Be the penguin

It’s Finding Me Friday. Last week I decided to muster up some courage and stop by one of the art shows that didn’t select my work. I wanted to see the show to hopefully come away with a better understanding of how juried shows work, and what I could do to improve my odds of being accepted.

I wandered through the show, which consisted of mainly representational art in small to medium sizes. Many beautiful pieces of images easily recognized and appreciated. What I didn’t see was my style of work - abstract intuitive expressionism. Hmmm…maybe a clue.

Propelled by curiosity, I approached one of the show committee members and asked about its curation. They explained, in depth, their methodology which was fairly complex and sort of blew my mind. So much more went into the making of this show than I understood. Glad I asked. Then came an unexpected, unsolicited comment, “I took a look at your work, and honestly don’t know much about abstract art, but maybe you should take some art lessons because there’s not much to it other than colors, shapes, and some scribbly lines.”

Oooooooh. Wowza. My protective inner child started to bubble deep inside. There were things that I wanted to say in response…how hard I’ve worked to develop my understanding of art, the countless “lessons” with well-respected professional selling artists, the investment in mentors, the purpose of abstract intuitive art, and so much more. Instead, I took a deep breath, and as I inhaled, I heard a voice in my head say, “Smile and wave boys. Smile and wave.” A line from the movie “Madagascar”, a favorite in our household. I put a big smile on my face, thanked them for their time, and waved goodbye, knowing my work and its evolution has something to say because it flows from my soul. This was simply not the right place for my work to shine.

I don’t know if this experience is par for the course in the art world - I sure hope not. Regardless, for me, it was an important reminder that in life not everyone “gets” us or our work. That doesn’t mean we’re any less worthy or that our work isn’t impactful. In a time where many community interactions are unfiltered, it’s how we choose to react and respond that makes all the difference.

Be the penguin. Smile. Wave. Keep creating.