Brain-Strumming

Xander and Theo at various stages of sunbathing

All is quiet on this western front.

I have spent the last week going to art openings and meeting new friends and old friends.

Talking shop and planning....deep plans.

I have another two big shows this year; a group show with my printmaking guild here in town and a solo show in October.

Yep a SOLO show....

I have known about it since last year when I requested to be put on a waiting list....and now that I am mere months away from it, all plans are set into motion.

Literally.

I am looking over all my ideas, checking what work is at what stage of finished and what is still in my head and needs to be made.

It is a big hill, but one I am thrilled about and have been wanting for a long while.

This will be my second solo show, my last one was back in 1997 with the Museum of Art in Santa Barbara

Now to some much needed photos of the weeks events:

my nephew cheering for his sister's graduation from kindergarten

Channing Peake Show

Click on images for larger views

orange dot is next to my work

Talking shop

Look who is showing it all!

A new show is around the corner and my art was selected for the card!

This image will be shown in all the advertising and promotional materials.

New Year New Journeys....

It feels like I have been catapulted into this new year!

December was full of opportunities and chances and changes, it seems I was doing or exhibiting something all month long. So when Christmas finally came I was exhausted! The week between Christmas and New Years I literally fell down and slept for days. ( more accurately, I slid down a flight of our stairs and landed on my back and butt ) I took this as a sign to sit the hell down and think. So I did.

I reflected on all the great stuff I got to do that month, here is a photo reminder of it:

June of The June Bug Natural Baby Boutique,

Official Assistant buyer for the store.

As a thank you I made her a fairy skirt.

My perfect niece, modeling her new photo.

I was able to sell some of my pictures at my husbands office holiday boutique.

My scrabble tile necklaces became a hot gift!

My brother, father and myself and hubby were able to get a better car for mom.

To celebrate my new membership, we went and saw the LAPS 20th annual show in Hollywood

Donated work to the VITA art center for youth programs

Got my first hangover

Saw my brothers shop get their ISO certification!!

Celebrated a sucessful gallery meal with the artists at SeaBreeze Studios

The garden started giving winter food

Celebrated the Channukah, Solstice and Christmas

Finally got our holiday card out!

and this was all in just a month

January is well on its way to being just as busy and wonderful!!

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.