My husband and I went to check out my paintings - all two of them that survived the judging at the County Fair this year. This being my first showing anywhere, ever, I'm still learning the ins and outs of this system. There were two systems - the first being the Danish Judging system. My photograph (digital) only got to the last place or yellow award in that category and I ended up taking it back home since there wasn't any room to display it.
The second painting, my still life called "Georgian Blue" made the first place/red placing in the Danish Judging system, but no ribbon. Hey, at least it placed. I noticed that some folks got two entries accepted to be hung on the walls, but not a lot. I am blessed that I have two works on the same wall!
Now for the other 'news' I found out tonight. My best painting (an impressionistic one) didn't get third place as my 'spy' friend thought, but fifth place - a yellow ribbon. She saw the yellow and we all thought 'THIRD!'...boy, do I have something to learn about the judging around here.
When I brought the paintings and photo in to the Fairgrounds there were so many paintings, and I mean A LOT of them. Stacked everywhere. Today, my husband and I saw a hundred or so on two and a half walls - nicely displayed, not crammed together. The only problem with my 'Purple Mountain' acrylic painting was this - when on our 'display wall' as you enter our modest home, it lights up the room and is very 'soothing' as my husband will say. At the fair, well, it gets lost in the crowd, I'm afraid to say. In fact, I missed it the first time I walked by!!
This time, I think I've got a handle on what the judges LIKE - well, that's if they don't change judges! It's funny, but the style they seem to like is the style I'm trying to get away from - realism. They don't seem to like Cezanne stuff, really - or Monet either.
The funny thing is that I have one painting that was too 'real' that I wasn't happy with for entering into the Fair this year, and darn it, that's the one I should have entered! It's a waterfront painting with a weathered boat that's run ashore. A very old boat. It's rustic, heavy looking, very real indeed (!) and I didn't like it. But the judges would have LOVED it. It's called "Point Reyes Beached" and it's a foggy, dark, wintery painting. I registered it and then pulled it the day before the entries were due at the Fairgrounds. Sigh!
I'm now looking into painting for the Harvest Fair coming up this October. The entries begin in August and they love all kinds of art styles. The entry fee isn't so bad, but everything HAS to be for sale - and they take 25%. Oh, and you can only charge for materials! So, you make nothing, but get your name out there. Hmmmm. A friend of mine from the Republic of Georgia who is an amazing mixed media artist said she's doing it and I should do it too. We're thinking of going to the opening night party and having some fun!
Well, that's the scoop for today. Perhaps next year I'll have more to enter and more events to enter them into. At least I'm over the public viewing phobia that I had.
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