The Letter

I heard from the gallery on Wednesday, as I thought: rejected. I took it harder then I thought, though...I still don't want to tak about it...or paint, for that matter...I guess like everything else, this, too, will pass. But for the meantime, I just can't help feeling like a failure.

Night

" Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of a tree."

Antoine De Saint-Exupery.

Need I say more?.

"The Interview"

Well, it is done. I had my interview on Tuesday. They asked me to take eight to ten paintings (I took eleven: "Hear my Voice", "Frozen Moon" , "The Path" , "Eclipse" , "A Window Home" , "Transition" , "Andante" ,"Dreams" , "Glow" , "Under he Gypsy Moon" , "Dancers in the dark" , plus my artist statement, a CD with my portfolio and several business cards). My husband came with me, partly because the case I was carrying the pieces in was very big and heavy and partly (mostly) because I was too nervous to drive. We got there about ten minutes earlier (which is always a good thing, because for some reason traffic was crazy!!!!!) and the meeting began.

The gallery was very nice, it's the Hosmer Gallery (inside Forbes Library) in Northampton, MA. I showed her everything I brought, and talked about what every piece was about, what it meant to me, the techniques I used for each one, etc. I know I messed up a couple of times, because when I'm nervous I tend to think faster than I can speak and as a result, I start stuttering and speaking really fast and also playing with my hands a lot (I do "speak" with my hands a lot, but hey, I have Italian and Spanish blood, so I can argue its genetic). There were a couple of pieces I could tell she really liked ("Transition" and "Frozen Moon"). In the end I think she found the work interesting, at least (and different...which is good, I suppose?). To make a long story short, she said she would let me know in 2 or 3 weeks whether I made the cut or not... so, guess what I asked Santa for this Christmas (hehehe).

All kidding aside, this was a very, very big deal for me... I never thought I would have the courage to do this. I never thought someone would take the time to look at my work and really look at it (the texture, the materials, the colors, not just "oh, its pretty!" or "How cute!"), ask me about it, evaluate it... and like it (and not laugh in my face). I never thought I would be taken seriously by a curator, or a gallery, for that matter. I don't know if I got the spot, and frankly, I'm not counting on getting it (I would love to, it would blow my mind, I would feel truly honored and thankful for the rest of my life... but there are a lot of more experienced and talented artists in that area, so the odds are against me), however just the fact that I had the chance to do this has freed me of so many demons... and there is when you come in. Thank you, to each and everyone of you. Everyone who's ever posted a comment, a word of support, anyone who has ever taken the time to read these posts, to look at the pictures: THANK YOU, you have helped me more than you will ever know in taking my first steps in this confusing and scary world of art. Thank you for the strength you have given me.