All of this was tumbled in with my regular duties, trips to the oncologist, and extremely painful hands and feet (a side effect of the current chemo). The hand situation, coupled with the neuropathy (in my case extreme numbness) in my hands made doing the quality of work I want and the speed with which I used to work almost unattainable. Handwork when your fingertips have been peeled down to the thinnest layer of skin isn't easy.
All the while when I was working on my Quilt National Entry, I kept on wondering....is it good enough? Quilt National is one of the biggest, oldest and most prestigious of the art quilting exhibitions. It is held in Athens, Ohio at the Dairy Barn Art Center every two years. While I think that the piece is the best I've done to date, getting into the show is very difficult. People have tried for years to get in.....so...entering this piece is a leap....But...this is one thing I know. If I don't put in an application, then I won't get in. If I do put in an application and don't get in,. then the $35 entry fee will be a donation to support a show I firmly believe in. If you don't take the steps to fly, you will always remain tethered to the ground.
So...while I am in the high plains of Montana, I will work on pieces for some other shows, and keep my numb fingers crossed. If you're wondering why I went to Olympia, WA, I met up with my sister and we drove the 12 hours to Cut Bank. OK...so it ended up being a 13 hour trip as I missed the exit to St. Regis on the way out and had to go to Missoula and up instead. We will stop in Missoula on the way back to visit my niece and catch Heidi Zelinski's show at Montana Art and Framing. So....here's hoping that you will take the leap and try to do something you WANT to do, but don't have the certainty that you are "good enough." You will never reach the top of the mountain unless you attempt the mountain...and in the meantime, each attempt will teach you something new.
4 comments:
Well first of all - prayers and good thoughts that you'll be pain free this week and more comfortable. Secondly - boy did you hit a hot topic for me with this post. The rule has always been that if you're going to put your work up to be juried than you can't let it hurt you if it gets rejected. But where else can you pay someone to let you know that your work is lame and they don't want it LOL!??! So I started only entering shows where my entry fee would be thought of a donation because I truly believed in that venue. And if I get it - that's a bonus and I'm all happy - and if I don't - well - its just a crap shot anyways. I mean on any given day some one is going love your work and hate your work! Here's hoping though QN just flips over yours!
Nina Marie, you are so right. But, having been a curator before, I understand that there's a lot that goes into it....and on any one given day you may or may not get in and on the next day, it is an entirely different viewpoint.
I don't think that I am very upset about NOT getting into a show, but...if there are only going to be 20 pieces chosen out of a national call....then I wish I would know as that has bearing as to whether I enter or not....At present, I don't have the extra bucks to be throwing $35 and $40 entry fees around.....Quilt National? Well, it's worth it to me...it would be the icing on the cake as my daughter is presently at college in Athens...and I will have only one more chance to get in while she's there....and I just think that would be a hoot!
Here's fingers crossed for you, too.
Post a Comment