TRAVELS

Thursday I received a truly lovely rejection letter from a show on the west coast.  The organization actually addressed the letter to me the artist.  A personal touch is nice even if they are saying no.  Though the entry fee was outrageous I had decided to venture west with my work.  Not to be, but, at least, I will now save on shipping costs of the actual painting.

Yesterday I went south to pick up my paintings at the RIWS juried floral show.  Happy to reclaim them as it has been a month since I last saw them and I still feel they are strong works.  (This is a rare feeling for me when it comes to my work.)  These are paintings that resulted from a time of patience and exploration.  Last night I was reading Wolf Kahn's America, An Artist's Travels by Wolf Kahn.  (Highly recommended!)  He writes about seeing a portrait painting, admitting not his strong suit, he had painted several years earlier and was happy to see it again painted so freely.  It is good to like one's work in retrospect and one must learn not to judge oneself harshly while working.