully appreciate that it comes from many years of experience.  Since the rejection, I have spent a fair deal of time working through this (not that I was horribly upset, just...unsettled) situation.  I came to a final conclusion, which is that I paint because I love to paint and while I would find it wonderful if others enjoyed my work, or I got into a show, or even won an award, it really comes down to the process of creating the work that is what I enjoy.  The finished painting is simply a good, or in some cases, a bad reminder of that creation.  Of course, I hope that I can retain this perspective the next time that I am rejected!

[Maria Anderson]

Well, sometimes if I'm rejected I look at the work and ask myself why did I send this work, was it really my best work or the best subjest matter for this specific show and do I want to continue to reapply for this show.  That really helps me put things in perspective.  If I feel as if yes I truly wanted to be in this show and that they should hane not passed on my work; then I take a look at the number of artists that did get accepted vs. the number of applicants. Some galleries have minimal space but will accept entries from all over the United States.  Hint: They are making money off the application process alone; that's why when you get the rejection notice they will probably advice you to apply next year. In this case you're gambling with  too many good artists and too little space.  Of course if you have background in winning awards, teaching workshops or judging shows your work will be recognized and will of course place you above the rest of the applicants.

[Drusilla]

If you are going to put your work out there, in any artistic arena, you simply must get a thicker hide. That is just the way it is. And don't take rejections personally either....it's like being an actor (which I have done also) and going to a screening, if you don't make it, most of the time it is not cause you aren't good, but it is because you or your work are not what they wanted or needed. So walk out that door and start looking for the next ones, cause they are out there just waiting for you to open them. Like they say for the lottery here in AZ, "you can't win if you don't play". Keep on painting.