When painting, and even more when submitting paintings into shows, I have to remind myself over and over again that art is subjective.

This can be hard to accept. It is so obvious to any viewer that this painting/sculpture/mosiac is better than that painting/sculpture/mosiac. Of course, the next viewer can have a completely different viewpoint… and who is to say who’s right?

This summer, my painting “Sizing Up the Competition” went up to Seattle to the Equine Art Show and it got no recognition.

A few weeks later I entered a couple other paintings in the Clackamas County Fair and didn’t place either.

To be frank, I’ve felt a little demotivated lately.

When the deadline for the Watercolor Society of Oregon show came around, I gave some thought to not entering, but I knew I had to try.

Since then, I’ve tried not to get my hopes up. I like my paintings and feel like I’m going in a good direction; I just need to paint MORE.

Well, tonight I got the news that should help me with that goal!

“Sizing Up the Competition” was selected by juror Linda Baker from 328 entries to be one of the 80 paintings in the Fall Transparent Watercolor Society of Oregon show!

The show will be in Medford, Oregon, and I had already made plans to go down! I am so excited! I may even have to buy a dress or something and go to the awards banquet (that’s unlikely, but still… how many times do I get a chance to celebrate such a thing) I’ll have to really work on my lifestyle improvement program so I can be as skinny as possible for the big fete!

In the meantime, this should be just the motivation I need to get painting again!

I’m SO EXCITED!!!!!