Jody Noelle Coughlin Art Blog
It'll Do You Good To Know You're Not Wanted
by myart_mylife , June 2, 2010—12:00 AM
Don't be afraid of a little rejection. It'll do you good to know you're not wanted. Trust me!
I tried a little experiment this month. I decided it was time to throw down the gauntlet (or whatever) and approach a few galleries in hopes that I might gain representation. I had been wanting to do this for a while now. Well, to be honest, I've been wanting to do this since I started painting, but I've known all along the timing wasn't right. In fact, it wasn't even in the ball-park of being right. Obviously. That was about six years ago when I first started painting.
I wanted it all at first! I wanted shows and popularity and fame and fortune. As naive as I was, I was ravenously competitive in the beginning. My first show occurred six months after I first picked up a paint brush. I managed to get an exhibit at the local library where they always have an artist of the month display. At the time, that was such a big deal to me. I'm still proud that I had the guts to show my work, six months into the whole enterprise. I made the front page of the entertainment section of the local newspaper. It was great!
But that was then. This is now.
Over time, I have managed to gain a few comrades on the local gallery front, but as any artist knows, the feeling of stagnation is uncomfortable and I've felt that feeling a lot lately and I don't like it. So, I decided it was time to branch out. I just had to try.
I approached six different art galleries altogether and of all of them, four replied in the form of a rejection and two never bothered to get back to me. Have no fear though, the rejection did not bother me as much now as it would have in the past. In fact, I expected it. I know I'm not ready. I'm just not there yet, but I wanted to try to prove to myself that I could. I could at least try. Sometimes that is all you really need anyway. Sometimes you've got to look the fear of rejection in the face and give it the finger, metaphorically speaking of course.
A friend of mine advised me that galleries like to see a dozen or more paintings with some form of commonality within the artist's repertoire before they consider taking the artist on. Well, right there I knew I was sunk. I don't adhere to a common theme. I just do what I want. I've yet to discover my own unique process and if I had to declare my artistic voice, I would have to say it's loud, indecisive and consistently inconsistent. Not exactly what a gallery owner wants in their artists, I'm sure.
Even with all of that in mind, I'm fairly sure I am still okay. If I've learned anything over the years it's that the learning never stops. You can learn from failure and rejection. You can look at the work of other artist who have gained representation to see how your work measures up in comparison. Then, you can try to shrink that gap. Sort it all out. Work harder. Do better.
Or you can put all of that out of your mind and just do your own thing and enjoy yourself and look at the idea again in the future, when you know more about the world around you.
I think we all know what option I've decided to go with.
I've decided that I am in no hurry. I really don't think an artist should skip those precious steps that are so vital to the learning process. I think, in time, my work will temper itself and maybe there will be a cohesiveness to it all. Right now, there isn't. I'm sure there are other factors galleries take into consideration when taking on new artists. The economy might be a huge factor right now and so on.
What I am taking away from the experience is the knowledge that I'm not ready to adhere to any hard and fast rules yet and I suspect it shows in my work. I also suspect the trained eye of a curator sees that too. I'll trust their judgement and give the whole idea the benefit of the doubt and I'll just keep doing what I am doing.
As they say, it's a journey not a destination. I don't want fame and fortune anymore. I just want to wake up in the morning and know that somewhere along the way on any given day, I'll be able to paint. That truly is what it's all about.
COMMENTS
07/25/2010 * 07:55:01
I loved your message! You are so right! It is NOT all about fame and fortune and such. We may think it is for a short while, but then we realize that what got us started to begin with was not the fame nor fortune bit at all; but the shear joy of being able to create;to express oneself, and allow others to see a very intimate part of ourselves that we don't often show to others! ArtId is one place where we can showcase our work, our passion for art and our love for what we do best! This right now is satisfaction enough for me, as I see it might be for you too. We are all learning, no matter how far we have come with our creations. Life in itself is a lesson, and since we can't take it with us when we go, why not share it here now, and not have to wait for all of the acolades and fanfare and sometimes even stupidity that comes from seeking nothing more than fame and fortune! My hat's off to you. I love your Blog and also your beautiful work. Thanx for sharing~
( homepage )
06/19/2010 * 22:00:47
I've always held onto the old saying for writers...'It takes thousands of rejections to make it'...I take that with my art and any other creative bug that bites me...
Same thing for me with my music, I was SO revved up in the beginning...had an interview with Rolling Stone magazine...KEY WORD 'INTERVIEW' I was convinced I would be in the 'zine' but I wasn't...I took it rather hard..(3 years ago) now I look at it as a stepping stone...a learning experience....I admire what you did! That takes courage and your outlook is DAMN Positive!!! ;) KEEP IT UP!
( homepage )
06/03/2010 * 23:01:27
I figure rejection has plenty to do with the number of artists in a certain area. There is more choices and the chances of being chosen over somebody else is even more less likely. In a town like Glasgow, population ~1300 or so, there are approximately 50 people trying to find their way into that limelight and that I feel is about 40 too many.
So, you can either wait around for somebody to represent you or you can represent yourself.
( homepage )
06/03/2010 * 10:43:23
Hi Jody
Continue to show your work everywhere you can and enjoy all. Continue to reach out to galleries as you never know when they will be looking for new artists to represent. Also look at other venues such as high end framing shops that also sell art as your work can then be seen and hopefully sold. I have made lots of sales through art/framing shops as they reach collectors with a more modest budget and who therefore can afford the modest price of my art works. As far as rejection do not worry as I have had hundreds of rejections over the years and just feel that each rejection will bring each artist closer to the acceptance that they are looking for. Continue to search for fame and fortune while enjoying all you create.
Best Wishes, Jose Acosta
Auth ( homepage )
09/29/2012 * 22:58:57
This really is some hpfelul things. I had to spend a bit for you to find this specific site however it has been really worth the period. I actually observed this excellent website seemed to be invisible on the internet rather than the primary position. This site has a lot of good quality products and it also isn't going to deserve to end up being burried from the searches this way. Furthermore I'm going to put this kind of website in order to my personal favorites.