The collage tags I had so much fun making last summer. I found the "angel wings" at the craft store, ( the flower looking pieces) that are meant for adding color in paper-making. They spread out beautifully when you apply them with gel medium. Also has some old stamps, magazine clippings and fibers. I had made one and liked it so much that I just kept going. After creating a dozen of them, I felt like I had come to the end of my inspiration flurry!I framed them to enter it in the County Fair in the collage category. That was my first time entering any of my art for the public to see. It was an intense time for me! Lots of self-doubting going on and was obsessed with it for weeks before the fair.
I also boldly entered 6 other items in the categories of - oil painting, ink drawing, acrylic painting, altered books, button collection
and refrigerator magnets...I sanded and painted some old magnets and glued on some 1950's ads of (what else - refrigerators!) complete with a lady in an apron. Was hoping that the judges would have a sense of humor!
Sad to say, they did not. The entry they chose over mine was of a basketball sewn on plastic canvas - no creativity or I wouldn't have minded so much!
Viewing the winners of the "fine arts" categories made me feel worse! Clearly the judges liked art to have a country theme. Did not seem to understand abstract. If I had painted a picture of a cow, I might have a ribbon to show for it. Trying not to sound bitter here, it's just that I put so much of myself into it, that I came away feeling crushed.
I am still glad I did it and must forgive the judges. It is not their fault that all of this was so terribly important to me at the time and being so greenishly new my hopes were way too high. Experience (even when it hurts) is what helps us to grow. I had challenged myself to try (and in that I won first place in my mind)
The good news is that my buttons won second place out of nine entries! The total number of entries is important to note ........because I did win 3rd place on the magnets.... when friends started to congratulate me, I shook my head, smiled and said.... but there were only 3 entires (laughter) .
2 comments:
Oh, I can imagine you feel! But, really I'm not surprised considering it was a county fair. I would imagine they were looking for things THEY are familiar with, and "realistic" type art is all think qualifies as really art. I don't mean every judge at every county fair but overall most there probably just don't get altered, abstract, and artsy! Had you had those same pieces hanging at, say, a wine tasting people probably would have been raving about them! I mean really, a basketball on plastic canvas?!!!! Hon, your art didn't have a chance with that crowd and with their taste if I were you I would be HAPPY about that!-LOL! These tags you made are absolutely extraordinary! Are the colors showing up pretty true? On my monitor they are so rich, with oranges, corals, and some red tones with other colors of course, but the overall effect of them all together like that is of a beautiful island sunset! Luscious! But, I think it's great you entered your art; it's very hard to put your art out there for others to see. But don't doubt yourself or your abilities. The only thing lacking there was the judges definition of art!
Shauna
Shauna - You have hit the nail on the head and made me laugh! you are so right! It was a learning experience and I am not going to try it again - once was enough! I will leave the country artists alone - the fair is their world. The colors on the tags are a little muted in the picture, they are actually brighter. The background is prisma-color markers which saturated the paper. Thanks for making me smile and being so understanding! - Terri
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