I took the plunge earlier in the year, and registered to enter the Jerwood Drawing Prize for 2012. Skip forward to the ending ... and, "unfortunately", "on this occasion", "but thank you". I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed, but that isn't to say I have any regrets. An exciting couple of weekends were spent driving to and from Wimbledon School of Art for the drop off and pick up ... on drop off day, the air was full of excited anticipation as queues of artists lined the walls unwrapping the work ... on pick up day it felt distinctly like the morning after a great party.
Taking a sneak peak at the work being wrapped and unwrapped around me, I could see I was in good company - there were some really exciting drawings ... far more than the amount available for selection (around 70 selected from 3000 entries). In order to be selected, drawings would need to be outstanding, not just very good, and if I'm honest, my three entries weren't outstanding ... this year.
So here they are ...
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| Discovered, found object, creases © Vanda Campbell 2012 |
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| Uncovered, found object, paper, gouache, thread © Vanda Campbell 2012 |
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| Recovered, paper, polyfilla, found object, household paint, graphite © Vanda Campbell 2012 |
I have been pondering the mental process of applying for opportunities, and trying to find strategies for dealing with the disappointment of rejection. The emotional investment leads to an inevitability of being temporarily thrown off course, but this is no different to the process actors or dancers go through when attending auditions. Or a sports person entering a race. The objective is always to 'win', but on the way we can achieve many personal bests. I will try again next year, but from a starting point a bit further along.
¡Hola!
ReplyDeletereading this reminded me of the disappointments I have seen on the faces of evening class pottery students when finally getting their 1 precious pot, only to find the kiln has somehow mangled it! From the potter's point of view, I know that they needed to have made lots of pots to increase their chances of getting 1 out that was good.
As artists, it isn't very often we put our work 'out there' for public scrutiny so the whole process of doing that, by definition, is going to be a nervy business. If we did that more frequently or even regularly, I wonder if it would take the sting from rejection because it just wouldn't matter!
Jayney :)