One of the most
difficult things to deal with as an artist is being rejected for a show or by a
gallery. It stops many in their tracks…
some simply don’t enter shows for the fear of being rejected, others get
depressed or bitter over not being chosen, and the worst of all is those who
stop creating. If you look at any
successful artist, they’ve experienced rejection countless times.
 |
| Monet's 1869 painting "The Magpie" was rejected by the Paris salon and now is one of the most beloved paintings at the Musee d'Orsay |
Between 1748–1890, the Salon, the official art exhibition of the Académie des Beaux Arts
in Paris, was the greatest annual
art event in the Western world. At the budding of French Impressionism,
the selection committee for the Salon was conservative and felt that the
impressionistic style was lacking in finish.
The list of those illustrious artists who were denied entry to the Salon
includes Monet, Courbet, Millet, Corot, Delacrouix, Whistler and Manet, as well
as many more. In 1863, the Salon jury
rejected over 3000 pieces, leading the rejected artists to hold an alternate
salon, which became known as the “Salon des Refusés” or the Salon of the Refused or Rejected. Subsequent Salons des Refusés were mounted
in Paris in 1874, 1875, and 1886. Now we
look at some of the fabulous art and artists from this period as some of the
most treasured pieces in history… yet they were all rejected.
In the world of literature, writers have to have perseverance
to get through or even thrive in the face of rejection. Here are some comments from publishers… Guess
which book/author they refer to (answers at bottom of article)!1
1.
“An absurd
and uninteresting fantasy which was rubbish and dull”
2.
“It is impossible to sell animal stories in the
USA.”
3.
“We found the heroine as boring as her husband
had.”
4.
“For your own sake do not publish this book.”
5.
“… so dry and airless, so lacking in pace, that
whatever drama and excitement the novel might have had is entirely dissipated
by what does seem… to be extraneous material.”
6.
“We are not interested in science fiction which
deals with negative utopias. They do not
sell.”
7.
“Get rid of all that Indian stuff.”
8.
“Unsaleable and unpublishable.”
The list could go
on and on. But what really matters is how do you deal with rejection?
It’s funny, I had
planned writing this article for our Contemporary QuiltArt Association newsletter to help encourage all of our CQA
artists to continue (or start) entering in the CQA shows. Then, the same day I wrote it, I received the notification from
the Rio Patchwork and Design Festival for the works selected to be sent to two Brazilian shows. My pieces were not included. In fact (and I don’t say this to get pity or with
any ill will) while I was one of the artists chosen by the CQA jury, I was the only
one that was not chosen by the show organizers to have any pieces go to Rio. Whew!
That’s hard to say… I feel like I’m really putting myself on the line
between embarrassment and vulnerability. Why am I telling you this? I want you to understand that we all have
this happen. There are many ways of
combating the negative emotions that can occur with rejection.
·
Ask yourself what you can do better.
Or, if appropriate, ask the one (such as a gallery owner) making the
decision. By analyzing any weaknesses
you may have, whether in technique, design, presentation (photography), or
topic/content, you may decide if you need additional practice, classes, or
other forms of learning to master your craft.
·
It takes many no’s to get a yes.
Sometimes you just need to soldier on and apply to the next show, and
the next, until you find the one(s) that accept your work. Count every rejection as a step closer to
getting accepted.
·
Realize you don’t fit in everywhere.
You don’t necessarily know why you weren’t chosen, but it may just be
that your style doesn’t meet the aesthetic desires of the person making the
choice. In another venue, they may sing
your praises! Find the people that get
you and what you are doing… ones that appreciate you. Your artist's style or subject matter may not be compatible with other
artworks, your work may be the wrong size for what is being looked for, or the
subject matter may not be appropriate, such as when a gallery only shows artists
who are local or whose work reflects local subjects.
·
Keep doing what you’re good at. Don’t compromise yourself and start doing something that you don’t
enjoy or doesn’t express what you want to express. In fact, the more you do what you do and the
harder you work, the better you will get at it.
·
Many no’s are temporary. The no may turn to a yes when the timing is right… when they are
looking for your kind of work, or when a different person sees it.
·
What’s next? A great way to get over a rejection is to decide what you’re going to
do next… either in the studio or as a way to get your work shown. “I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my
ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.”
Sylvester Stallone
·
Don’t take it personally.
While your work may not have been chosen, it doesn’t mean that it is not
valid or that you are not a good artist.
·
Recharge your batteries. Do
something good for yourself… take a walk, go to a museum, get a massage, or
nurture your studio space by adding something that makes you happy (an
inspirational poster, plant, or new music to listen to while you work.)
·
Remember why you do what you do and to
persevere. While your art process may be a means of
self-expression, there is joy when you share your art with the world. Believe in yourself and persevere. Persistence is probably the number one reason
that most artists succeed. Make lots of
art. Make lots of mistakes and learn
from them. Keep applying to shows and
then make more art.
So, after licking
my wounds for a day, I’m back at the sewing machine, starting my new piece for
the Salsa! CQA show at Mighty
Tieton. Reading through different
articles and artists’ experiences of rejection has been helpful… even
inspiring. While there may always be a
bit of an initial sting when you find your work has not been accepted, you can
use that as a poke to get you back in the studio, creating.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Authors & Books:
1.
William
Golding “Lord of the Flies” Rejected by
20 publishers
2.
George Orwell “Animal Farm”
3.
Mary Higgins Clark – short story
4.
D.H. Lawrence “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”
5.
Ursula K. Le Guin “The Left Hand of Darkness” won
the 1969 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1970 Hugo Award
6.
Stephen King “Carrie”
7.
Tony Hillerman (when he started his Navajo Tribal
Police mystery novels)
8.
Ayn Rand “The Fountainhead”
1Kerns,
Michelle. “30 famous authors whose works were rejected
(repeatedly, and
sometimes rudely) by publishers” Online:
Oltuski, Romy. “Famous Authors’ Harshest Rejection Letters.” Online:
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