Quiet

Quiet
16 x 12, pastel

Dealing with Disappointment

Under painting

"On the Side (Lori's Diner)"
9 x 12, pastel

Here's how I handled some disappointing news yesterday: I went out to the studio and painted.

The news? That two of my paintings were not accepted into a show. Ouch. That hurt my ego a bit.

I suppose that there are stages of handling rejection just like any other thing. Elisabeth Kubler Ross introduced her famed stages of grief in 1969.

They are:

1. denial
   
2. anger
3. bargaining
4. depression
5. acceptance

I think that my stages were more like this:

1. surprise
2. upset
3. talk to a few friends
4. make some disparaging comments about the juror
5. turn the music up louder and paint something new

I think that I could avoid the risk of ever having work rejected again by never entering another show or contest. But, that would be an overreaction. Foolish or not, I think I'll just go on putting my work out there and seeing what happens.

In the meantime, I think I'll listen to some more LOUD music. Hmm. Queen or Bartok?

526 Tulips in Crystal

Tulips in Crystal
24 x 18, pastel

May Bouquet from Abstract Principles II

You can see that I have started to put pastel over the underpainting. Tried to keep the light shapes irregular, interesting, oblique and in shades of light that are interesting.

So much to think of!

As the light heated the tulips, they began to open more, which changed their shapes!!