How I had the best art year

This was the year I got rejection letters from every open call I applied to. Granted, it wasn't very many I applied to because I am very picky about what I sign up for AND I am also very jaded about these things of late.

However, this was my best art year to date and I kinda love that it was all rejection notices this year and I STILL HAD THE BEST ART YEAR EVER.

Takeaway: Today's open calls are very "agenda based" and the jurors they choose to judge have their agendas. Some want more millennials and younger artists and shun the older artists, some want you to tackle race, gender identity, politics, feminist, pro this or that.... And my art does not. I'm going to stick by my "Nature is more important than most bullshit" stance till I die because the very atom of life and Nature is more important in my eyes than most of the stuff humans do to feel more important than another group.

But I digress! I did not get into the velvet rope clubs and it was great. I have been in the velvet rope shows and you know what came of that? Absolutely zero. 🤣

I got to pay shipping costs to get my work there and back and got to pay for airfare to get to the shows and I didn't sell anything because those shows are designed to pack em in and make money for themselves and while I had fun traveling and feeling important the end result was less money in my pocket. Experience, yes and that is a great thing. My resume is fat because of it but in the end... Not exceptionally fruitful.

This year I took a different approach. I went for the oddball opportunities. Not formal galleries. More community minded venues and working with friends who reached out.

Not only did my art sales rocket but my sense of feeling community and tribe and intense support reached all-time highs. This was so much better than getting lost in the fray of open calls and group shows and feeling empty.

There is power in tribe and your neighborhood and friendships. No big gallery, no big brand is ever going to give you that feeling. I feel so much gratitude and LOVE by actual people I hold dear.

This is how I had the best year ever. Bypass pretense, connect authentically with yourself and others and create, create, create.

I raised my value, I believed in myself and my tribe kept pushing me higher. I created more art than I have in a very long time and have planted seeds for next years growth.

I hope my journey helps you in yours.

You are worth it. ❤️

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