19 December 2010

Royal Institute of Oil Painters

I decided to bite the bullet and apply to an open exhibition in London. It was for the Royal Institute of Oil Painters. I filled in the forms, panicked about my choice of painting, wondered if I should even be doing this, (oh God, am I even good enough), mused on the possibility that my entering meant that I was sufficiently arrogant in believing my paintings were of an equal quality to other exhibiting artists, and felt depressed as I wrote a cheque for the £10 that was being thrown away as my painting was probably going to be rejected anyway.

At the allotted time I took myself and my painting to an agreed meeting point for the carrier who would take my artwork to London. There were a couple of other artists there at the same time. We were all hugging our work so no one could see what was on the canvases. I was just worried that the others would see mine and start sniggering because they were so much better than me.

I paid a further £18.50 to have the painting couriered to London, and sloped off heart hammering and nervously wondering how I could possibly think I was ready yet to exhibit with proper professionals.

Needless to say, my painting was rejected today, and I'm going to have to fork out another £18.50 to get it back.

Amazingly, I'll enter another painting to another exhibition on another occasion. I seem to thrive on self doubt.


Above: Walk into Suilven (Tracy Butler's website)

1 comment:

  1. well, i am not much of a painter myself..so can;t really comment on why it got rejected....but it is amazing...i mean the this is perfect portrayal of gloomw...tha darkness, the pain is so evident here....it just makes for a poetry write...i'll write something on this ...hope you don;t mind....it is simply amazing....good luck

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