Heart grows fonder

So nothing like a swift kick in the heart! A poke in the eye....?

Art is so subjective and personal that it seems unrealistic to judge it....but the life of an exhibiting artist is just that, judgement.

The artist makes something, loves it, cries at it completion and then shows it to someone else. That person in turn either says "I love it " or " I don't get it " or simply " I don't like it".
Where does that leave the artist? Is what they just made nothing, or something no one can relate to, or simply bad. Should they believe the outside perspective or ?

Then you have the factors that are at play....Did the person really look at it? Do they not like that color today? Does it bring to mind some horrible childhood memory....or do they simply not know your name or what is involved with the process.

My rejection letter left me raw....I wanted to be juried into this group badly. I wanted to start my spread into the Los Angeles basin. Instead I was faced with the feeling that my process was not a familiar one, or a traditional one. Solar plate has only been around since the 70's and so the desire to use it as a tool for a more traditional method of printmaking was clearly a sign that the method of making solar plates was not a familiar one to the jury.
Solarplate is pretty cut throat, the exposure time is a one shot deal. I do not make test strips to check for timing, instead I take the whole enchilada out into the sun and let magic happen. I guess on exposure and timing and when I return indoors with my plate it is not until I start the water bath do I know if I made a good plate or a dud. There are no do-overs or lets just put it outside again deals. It is done and if it is bad, there went 10bucks.

In response to the letter, I went crazy (a little for real) and made three large plates on a very tricky day. It was a "peek-a-boo" sunshine day...so there was no consistent sun and I went out with a $15 "one-shot-is-all-you-get" plate.

I made three very pretty images, I think this will complete my show images for September.
I also took photos of the whole printing process for those of you who have been asking about how I make these images....nothing like a little hand of the artist...so there LAPS!