Lately I have been getting more of the R (rejection) letters than the A (acceptance) letters. I've consoled myself by acknowledging that I am in a transitional period. I have been moving from river flora and fauna to more figurative work. The transition is challenging, and I have been slowly getting better at finding my voice in this new body of work.
Finally I received an "A letter" from the NWWS 46th International Open Exhibition. My painting, Enduring the Cure, was one of only 56 accepted paintings by Juror Jeanie McGuire.
After its creation, I did not post the painting or send the image out to a competition because it was about a personal experience with my daughter.** (I posted just this snippet on the right on Facebook quite awhile ago.) Finally I became comfortable with giving it a public presence.
The painting is full of symbolism and personal emotion. I felt that it had a unique presence that would not only tell part of my life story, but would resonate with almost anyone.
It has had a transformation from the original painting. Although I loved this from the beginning, I came to see the painting as too busy. You can see that the final painting has quiet corners, letting the viewer sink into a more intimate look at the figure and blanket. That is the story.
It is this edited painting that I have submitted to two other competitions before getting this acceptance to the NWWS Exhibit. The acceptance of this piece gives me confirmation that I successfully communicated with at least one juror.
My good friend and fellow artist, Ruth Armitage told me, "Have faith in a good painting." I'm glad I took her advice. She will be giving a talk "Oh Boy! Another Rejection!" at our upcoming Watercolor Society of Oregon convention. I plan on getting a front row seat.
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| Enduring the Cure Gouache on Watercolor Paper Image 29 x 22 inches, Framed 36 x 29 inches |
