I have recently been encouraged to enter some of my pages in the Bead Dreams Contest for this year. Robin says it will not interfere with the BJP. Her concern was if I would be too disappointed if my work was not accepted for judging.
Has anyone here tried to enter this contest? Would it affect any of you adversely if your work was not selected? Working on this project has made me explore many of my feelings and how I can apply them in a positive way. I'm afraid if I didn't at least try, I would be disappointed in myself.
What do you all think? Would you do it? Why or why not?
Thanks, Arline
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Hi Arline,
I just looked and saw that the deadline is not till April, so I would for myself consider the possibility of using some of my newfound learnings and creating a piece or more for the exhibit.
It's just my feeling about my BJP work that its kind of sacred, just for me, and I wouldn't want to expose it to the positive or negative judgement of others.
I have entered shows (not this one) and have work in them, and I find this work feels so much more personal. I like having something I make not have to stand up to the value judgements of others, but just "be."
I think the energy and momentum of this way of working will spill over into whatever other art work we do.
Best juju to you in your decision!
Thanks Vicki. I, too, have found this project to be intensely personal. At least I have time to make up my mind.
Well said, Vicki!
I hadn't realized that the entry date was so far in advance. I find that when I have in my mind that I want to exhibit something or enter it in a competition, my brain takes over the project, and my heart goes underground. It's probably there, but the work doesn't have the same spontenaety and personal intensity that it does when I'm doing it just for me, or just to be doing it. After it's done, I can enter it, but I try to keep all thoughts of competition, books, and exhibitions out of my mind when I'm making it. That's why I didn't want to talk about exhibitions for the BJP at this point. I don't even want to think of it, because of the effect that has on my work. Vicki says it better than me...
However, if you decide to enter, you have my full support and I'm sure that of the whole group.
Blessings, Robin
Thank you, Robin.
Seems like a lot of time to think about doing this, Arline. This should be purely a personal decision, I would think. If you are able to participate in both the BJP and keep yourself detached regarding the competition, then go for it.
You, alone, are the best judge of what you can or cannot do.
Kathy V in NM
qualche volta ho partecipato a concorsi letterari, e, a meno che non avessi lavori già pronti, risultava sempre una gran fatica preparare qualcosa di nuovo.
mi piace il bjp perchè è libero dal dover valutare o far valutare le proprie capacità, mi insegna molte cose e mi permette di sbloccare i miei sentimenti.
di solito parlo molto poco di me, la me stessa nascosta, quella del cuore... nel bjp mi sento libera e apprezzata e riesco a dire cose di me che non dico altrove, anche se sono molto socevole e allegra, a volte anche "chiacchierona".
sono pronta però ad appoggiare e, se occorre aiutare, chiunque voglia partecipare a questa cosa.
spero possiate capirmi,
ciao matilda
I've entered a lot of contests or shows as we put it euphemistically, and I've learned that what is award winning in one show may be rejected next time for many reasons that have nothing, absolutely nothing, to do with the work. When people are judging a show they look at any where from 100 to 1,000 works in a few hours. That is a lot to look at. Sometimes they don't like the quality of slides or jpeg file, sometimes it may fit their idea of what should be in the show for the theme, sometimes they just don't care for it, and the next time it wins first place. So, don't take it personally whether anything is accepted or not. It has more to say what the judge wants, how they were feeling and a hundred other factors you have no control over. Letting work out there, to me means letting it just happen and not worrying about it. Not everyone in the world likes you. Not everyone in the world hates you. Your work is the same way.
As I've grown older, I've learned that it just isn't that important what someone else thinks of what I do as it is important what I think. The end of discussion for me. I know when I'm satisfied. This has been learned at years of rejection as well as acceptance. In the end, I'm the one who needs to feel good about what I do--the rest is gravy!
Hey Arline,
I agree with Mary Timme. I guess the question comes down to you in the end and your comfort zone. If you can enter the piece/pieces and not take any comments personally, go for it. If it would feel like the world is judging your child or your inner soul - don't.
I have entered quilts into competitions and shows and had my share of wins and rejections. One quilt didn't even make it past the first round of judging, then in another show it walked away with two top ribbons.
The only things that I look for in the judging are constructive critisms that can help me inprove my work.
As for judges, I have had the pleasure of working with judges at a large quilt show and I can tell you that none of them ever mean to hurt an entrant with their comments. Most take their jobs very seriously and have a great deal of respect for those who dare to enter the show. They do have a lot of work to look at in a very short span of time. In the show that I have participated in, they get about 3-5 minutes per quilt. Not nearly long enough, but if they took longer they'd never get done.
I can tell you that I was terrified when I entered my first quilt. I still get butterflies but I have learned and grown so much because of the process that it's something that I continue to do.
You will let us all know what you decide to do, won't you?
Hi Arline,
After reading your post again, I feel you need to listen to yourself. You say you would be disappointed in yourself if you don't at least try. I think that is the telling statement in this all.
Nobody will ever be able to take anything away from you that you have experienced throughout this project, you will always have that. They can only tell you no, and we all have had that said to us countless times.
Good luck! We are all behind you!
I have never entered a contest and probably never will but everyone is different. Some people are very social and enjoy the interaction with others including competition. Others like to share but not compete. And some keep everything close to themselves or to a very select group. If you like to be "out there" go for it. I think if the BJP is a stretch for you, you might hold off and grow with it first. Whatever you decide the world won't come to a halt to throw you off; you will learn something new or forgotten about yourself and that is a good thing all by itself. Good luck with your decision. Remember a fork in the road is just a choice of one way or another not the right or wrong way.
Arline - My personal impression of Bead Dreams is that the pieces entered are bling, ohh-ahh, over the top type pieces, not personal statements. It's a competition, not an appreciation of your work. However, you can look on the web site and see what has been entered over the past years and what has won to help you decide the appropriateness of your piece. Susan
You've had lots of great advice already Arline - I say if it feels good do it, you'll know if that's what you really want to do when the time comes.. I'd love to enter something in Bead Dreams too but still haven't got up the courage to do it ;9
I want to thank all of you for sharing your thoughts with me.I really do appreciate it. At this point in time, I don't know whether or not I will enter something in Bead Dreams. Right now my focus is on completing the pages for BJP. Each one of them has given me new insight into my feelings and thoughts. I look forward to doing the next one even as I work on the current page.
One of the nicest things to come out of BJP for me is knowing I've made new friends who share my joy of beading. Thank you all.
Arline
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