Contest

[DawnV]

So Metalman...I'm thinking I shouldn't participate in any Art Clay contest???

Do you know why?

I'm really clueless...Seriously!

But I'm tired of getting congratulated on winning the Japan's 2007 Art Clay Contest because my picture of my "Orchid Cluster Necklace" is plastered all over several magazines promoting the upcoming Metal Clay World Conference in August but yet I'm not good enough to win even "Honorable Mention"

Did I mention what won the "Honorable Mention" Category??? Let me show you...




...and this is just one of the pieces I submitted...



...do you know how difficult it was to get this fragile piece of unfired porcelain into the kiln without breaking, ...TWICE! and do you know how hard it was to regulate the temperature so that it wouldn't warp during firing?

Someone tell me I'm wrong for being upset, PLEASE, someone tell me?

Don't get me wrong...I am pleased that I am plastered over several mags, but this "honorable Mention" is a slap in the face...Come On?

[DawnV]

Thanks Kurt!

Somewhere I'll find a class on rejection management... '>

...but I do wish I could come up there and take a few of your classes.

[Metalman]

The 'rejection slip' aspect of our field of activity and endeavor is one of the things we all need to take with a grain of salt.  Those who do the judging have their tastes and dislikes - hopefully show and contest organizer rotate their judges and choices so that the judgment of work varies form year to year. As designers and artists, we need to clearly and completely make our vision.  And let the rejections go by and rejoice on the seletions.
One additional note: For every rejection - apply to 5 or 10 more shows
As they say in Galaxy Quest:
 "Never give up, never surrender"

[leezimmerley]

Dawn, have you ever been an art student?  If the answer is no, then you haven't had the pleasure of being critiqued by professors and other students who will tear apart every aspect of your art - and in the end, you actually appreciate that you need to push yourself beyond the ordinary!  Do you realize that you just slammed the person who created that Honorable Mention piece - and that they are creating outside the box?  Your work is very pretty - but sometimes, even though it's really nice - pretty isn't what they're looking for.  I like the Honorable Mention pieces because they cause me to ask questions - what did the artist want to convey in them, and what do I see?  That's what usually wins contests.  Don't be so hung up on the accolades - just make what makes you feel good, and be satisfied with that.