After two years of good intentions, but missing the call to artists, I have finally succesfully entered a piece into the Ellipse Arts Center's Photography show. 

For a while now I've wanted to enter something into a show that was mostly photography, since many art shows tend to focus more on paintings and more "from scratch" type artwork.  I was first given a brochure for the Ellipse show, back when I joined The Art Group gallery in early 2005, but I had just missed the deadline.  Then last year, I totally just forgot, and missed it again.  This year I was determined to enter, so, around Christmas I went to their website and downloaded a brochure and application.

Then came the agonizing task of picking which three pieces I would enter. I had three that came to mind almost immediately, but soon thereafter I started questioning myself and wondering if they weren't edgy or artsy enough. I looked up the work of the guest juror, who would be judging the pieces, and tried to figure out what might appeal to his artistic style, but we do very different kinds of work, so I really wasn't sure I had anything that would qualify from that standpoint.  So, I then enlisted the help of some friends on a message board I frequent.  I posted several different photos of pieces and had people vote on the one's they liked best.  The first three I'd chosen were the clear favorites, however, other people brought up very good reasons to consider other pieces.  I started questioning if perhaps I should bring something that was less popular and more edgy.  Everyone I asked, including several fellow artists whose opinions I respect a lot, seemed to have a different, but very valid, reason why their favorite three should be entered, and one friend even went as far as to scour my entire body of work and pick three that weren't even on the original list - also with very good reasons why she chose those pieces.

Finally, because I realized I needed to order the photos to have enough time for them to ship and for me to frame them, I just did a "1,2,3...PICK SOMETHING." and chose:

"Variety is the Spice of Life"


"Ivy Window 2"


and "Old Barrels"


The way the Ellipse Show works is that instead of the usual, "Submit slides, with your entry form and fee, and we'll get back to you," you have to prepare up to three pieces, and actually bring them, check in, and then they judge all the pieces and notify artists the next evening if all three pieces got in.  If you don't get a call, that means you have 1 or more piece that didn't get accepted, and you need to return the next day to pick up whatever didn't get in.  We live over 2 hours away, but thankfully, my husband's parents live in the area, so we planned just to stay with them and visit with family and local friends during the stay.

We dropped off my artwork Wednesday morning, as soon as we got into town, and then waited and hoped for a call Thursday evening.  It never came, so I was nervous.  I didn't go into this with high hopes, so I thought perhaps nothing made it in.

When I went to pick up my artowork on Friday, I had butterflies.  It didn't help that the gentleman in line in front of me was told, "I'm sorry to tell you that none of your pieces were accepted."  My heart sank.  Then my husband came and patted me on the shoulders, which I thought meant, "There, there, it'll be alright."  Instead I heard that "Variety is the Spice of Life", my largest piece, had gotten in. Alvin had seen the piece over in the "accepted works" area and that was why he was patting me on the shoulder.  Granted the other two pieces didn't get in, but I'm just happy to have gotten even 1 piece accepted, and the one that would have been the hardest to transport back home (it's about 31x31).  It's one more thing I can put on my resume and feel proud about.  I'd be over the moon if my piece were to win one of the awards, because it is a competition as well, or if the pieces sells, but really, getting in is prize enough for me.

My work, and the work of the other artists, will be on display at the Ellipse Arts Center from January 26 - March 10. 2007.  Full show information, and the art center's hours of operation, can be found at the Ellipse Arts Center website.