Entering Art Shows and Striving for Excellence!
By Kristi Galindo Dyson, NWWS
Years ago, I was an art student and then an art teacher. I was also raised in a home with a working artist and was drawn to my father’s workspace. I was accustomed to being in a studio and around other working artists and I thrived in an atmosphere of continuous artistic dialogue. It was stimulating to have that interaction and it was a catalyst to strive for excellence in my own work. After years spent raising an active family, I lost that connection.
I reentered the art world through several local art associations and have been a member of NWWS for over 25 years. NWWS opened a world of art! I was not only exposed to what local artists were doing but soon found myself connected with the best of what is happening all over the country. The annual Open Exhibition and the Waterworks Exhibition gave me exposure to amazing examples of artistic expression. Once again, I was stimulated by what I saw others doing and it caused me to push my own boundaries and to hone my painting skills. Rather than be discouraged I felt challenged and immediately began entering shows. I didn’t always or even often get accepted especially in the beginning, but I did continue to grow and improve. When I did get accepted it was a joy and a validation. That doesn’t mean that what you consider a ‘good’ painting will be accepted. Always understand that the jurying process is subjective, many good paintings don’t get accepted. If you believe in a work just re-enter it in another show. There are many examples of artists whose work has been rejected from one show only to have that same work win an award in another show. Even the very accomplished artists experience that rejection. However, excellence always matters! Just keep trying and when you do get accepted into a prestigious exhibition it will mean even more because you will be showing your work with the best of the best!
The following points are things to keep in mind as you progress as an artist:
- Expose yourself to lots of art. Go to shows, galleries and attend demo’s and take workshops as you are able. Check out art magazines and periodicals to see what is getting published. Go online and visit websites of artists you admire and investigate what’s new on the NWWS website and the websites of other reputable art associations. Stay current on what other artists are doing!
- Network with other artists! One of the biggest advantages of belonging to an art association such as NWWS is that it provides countless opportunities to network with other artists. Volunteering in organizations also provides opportunities to learn from other artists and it gets your name out into the art world. The ‘visual dialogue’ that happens between artists is enlightening and rewarding!
- Get your art out of your studio so you can view it with fresh eyes. Find a small group of artists that you can share your work with so that you can see your work through their eyes and get feedback. Learn how to talk about your own work. The dialogue between artists that are working towards improving their work is invaluable and gives you a needed perspective in evaluating your own work. If you don’t have a group, post your work in a blog or online to get feedback. Eventually you will become a good critic of your own work.
- Be professional. Pay attention to how you present your work. Framing is important and should be professional and consistent in treatment as you prepare your work for galleries or shows. Learn how to photograph a good image of your work. There are numerous resources to help you with this online or through the NWWS website.
- Paint a lot! Don’t be afraid to make a mess. I have countless failed paintings but in each one I learned not only what worked but what didn’t work. You learn to paint well by painting a lot. Your technique improves and your personal artistic vision becomes more focused.
- Enter everything! Sometimes you are so close to your work that you can’t recognize when something is working. Entering shows always provides an opportunity for acceptance and gives you valuable insight by seeing what is accepted.
- Get familiar with the jurist in a show you are entering. Look at their work, read their statements about their art to discern what they are looking for in their work and in others. Most jurists will list important criteria that they look for. Look for clues from them as you evaluate your own work.
- Finally, and most importantly, always paint for yourself! Don’t be afraid to take chances. You can learn more from your failures than your successes. If you don’t find joy in the process of making art your work will stagnate. If you try to paint for a gallery or a jurist your work will most likely lack authenticity. The creative process is self-fulfilling so push the edges of what you are comfortable with and get lost in the process. You have everything to gain!