Obtained
Artshow at The General Fine Craft and Design Gallery
Artshow at Chinatown Remixed
A residency program at ArtPlace AOE
A place as part of Blink, an Artists Collective
Successful fundraiser and bursary for Couple Enrichment Leader Training
Art Auction to fund the Couple Enrichment Retreat Weekend in January, 2016
Art Show at 101 Gallery for January 2016
Denied
Forest School job
Carp Outdoor Program job
Parkdale Montessori School job
Residency EBA project
Carleton Art Gallery Director Assistant job
Canada Council Visual Art officer job
Algonquin College teaching job
Ontario Art Council - Chalmers Fellowship grant
Community Gallery Exhibit 2016 exhibition
Teaching at NVAC (not enough participants)
Teaching at Wallack's (not enough participants)
Ottawa University Art Residency for Faculty of Medicine, job teaching
Failure and Rejection
Failure and Rejection are two different things. Artists have
to deal with both, sometimes at the same time, sometimes not. Artists take many
blows and are constantly picking themselves up and starting again, when lack of
resources, scarcity of support, isolation and loneliness hit hard. The pain of failure
and rejection sit inside stubbornly and are difficult emotions to work through.
Failure comes to an artist in the shape of not achieving
imagined financial goals; or not being able to accomplish a project as planned;
or not finding echo in others for ideas and visions. One way to survive failure
is changing direction and aiming again at the same target from a different
point of view, or choosing a different target. Taking a look at the scene and
learning what we can, picking up the pieces like small trophies, and humbly
setting course again in the new chosen direction.
Rejection comes to an artist in the shape of criticism from
peers, critics, or institutions. It also comes when not getting positive
results with applications for grants, working positions, residencies and exhibitions. Rejection
feels like one’s work is unnecessary, unwanted, undervalued, misunderstood, or
unimportant. Recovering from rejection takes a huge amount of self-love and
self-respect, which is not the same thing as having a big ego. It means seeing
your gift to create as unique and valued, and allowing it to speak and develop
despite the difficulties. It means separating your need to be loved as a human, from your
need to find your voice. They do not go together. They are two different needs. The
first one pertains to your family and friends, which we need it to survive and
remain sane. The second one would be nice to have, but if not available, the
artist needs to be convinced that the work has merit, and it will eventually
find echo, a place to live, and an audience that wants it.
No time creating is wasted, despite what some people tell
you. Art is not a financial burden on society, on families, on communities. It
is the deepest voice of the soul, especially in a world where churches are
empty, psychotherapy is expensive, and people are burying their imagination
behind pixelated screens. Art is where the needs of our subconscious are met.
Human beings are bone and flesh, but also imagination, spirit, dreams, fears,
hopes, and ideals. Art is singing with our unique voice, hungry to be heard.
