Savoring This Moment

" Mothers Little Helper"
© Monica Wiesblott 2009

I have been dealing with a lot of rejections recently.
For a few months now, I have been submitting something almost weekly, some show or magazine or competition.
The rejection letters have ranged from form letters to personal misspellings of my name.
All these words have begun to wear on my, making me believe that almost anything I submit is doomed from the moment it leaves my hands.
Despite my best efforts I have been feeling less then optimistic about my dreams of becoming an exhibiting artist.
Emotionally, I put everything into what I submit; when it leaves my hands, I imagine it accepted, or published or hung in a show. I put it out into the universe, " this is what I want"!

Recently, this has not done much.
In fact, so little that I have begun my own Salon des Refusés in my Etsy shop. I simply call it a "pity party sale".
In an effort to keep my chin up.

Well, today I submitted work** to the very prestigious Santa Barbara Printmakers Group
this group is filled with not only my past printmaking teachers, figure drawing teachers, and art instructors but also my Art Mentor!! This is a group of highly talented, amazing printmakers and artists! To join this group, you need to be accepted into the annual juried show and then you will receive an invitation to join.
I was encouraged to submit and I took the leap again, if nothing else I refuse to let go of my hopes just yet!
Printmakers from far and wide came to submit work. There was over 100+ pieces pre-registered for the show.
The Juror was Gordon Fuglie: Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the San Luis Obispo Art Center, Laband Art gallery among other places.
When I was waiting to leave work I heard someone say " I hear he is a really tough juror".
To be honest, my heart sank...seriously the last thing I needed was a new hole in my already unsteady heart.
I stood in line, and looked at the work being left for judging, my eyes the size of saucers...such amazing beautiful work. I left my work in a pool of wondrous colors and styles, I felt like such a small fish in such a vast ocean of big fish....I left and started the wait.
I have a timer that starts in my head when ingathering stops (when the acceptance of images is closed to any more submissions) then I start to count..."ok half an hour down...only this much longer".
When it was time to pick up the art I was filled with dread. My heart was pounding, I was sick and for a moment I stood on the stairs outside the building wondering if I should even go inside, I was shaking after all. I wanted this soooooooo badly and I so didn't want to add another stitch to my barely contained broken heart.
I did what I needed to do and went inside to see the list of accepted work.

It was a very small list.....

I scanned the paper, quickly and didn't see my name...." I knew it!!" then I scanned for the other person (I had brought work for another artist too) while looking for her name I saw mine! I saw my name....I checked the top of the paper again to make sure this was the accepted work, I couldn't believe it...I wasn't in belief. I had gotten a piece in!!! and the person I brought work for also got a piece in! I was in shock...I still am.

" Only The Sound Of My Breath Could Be Heard"

© Monica Wiesblott 2009

The show opens tomorrow night and runs thru October 30th in the Faulkner Gallery (Santa Barbara Main Library)
this could last me for a while, and when that next letter arrives in the mail I will be that much stronger.

SALE SALE SALE

In the spirit of the Paris Salons of yore I have decided to start my own gallery!!

Pity Party images are images from recent submissions that were not selected for exhibition; inspired by The Salon des Refusés, which containing all the works that the Salon had rejected that year. To celebrate this, these images are 50% off normal gallery pricing.

Come by the shop and see them for yourself

Grand Event

It was a wonderful opening, it started slow and built to a grand event! About 150+ people were at the show, we went thru bottles of wine and water like there was no tomorrow. People were even buying...I sold two pieces and a third is on a payment option. We as a group sold one of our limited edition portfolios!! I heard the buyer say, "we need this", what a wonderful comment!

My work is displayed at the entrance opposite the front door, so it is front and center, another wonderful surprise for me.

All in all a great turnout and a wonderful time was had by all.

For those of you who have not seen the show, it is open Thursday -Saturday thru Oct 10th.

click HERE for gallery hours and directions

Sneak Peek

* " I Began To Run..."

I have just posted new work in my Cyanotype gallery, two of these new images are currently on display in the studio gallery.

The complete show is due to be installed tomorrow, just in time for the opening, Thursday.

I can not believe that this time has finally come, it seems like only yesterday that we were handed a flyer with a well spelled out timeline on it. As the months rolled past I had this show in the back of my mind...but now that it is here, it seems to have flown by.

I have decided to name this series, although we are showing as a group, I have treated my work as a separate part of a whole piece. A chapter of a book.

I have named this series " A poem of Nights Lullaby".

For those of you who are not going to be able to make the show, I will post pictures once we get past opening night.

For now enjoy this little peek at my new Cyanotypes...

Ostrich

This is the countdown to the show...I have two pieces left to frame. We hang on Tuesday!

I cut my own mats and frame my own work...at least for now, as I am such a control freak about it. Maybe it is simply to extend the process of letting go.... either way I keep the work in my hands for as long as I can, then I throw it out to the winds of the world!

My beloved felines have been constant companions thru these last weeks, even up until 3am with me. What troopers!

Today as I was framing and mounting work, Xander took refuge in his favorite "invisible spot" and it struck me as funny and it helped me take stock in how I am feeling.

I am excited but a little scared too.

As for Theo, he has been a constant at the framing table, making sure I was aware of all the little items that could be pulled onto the floor and batted around, what a great helper!

Mostly, I am reminded that this is exciting and that I need to take a breath and simply enjoy the ride.

My work is made, I am happy with it...that is all I have at the end of the day. Knowing that I worked hard on each piece and that it means something to me. Hopefully the person who chooses it for themselves (hint hint) will love it too and it will mean something to them as well.

Dream...

Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.
Henry David Thoreau

Pictured above" I awoke from the dream within my dream"

© Monica Wiesblott

Over the last few months I have been creating images for this show, with one theme in mind. This focus has allowed me to refine my ideas and vision for this exhibition.

Ever since I was a child, I have had a combination of awakened dreams and thinly veiled sleep. For this show I have created a theme based on this idea. I found that these images when viewed together create a starting point for dream time remembrances. My hope is that when viewing these works you are drawn back to that sensation; that moment of subconscious awareness and journey.
I will have 6 images in the gallery and two in the studio space. All relate to one another.
I hope you are able to make the show and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these images.

Here are details about the show location and times : CLICK HERE