How I Submitted to an Art Call That I Didn’t Know Anything About…

Several years ago, while looking around the internet, I stumbled on the practice of Art Call Submissions. I’m relatively new to a lot of the normal things that people know about in the art world, as I have been focusing my previous life on horses and showing them. Anyway, there are quite a few dotcoms out that list Art Calls of all kinds and all over the world.

I looked through those centered in Texas, where I live and then I started looking a little farther afield. I landed on a gallery that I’ve never seen, never been to, and maybe only even only driven through the state that it is in! Something about it was attractive to me. I read the prospectus for its interesting call that I thought was a good fit for me and submitted! That alone was crazy. I’d never done anything like it and barely had the knowledge to get through the process of the submission. Thankfully, I knew two super talented ladies, that were able to help me size my photos.

Well, I didn’t get any art chosen for the show. Truthfully, I wasn’t even that disappointed. I knew from the beginning, that I wasn’t ready, but I WANTED to try. Just surviving the submission form was a new thing for me and I was kind of proud of myself for “Hastily” doing it.

The next year, I got a notice that it was time again for submitting. Feeling a little more secure and having had pieces selected at other calls, I thought…why not? I got a little better at completing the form, but still needed help with the image sizing thing. Again, friends to the rescue. Also again, I wasn’t selected. This time, I was a little disappointed, not because of my work, but because I was becoming a little more emotionally attached and weirdly committed to this crazy idea! Emphasis on the word…WIERDLY 🙂

Well, I’m here to tell you, that I just submitted AGAIN! It’s one of those by golly things, I’m going to keep at this until I GET A PIECE INTO THIS SHOW. Yeah, that’s why I titled this posting…Ever Do Something Unexplainable? : )

There’s something in the human nature, that reaches a point of unexplainable determination and I’ve got that bug on this issue.

So, whether I am selected or not, I’m going to share these pieces with You, today! You’re my tribe and You are who really matters to me…So, here you are…

As mentioned in my last posting, I’ve got the ceramic bug these days…BIG, so, much of what I’m doing in studio is clay, but what a great partnership it is with my love of Mixed Media and building things.

Finally, I’m am so happy to announce, that my Ceramic Figure Mixed Media piece submitted to the 2019 San Antonio Art League & Museums 89th Annual show was selected, and received an award which included a monetary prize gifted by Richard and Linda Conn. It turns out, that they were the parents of a daughter that I went to elementary school with. Is that Impossibly Amazing or what? I couldn’t have been more honored, but I’m sad to say that since that incredible event, the art world lost Richard to his battle with cancer. Right before his passing, he wrote me the most beautiful letter, confirming my suspicions about his daughter and what an encouraging note it was. I am so sorry that I didn’t get to meet him as we had planned. My heart is broken for Linda and my prayers for her Peace, have been sent. Finally, the selected and awarded piece titled, She Enjoys a Steady Diet of….Enlightenment, was even purchased at the opening by my talented clay teacher, Linda Manning. The whole of it couldn’t have been more dreamy. Here she is for You to see…

Whether our Art is selected, awarded, or purchased, we are all still driven to keep making it. Correct? Yes, it’s thrilling when those things happen, but the pressing on and continuing to try in itself, is just as rewarding. If that wasn’t true, Susan Lucci would have given up a long time ago, right? ; )

I hope you guys are enjoying Your days exploring all that Your hearts desire, and…

I’m so happy that you stopped by my new website! I hope that you will subscribe over on the right, to receive notices of my new postings. I love your encouragement over on FB and IG.

Go and try something Unexplainable and Weird. You have NOTHING to Lose!!!

Best as always to YOU, Laura aka Hastypearl