Earlier this year I got knocked back from the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition having entered it for the first time ever. Competition in the arts and cultural industries is fierce and its all very "up down and up again" as you try and make a go of things through creative practice. Rejection is a feeling that you have to get over if you are involved in the visual arts me thinks...
As the Royal Academy didn't "dig my vinyl " I decided to check out alternatives - exhibition and competitions online that might work better for me. At the end of the summer vacation I began to work on entries for the Printmakers Council's - 8th British International Mini Print exhibition. http://www.8thminiprint.com/
I Set up in my kitchen (which at the moment doubles as a studio at night/school hours in my parallel universe) I planned out and carved two small print designs using three colours - setting myself a whole new technical challenge that would force me to raise my production values. I did loads of pencilled comps in my sketchbook before deciding on the colours. I editioned each to 30 and printed them on banana leaf paper.
As the Royal Academy didn't "dig my vinyl " I decided to check out alternatives - exhibition and competitions online that might work better for me. At the end of the summer vacation I began to work on entries for the Printmakers Council's - 8th British International Mini Print exhibition. http://www.8thminiprint.com/
I Set up in my kitchen (which at the moment doubles as a studio at night/school hours in my parallel universe) I planned out and carved two small print designs using three colours - setting myself a whole new technical challenge that would force me to raise my production values. I did loads of pencilled comps in my sketchbook before deciding on the colours. I editioned each to 30 and printed them on banana leaf paper.
I submitted both as entries in September - (hedging bets)
The Council recieved 1,100 prints from 420 artists from 30 countries. Amazingly and to my sheer delight I got an email early this week confirming that both prints have been selected for the exhibition!
The exhibition will feature some 200 small prints and a selection of larger works by invited artists including:-
Maggi Hambling http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?artistid=1242&page=1and
Ana Maria Pacheco http://www.prattcontemporaryart.co.uk/ana-maria-pacheco-2/ It will open at the London Print Studio in April 2012 and will tour throughout Britain to number of venues in 2012 - 2013. I will post when and where the exhibition will venture soon and will plan a trip to London for the opening.
Maggi Hambling http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?artistid=1242&page=1and
Ana Maria Pacheco http://www.prattcontemporaryart.co.uk/ana-maria-pacheco-2/ It will open at the London Print Studio in April 2012 and will tour throughout Britain to number of venues in 2012 - 2013. I will post when and where the exhibition will venture soon and will plan a trip to London for the opening.
Congratulations Laura. Once again it goes to prove a person has to keep on no matter what. Sometimes it is a question of being seen in the right place. Good luck with the opening too!
ReplyDeleteHi bella thanks for all the positive comments to the blog - havent been posting for four weeks!! or checking posts much lately - been too busy running around after my kids over xmas hols!
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