The Starving Artist. or something.

Most folks know that I am an artist. Not artist like a hobby. Artist as in profession. I know. Most folks hear that and react the same way I react when a pretty young girl tells me she’s a model. Yeah, right. But it’s true. This what I do. It’s all I do. It’s the thing that brings the bacon. I sell my stuff online, I show my stuff in galleries. It’s what I do. Rarely do I ever enter an art contest.

I don’t want to sound high and mighty, but the truth is I figure that I went to college, I learned the various craft of being an artist and I feel like I don’t need to throw my art work to be judged out of context with someone who decided that one day they’d make a painting and throw it in. It’s not that I don’t think people don’t deserve the right to be an artist, or to create, or the legitimacy that is within that. It’s about paying dues. It’s about blood, sweat, tears and paint. It’s also about value. Like any profession, you can’t make the big bucks right out, you have to gain experience, right?

HOWEVER. There are exceptions. I will put in from time to time.  When I believe it to be worth my time. So a contest comes up within my church. It’s an international contest with a church theme and everything. Church is really conservative about art. I am ok with that. I use spray paint in a lot of my work, which isn’t traditional, but to me it’s the final product more than the medium. Call me progressive. So this is my final product:

To date, I feel like this is one of my best pieces. I love it. I mean, I like a lot of my own work, it’d be weird if I didn’t, but this piece is personal. Very. I honestly felt it stood a chance.

I was wrong.

Now, don’t get me wrong here. I know how it goes and frankly, when my work doesn’t get the response I want, I find it odd, funny, and a nice social experience. So chalk this up to the best social experiment ever. This piece was not accepted, but to make it a sweeter deal, it came with a letter. That is what I’d like to share with you. It’s fantastic. Seatbelt on (names and such are taken out so I don’t look like a total douche for this post). Also, watch for my notes:

Thank you for entering the **** Art Competition. We sincerely hope that creating and sharing your artwork has been a rewarding experience for you. We regret to inform you that your piece was not among those chosen by the jury for the exhibit.

While my piece is ‘rewarding’ wouldn’t the ‘reward’ be to have made it into the competition? I am confused by this though, because I create all of my work, and ‘rewarding experience’ is a weird way to define how I feel when I finish. I mean, when you have a good BM, and you get through it well, is it a ‘rewarding experience’? Ok, so I didn’t make it. It’s cool. But what’s with this ‘rewarding’ crap? It’s just weird. Fluff.

About 1000 works of art from all over the world were submitted for this competition, but less than 25 percent of these will fit in the exhibit galleries. Many of these works were of high artistic quality.

This isn’t the interesting part. I mean, aside from not having work of ‘high artistic quality’, this isn’t the interesting part. I was invited to attend the exhibit when it opens (on my birthday, as it turns out!), the best part is the final paragraph.

We are grateful for your interest in this art competition. We hope you will further develop your work and share your talents. We look forward to hearing from you again.

Huh? Why do I feel like someone just told me that my ‘work and talent’ need more work, and talent. That ’sharing’ my artwork is one of those little things that one does on the weekends. You know, like ride horses or fly model air planes? I mean, I know people do that, but isn’t it possible that folks entering this competition are doing this type of work for a living?

So that’s it. Maybe it’s not that funny, but it struck me as funny. I didn’t think I’d make it in anyway. Needless to say, I won’t be entering that ‘contest’ anymore. My work simply doesn’t fit. It’s all good. I just love the letter. I framed it. No joke.

SO! As I pick up the pieces and move on from this rejection (boo hoo), I have been invited to one of the biggest art shows on the East Coast in March. I am selling the work I have in hopes of raising the funds needed to do this show properly. I am talking big acrylic pieces, massive wall paintings, and just about the biggest set up I’ve done, and you can imagine. Maybe beyond. You can check my past work here: GreggDeal.com. Mostly, I’m pretty stoked about doing new work, huge work, and standing out. Help a brotha out!