I spent last week "revising" an old quiltto enter in a show. In order to ease my conscience about it , I DID contact the( Lowell ) New England Quilt Museum to ask if a revised quilt would be considered "recent" It all started when I heard they were hosting a show whose theme was games and game boards. I had a biggish quilt from my early days ( 2002 ) that was an OKAY idea that never came fully to fruition. Not to mention the crappy sewing on it as I was still learning and sewing on a $30.00 church basement special. So having gotten the okay from the Museum, I took stuff off, added some much needed interest in the background and gave the figures some sort of structure to exist in. It's much better. But not one I think is really good. Nevertheless, having done it, I duly sent off my entry to NEQM. I was swearing off entering every show in the world this year. My friwends were calling me a "show slut". I don't know what happens to me when I see a call for entry that one of my quilts might suit. But I began asking myself why. Some of the reasons are personal...you know the "seeking approval" thing we learn as kids...especially a kid whose parent didn't like her all that much! But there is also a phenomenon I realized of being part of a big thing. When I worked worked worked every day as a painter/assemblage artist, it was more or less in a vacuum. Only one other artist friend and maybe one show a year with the gallery. But NOW because my milieu is so much bigger, and there are so many more people doing what I am doing, I feel more a part of life. A case in point is...I LOVE getting up each day and reading email. Then I have the pleasure of waiting for the snail mail because often I am expecting news of a show entry, or a quilt coming back, or a package from some nice quilty person ( like Thelma, who once sent me a BUNCH of fabric and I hardly even knew her then!) So even tho' seeking praise is part of it...maybe not the good part, the camraderie is also imposrtant. So I am forgiving myself for being a show slut. And anyway, I make so many art pieces what the heck else would I do with them?
Oh here is the before and after to my revision "Checkmates"
3 comments:
Show Slut! Thanks for the laugh this morning - I almost spit my coffee out onto the screen. Myself, I am an Attention Whore in regards to my work.
By the way, I truly do love this piece.
Hi Pam, have lost your email addy all since l got vista, can you get in touch,
Jill
You enter shows because your work wins awards and you get money for it which is about the best gratification for producing art that there is...off course, besides our own knowledge that we have created art that we like, etc., etc. I personally know that I get excited when a piece is accepted and even more so if it wins some kind of recognition. Add to that part about getting your name more well known which leads to more teaching, which leads to more income which justifies all that money spent for art school, just what is wrong with all that! Besides, you are the one who calls herself a show slut...I just thought that was what we were supposed to be doing in the earlier stages of our career.. Maybe before long we will become more selective in where we enter but the quilt shows offer far more money in awards than the fine art shows! Just my two cents' worth!
Liz Berg
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