Persistence & Resiliency
Persistence & Resiliency
This Week in the Studio
Hello to another week in the studio!
This week I’m looking at the start of a new painting while re-starting a painting in progress and thinking about how persistence and resiliency play a part in my art-making path.
Persistence
If you watched my Instagram Live on Sunday you may have seen me briefly introduce a new painting via a freshly stretched blank canvas. My swatch-making project1 inspired me to think of ways to imbed threads onto a painted canvas. Combining this inspiration along with my recent interest in astronomy and January being my birthday month - I have started mapping out this new painting, “Capricorn”.
As I prepared the canvas with gesso, I left raw canvas around the design as well as in the star shapes. I hope to fill these blank areas with thread once I’ve finished painting (and possibly collaging) the sea-goat image for which this constellation is named.
As I work on this painting, I’m also considering my persistence. I am choosing to continue trying methods that have frustrated me. I am trying ideas that have been difficult for me to pinpoint. I hope to create something beautiful, meaningful, interesting, and unique. I try knowing I may fail. But I also know I will keep trying to find my way and keep trying to express ideas through art and hopefully connect with a few folx along the way.
At the same time, I am also working through my swatches to figure out how to move forward with a stalled project.
I know I straddle a difficult line with the next phase - between loving pieces of the progress to the point of creating a sacred cow and wanting to add elements that intentionally destroy what is currently there. In the swatches, I hope to gain the confidence I need to move forward with compassion and commitment. I must persist with the progress while also leaning into my resiliency as an artist.
Resiliency
Building resiliency is an important part of an artist’s development. As an artist, I will receive critique and rejection. It’s simply a continuous part of the process. I feel it is common to share only the moments that feel successful. But it is important to know there are also many rejections along the way. They both serve me as I move forward as an artist.
As a tangible example - here’s a look at my current Submittable2 Inbox.
Especially as I am now reaching into new mediums and trying new methods and ideas, I need to be ready to accept rejection as a part of the process (which admittedly is a little easier when there’s at least one acceptance in the mix).
While I am confident in some areas, I am far less so in others. But I am willing to learn and work on my skills and keep trying. I can evaluate whether where I submitted is the right fit for my work, whether my work simply isn’t ready for that venue yet, or whether I need to work on an aspect of my art or presentation to better prepare it for the next submission. It’s easy to be discouraged. It’s easy to see all the amazing content of creators out in the world and try to compare myself and my work. It’s important to stop the comparisons and doubts. While outside perspectives can help me elevate my art, they can also harm it.
It’s important to reflect and self-evaluate before drawing conclusions.
(Declined - 0134) I did not get accepted to the residency to which I applied, but in reviewing my application I don’t think my work was ready nor was my purpose focused. I’ll consider re-applying when I think the time is right.
(Declined - JenniferLommers) I was not chosen for an art magazine publication. In review, I realize that my style is probably not suited to that particular magazine. I will most likely not re-apply.
(Accepted - Artwork Fall 2022) My artwork was accepted into a small publication. I can’t yet share details, but look forward to the door this opens for me and my work.
(In progress)
(In progress)
(Declined - Fractured Stories of Hope) My poem did not get accepted to this publication. In reading several of the accepted works I am awed by the chosen poets and have found a few new favorite poems. It encourages me to keep working at this art form and learn from their skilled examples of poetry. I will keep trying to submit as a means to improve.
Despite some recent rejections, I found success this week in understanding my materials better; in creating fiber work more quickly and with more detail; in finding resources that provide the context and history I needed to move forward with my projects; in combining paper, wax, and fiber in a new and interesting way. It is these moments I embrace.
While it’s good in the larger scope of progress to balance and understand outside opinions, critical reviews, and rejections - it’s even more important that I see and celebrate my own progress in order to achieve my art-making goals. For I believe it is when I work toward and find success in my work, without concern for outside judgment, comparisons, or rejection, that I can be free to forge my most meaningful artistic path forward.
May you find and celebrate your own successes in the coming weeks!
~ Jennifer
You can read more about my swatch project in my newsletter announcement here: https://mailchi.mp/32d8e0de6386/the-latest-studio-news-4323630
My current top resources for finding calls to art and submitting to shows, events, residencies, etc. are:
The Arts Center (local Oregon calls to artist)