“I’m crushed! I haven’t been chosen for a juried show.”
This type of pronouncement by those not selected for a juried show is what a juror knows they’ll hear but that certainly doesn’t make it any easier.
Recently I had the honour and anxiety of being Juror of Selection for a Society show.
I say honour because it is indeed that. It means trust has been put in my ability to capably select, from a large number of submissions, a requested number of paintings that will create a fabulous show.
I say anxiety because with that trust comes the responsibility of choosing pieces that are successful in terms of the elements and principles of art as well as taking into consideration more subjective factors like personality and originality. As I review the anonymous submissions, I look for work that is technically sound and that also moves me or makes me curious and that holds my attention.
I’m also looking at artwork as a group of paintings, seen together in this specific context. They are all in competition with each other. Another grouping would probably have a different outcome. Ultimately, my role as a juror, as I see it anyway, is to create a strong show with a diverse group of paintings within the constraints given to me – for example, a certain number of paintings chosen, a certain percentage of acceptance, a limit to how many artists can have more than one painting accepted, etc.
The job of a juror isn’t easy. Not only are we accepting work, but we’re also declining work.
And so anxiety also comes from knowing that many submitters will feel a deep disappointment from being declined. Indeed, to some, it will feel like a negative reflection, not just of the actual piece but of themselves as artists. As an artist who has had work declined many times, I know that feeling. And I’ve worked hard to make sure I know that not being chosen for a juried show is about the piece, not me. More on that later.
As a juror, I know that no matter what I do, there will be some, often many, who will be disheartened, confused, angry, and frustrated by my decision not to choose their work. This is why it usually takes hours and hours and many viewings to come to a final decision. I need to have complete confidence in my final decision.
So the reason for this post is two-fold:
- To help you understand the process of jurying and so, with that understanding, take both acceptance and not being chosen for a juried show with more equanimity
- To help you move forward from having work declined
You now have information from the juror’s point of view.
So let’s look at how to handle not being chosen for a juried show.
1. Don’t take it personally!
Remember the quote I started with?
“I’m crushed! I haven’t been chosen for a juried show.”
This statement refers to the artist rather than the specific artwork not selected for the show. The first thing is to rephrase that sentence to this: “My artwork has not been chosen for a juried show.”
The decision by the juror is solely about the artwork. It’s about seeing it in a group of specific pieces, in a specific time and place. This is not about you as an artist or a human being in any way, shape, or form!
2. Feel your feelings
Whenever I have work not accepted into a show, I take a day to wallow in my feeling-sorry-for-myself feelings. I find that if I allow myself to do this, I move on and out of them much more quickly than if I try to shove them own and say ”buck up” or “don’t be such a wimp” or “just get over it” etc. Instead, I make a point of acknowledging my disappointment. I stay with my hurt feelings rather than trying to replace them or ignore them.
3. It’s not a forever thing!
Just because your painting wasn’t chosen for a juried show, for this particular show, doesn’t mean your work won’t be included in another show…and perhaps even with the same piece!
There are many stories of artists whose work was accepted and won an award in one show and then the same piece was declined in the next. That includes me!
And, I should say that once you start getting accepted into shows, this is not necessarily a forever thing either! You always want to be pushing yourself to move your work forward so you take risks. Sometimes these new pieces won’t be accepted. (And sometimes they are!) The thing is to keep going!
4. You aren’t the only one
Chances are, there are a whole heap of other artists going through the same emotions as you are after the announcement of accepted paintings. Knowing you are sharing the same disappointment with a community of others somehow alleviates the despair you may feel. And I also want to say that even if you’re accepted into a slew of shows, you will experience rejection again. All good artists do!
5. Use this as an opportunity to reevaluate the painting
Really, once you go through a good old moan on hearing your work hasn’t been chosen for a juried show, it’s time to take a close look at your piece. This is golden feedback! I always ask myself what can I learn from this. I look at the artwork and ask, why didn’t this piece make the cut? I try to see it with fresh eyes. Could it have stronger value contrasts? I examine my colour choices. Can I improve edge quality? Is the composition as strong as it can be? Could I have cropped it differently to create a stronger painting? Is it too much like other people’s work? How can I make it more mine? And often these questions open up answers and I can see where improvements can be made.
6. Don’t quit
I often hear artists say, “That’s it. I’m not going to bother entering anymore.” And that’s okay but don’t let the rejection of one or two pieces stop you from painting! In fact, use it as motivation to keep going, to learn more, to paint more.
7. Be kind to yourself
As you give kindness and encouragement to others in the same boat as you, be kind and encouraging to yourself. Rather than letting your inner critic take the upper hand, bring in your compassionate guide. Take a breather and then get back to painting. If you feel good about what you’re doing, that’s what matters most.
8. Keep painting YOU
Sometimes, artists will think they have a better chance if they try to mimic the style of a juror. Don’t do that. Jurors look for the best work regardless of subject or style. Keep looking for ways to improve your work. Look at the great art of the past – investigate what makes them great. Take classes with teachers you admire. Look for feedback from trusted and knowledgeable sources. (I offer one-on-one mentoring sessions.)
Remember that each show is an entity onto itself. There’s a certain mix of paintings in each instance from which the juror must make their choices. And certainly, each juror will make different choices from that grouping. Know too that each juried show will have a different group of paintings and so, another time, your piece may be chosen.
It takes guts to put your work out there to be judged. Keep being courageous. Keep learning. Keep painting. Keep getting feedback. Keep entering. And then you never know, one day you may be chosen for a juried show!
This may help get you into a juried show.
So I want to hear from you! First of all, was this helpful? Please share your own ways of handling the disappointment of not being chosen for a juried show. Let’s all help each other to deal with this inevitable part of being an artist! Because yeah, it IS inevitable. And it never quite goes away especially if you’re continuing to push your work into new places.
Until next time,
Gail
PS. Check out this earlier blog on getting into juried shows.
PPS. Please be sure to share this post with anyone you think may need it.
40 thoughts on “Work Not Chosen For A Juried Show? This Will Help!!”
Excellent advice! Thanks for sharing.
So glad it’s helpful Lynn!
Thanks. Great words of wisdom about having one’s art not recognized. Been there more than a few times but have had some successes. When rejected, I think about the great French Impressionists being rejected by the Salon.
Exactly! So glad you mentioned that example Alexander! We can be in good company when not accepted 😁
What a brilliantly written blog on rejection! I’ve had a lot this past year – more than any other which makes me wonder whether I’m entering the wrong pieces? I try and pick my best work but still get the dreaded rejection emails. Going through a patch like this can be very tough but we have to keep moving forwards. Onwards and upwards everyone!
Thank you Lynn for your positive response AND thank you for sharing your own recent experience with rejections. As disappointing as those are for you, it will be reassuring (somewhat!) for others to hear that even established artists get those awful rejection letters! So again, thank you!!
Thank you, Gail.
Very timely information and advice as we will soon be waiting with baited breath the news from the IAPS Webshow jurors.
I have to say the first time my paintings weren’t accepted I was very disappointed but I know that I continue to learn and hopefully submit work that is showing growth each year.
I will celebrate with gusto if and when a painting is accepted but if not I will always see it as a step in my artistic journey and continue to work on developing my skills.
First off, oh no! missed the entry for the IAPS webshow?! I’ve been regularly missing them and want to rectify that. Obviously I’m not paying enough attention 🤦♀️ And good luck Cathy!!!
Thank you for sharing your own experience with rejection and also how you have learned to handle it and use it to move forward on your journey.
Not to worry, Gail — IAPS extended the submission deadline to September 23! http://www.iapspastel.org/exiaps_upcoming.php
Whoop whoop!! Thanks for noticing Evelyn 😀
Hmmmm, guess I better get a move on!
Thank you Gail for your understanding and yet no-nonsense attitude. I feel that I’d need plenty of opinions from teachers, and practice, before I exhibit my work. Maybe sometimes painters are too eager to enter, before they had proper assessment even from themselves?
Thanks Dom. I think you may have a point. Sometimes there’s a lot of external pressure to enter a piece even when an artist doesn’t quite feel ready. Or maybe we are too eager to see where we stand, yet not prepared for the devastation of a negative response. If we go into entering a juried show with the idea that we will learn something (and as I said, it’s a learning that comes from a specific time and place), then I think we will be better off emotionally for a not so positive response.
I wish it just took guts, but it also takes money. That’s what usually stops me first. I rationalize that I can spend the $35 or whatever it is on an entry fee OR on some paper I love, some new pastels or maybe a workshop. The latter 3 always seem a better use for my limited funds.
Another thing that gets in my way is the photography requirements. I can spend time trying to do that right (and often not getting it right anyway because I don’t really know what I’m doing) or spend the time painting or drawing.
It could be that these are excuses because I’m unsure of my work. I know that is true to some extent, but being a practical person, entering shows doesn’t seem worth the effort.
Bonnie, I applaud your priorities!
And yes, you are right. it does take funds. This is especially true if you need to then send an accepted piece to a physical show!!
And it does take some care and aptitude to get a good photograph. A good photo can make a lot of difference!
I say, keep painting, keep learning, keep exploring, keep taking risks. Those are the most important things you can do!!
Thank you for taking the time to collect your thoughts and experiences in sharing this wonderful advice, from which everyone can benefit. I haven’t entered a juried show in several years, not because of rejection but because I have been painting less and need a body of work for annual solo shows which fall during the same time as the society show you were asked to jury. The piece I wanted to enter in the national show, I also wanted to exhibit locally and in fact sold very quickly. If I want to enter in the future, I clearly need to paint more to have more than one painting that I feel might be accepted!
As always, I am grateful for all you do!
Thanks Gill for your appreciation and for sharing your own art journey at the moment. It does help to have a body of work on hand to enter shows and even more importantly I think is to be painting, painting!
Congratulations on a Solo show – now that is a big deal!!
Exquisitely stated..and, clearly understood!
You have stated the facts that go along with a judged art exhibition so very well.
Whether be an entrant or a judge, it’s Not for the Timid. Just keep on keep’n on!!
Actually, this inspires me to enter a competition.
Thanks Gail for sharing your knowledge!
❤️👍Bill
Bill, thank you!! And you’re right…entering competitions/juried shows is not for the timid. We put what feels like our soul work out there for others to judge. Definitely not for the timid!
AND I’m happy that I’ve inspired you to have a go at entering a competition!
Thanks. For me just to keep entering, keep trying to improve my work is what I do. It took three times entering my work for the Pure Color International Online Pastel Exhibition before an acceptance this year. Acceptance after all those previous rejections was all the sweeter and an affirmation that my efforts to improve are bearing fruit.
Ahhhh Donna, all the sweeter as you say when finally you’re accepted. Brava to you for continuing to try. Enter, work at improving, and enter again. Fantastic!
I thought the comment about referring to it as “My artwork “ as opposed to saying, “I wasn’t chosen,” was helpful. I also believe that after paying a jurying fee, artists whose work is declined deserve some feedback, other than the juror having a difficult time choosing from the huge number of entries. Thank you for this post.
Thanks Dana! Glad to hear that reframe helps.
It’s interesting what you say about feedback. I’ve often thought I’d like to offer, for a small fee, a feedback session to those who may want some suggestions on ways to improve their work and with it/their chances of having work chosen.
HI Gail, A great post and totally agree with your thoughts. I just wanted to add that the juror is quite often working under the society guidelines, in terms of how many they can accept. All the entries could be quality work and worthy of being accepted, so if you are not chosen it may not necessarily be that the work wasn’t good enough, just that in this particular show there was a limit on accepted entries. Not easy to choose at all. If the work wasn’t being accepted regularly, then yes maybe the time to relook at the piece to see what could be improved. But if its the odd one its not necessarily about the work. We have all faced rejection whether you are an emerging artist or an established one, I accept that its part of my art journey if I enter Art Competitions and Society Shows. I think its important to remember the most important competition is with our selves not with other artists.
Yes!! Thank you Julie! I only touched on that so I’m grateful that you have expanded on this idea of society guidelines a juror needs to follow. Because indeed, when you have a limited number of accepted entries, you need to make choices. Often hard choices.
And thank you for also sharing your philosophy, as an artist, around entering shows as part of your artistic journey.
I know the feeling of rejection well. I recall the first time I submitted a nice painting for a very prestigious show, but it was rejected. I was so upset. I came home, and opened my email, to find that someone (whom I did not know from another area) was offering to purchase it at full price without a commission being deducted. 🙂. We have to remember that being juried into a show is only someone’s opinion ….bearing in mind all of the parameter’s placed upon the juror.
A good article, Gail.
Ohhh John, thank you for your fantastic and telling story!!
Thank you Gail! I appreciate your article. It really helped because I recently experienced being rejected from an exhibition. This was not my first time. But for some reason I felt as if I failed as an artist and let others down. At first I decided to eliminate entering competitive exhibitions altogether. However after much reflection I decided to study, keep painting, learn from my wonderful mentors and keep trying. Yes it is a process…. Thank you so much for the encouragement it means a ton to me!!
This article is very healing and heartfelt!
Thank you,
Denise
You are so welcome Denise! I’m sorry to hear you felt you had failed as an artist and also that you’d let others down. That’s an awful feeling and I hope this article helps you see that this is not at all about you as an artist. I love that you have a keep-going attitude. Time and effort will pay off! (And check out John Root’s comment above!)
This was very helpful Gail especially how hard the process is making selections. I do think that the reason we all take the rejections personally is because everything from the subject matter to each stroke is uniquely our own and a reflection of who we are. That said it is up to us to use rejections/acceptances to propel forward and put the ego aside. Helpful to remember that entering shows is a subjective rather than objective endeavor. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear this article is helpful Wendy. And you are sooooo right. We put our heart and soul, all we are, into our art and so yes, it can feel like a harsh judgement when our work is declined. It does feel like we are not being chosen (rather than our work). It’s not like a competitive sports event when, if we don’t win, it’s disappointing, but we are all visibly in the race together and we try our best. Somehow, art-making feels much more personal, doesn’t it?
I used to judge classical singing competitions, sometimes for scholarships. Oh my, how difficult it was to reject a certain voice with tremendous potential because the singer was just not quite ready. I always hoped against hope that they would persevere, in spite of their disappointment. I remind myself of that every time my work is not chosen. I’m either not ready, or as you put it, my work didn’t fit in with the total package of work. I try to take it on as a challenge but I won’t deny that it still stings.
Ohhh Andi, thank you for sharing your own experience as a judge in the music field. It does help when you have experienced being “on the other side” but as you say, it still stings when our work is not chosen!
Hi Gail, thank you for your perspective. And great timing I am submitting work for an exhibition this week. I’ve taken part over the past few years and everytime only 1 of my pieces is selected. So your explanation about how many artists the jurors can select to display more than 1 piece was encouraging (as I am not an established artist). So deep breath I’m entering 3. I am so glad to have read this just to remind myself not to be disheartened if I don’t make the cut. And I love that you expressed that it is OK to lament woefully for a little while.
Melanie, congratulations on having one piece selected every time! That’s awesome!
And yup, I think it’s important that when we don’t get into a show to acknowledge the hurt we feel and have a little cry fest. And then take a breathe and know that it’s just time, in this place. And move on forward.
Good luck!!
Hi Gail,
This article reminds me of a funny story. My friend and I set up a still life, which she painted in oils and I painted in pastel. She entered a show, won Best of Show and sold her work. I entered a show and got rejected. I liked my painting so I entered another show and was again rejected. At this point, I became determined and entered a couple more shows – rejected and then finally accepted into a show. I won Best of Show and an offer was made to buy the painting but I decided not to accept that offer. By that point I had become quite attached to “Red” (named so in my own mind because of the red background) and I wanted to keep it. Lol. I still have “Red” to this day and treasure it. It makes me chuckle to look at it.
Susie!! Such a great story and a perfect example of why, if you like what you’ve painted that you keep entering. Love that you didn’t take no for a final answer! Thanks so much for sharing this. I know it will be inspiring to others!
Hi Gail,
I first heard of you when you featured a painting I did of a Harlequin Great Dane on your blog. I had posted it on Facebook on the PSA page. You found it and talked about it in your blog. A fellow painter told me about your writing – a blessing for me as I’ve been enjoying your blog ever since. You do wonderful work! Funny how life works sometimes, isn’t it? Have a great day😃
Susie
I remember that piece Susie – still love it!!
Thanks for your kind words. They do help me have a great day 😁
Hello Gail,
I didn’t get this one first time around. Thank you for all this pertinent advice.
What upsets one, is most juries refuse to explain why they reject you. When I was much younger, it happened to me once( but they did explain) OK, it was a lesson and NOT the end of the world. It’s just a tiny narcissistic wound that will rapidly heal. We learn to take it in our stride and move on.
Some juries are harder than others. I am up for a juried show, where you have to come with your pastels and, in front of 6 people staring in silence, you have to talk about your it. EEEK!!! Very rattling if you are not into speaking in public, plus you find it hard to talk about your own work.. Which is my case. Perhaps the key is to remind oneself that it’s not about ME but about the desire to transmit in some mesure, beauty and emotion…?
Warmly
Nancy Malard
Nancy, that is truly a difficult jury! How. did it go?? I hope your were successful
Some shows provide opportunity to get feedback from the jurors at a gathering.
When there are many many applicants, a juror would be incredibly bogged down if they had to say why. Also even a few words would probably come across hurtful. Eg unfortunate composition or drawing needs improving. Mindyou, once the secondary sting (refusal and then the comment why) is past, any feedback is useful.
Thanks for taking the time to respond!