So this was me just a few weeks ago. I had seen that there was an art show coming up and that it would be a good thing to enter to see if my work would fit in with other artists in North Cornwall and Devon. I knew that back in Surrey that my art was a good fit and I had sold many pieces of my original art within the Home Counties. But moving to Cornwall was going to be ‘a different kettle if fish’, so to speak or how my self doubt was talking to me.
Anyway, I had to make the decision sooner rather than later if I was going to put myself forward for the Westward Ho & Bideford Art Society Annual Art Exhibition. This for me was a huge decision, with art it is like you are standing yourself in front of a panel allowing them to pick away at all your flaws and vulnerabilities. It isn’t like that in reality, well when you submit your work you are not there at the selection process so can’t hear their comments, thank goodness.
I delivered my work on the Saturday, three pieces in total and then the wait started. We would be notified if we hadn’t been selected via email or a telephone call after selection had taken place on the Sunday. Monday arrived and I had heard nothing, no email, no telephone call, nothing. I was now thinking about when they would contact me as I had to pick up my work before the gallery closed on the Wednesday. I called my friend and asked what to do. In the end I decided that after 5pm on the Monday I would email the organiser and ask as I hadn’t heard. So 5pm on the dot the email was sent.
Waiting is hard when you want it to happen now, no messages, calls or text. I kept checking my inbox and junk mail box. I reread the guidance notes and terms. It said in section 25 that those who were not selected would be contacted via email, telephone or text. I had forgotten text so now checking my text messages!!!
The following day in my inbox was the email I had been waiting for, my tummy flipped over 100 times or more. Was I in? Was I out? If I was in, how many of my pieces had been accepted? It was good news, one piece was accepted and two were reserved, but hopefully they will be put up later in the show.
A total sense of relief, excitement and joy rolled into one. I had been accepted and someone had liked my work. I already knew people like my work as I have a number of collectors of my work who have spent their hard earned money on my original artwork as well as clients buying a single piece, so why was I so surprised that they liked it? This is the impostor syndrome that artists, of all different disciplines, feel at times. We panic, we have self doubt, we can easily talk ourselves out of things. Now if I had succeeded in talking myself out of entering what an opportunity I would have missed.
If I had not been accepted, yes I would have been disappointed, but I would have given myself a positive talking too and carried on. You don’t always hear the YES but it doesn’t mean your work isn’t good enough or that you are not good enough. It just means it wasn’t the right time for you or the right event. The failure is in the Not Trying, the success is in putting yourself forward, taking a leap of faith, and knowing that if the answer is a No you have not failed as you tired.
So from Friday 24th August to Saturday 13th October you will be able to see my work along with the other artists, both 2D and 3D at The Burton Gallery, Bideford. If you are a collector or wanting to buy your first piece of original art then please do come along and see all the work available. As I keep saying, please buy your art from a living artists, the past ones cannot create anymore artwork so won’t need your money for materials 😉
Have a great rest of this month and check back for news next month.
Sammy xxx
