Megan Caldwell Chandler

In last week’s post I wrote about entering a few of my pieces into a local art show.  I also shared my fears and reservations about attending the show’s open judging.  I’m happy to say, I was able to overcome my anxieties.  I attended the open judging, and it was a success.  There were a total of 133 entries, and the juror selected 32 for the exhibit.  I entered three works, helpmeat, Cleverest Girl, and Grow, and all three were accepted into the exhibit! 

Going out amongst the people is something I find difficult.  In order to put myself “out there,” I have to push through my comfort zone.  I’m really glad I pushed through on this occasion, because I learned a lot from the experience.  The open judging was very exciting.  It has been a long time since I’ve had face-to-face feedback on my work from another artist.  The juror started the judging by walking around the gallery and selecting a few works to discuss.  When he came to the front of the room, he discussed my books.  It’s hard for me to remember all of what he said, because my heart was pounding like I had an adrenaline injection ala Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.  He did say he thought my books were smartly done and that he would love to spend several hours looking at all the details.  He also spoke about my painting and offered some helpful criticism about my treatment of the edges of my panels.

All in all, it was a great experience, and I’m glad to have shared the experience with my brother.  Next week I’ll be entering two more paintings into another exhibition.  I think the competition for this exhibit will be steep, so I’m excited to see what comes of the judging.  In the meantime, check out my recently finished painting. 

Edit:  I forgot to add the details about the show in case you live near by and want to check it out.  The gallery is located in Whitewater Hall on the campus of Indiana University East in Richmond, Indiana.  The exhibit will run from October 16 to December 6, 2013.  Gallery hours are 10am-5pm, Monday through Friday.