REJECTION..too long

Re: REJECTION..too long

Sam Dean

>Thank you for the insight, Keith. I'm applying for two juried shows right now (just took the pics tonight), so I know what you, and Molly, mean about rejection. This is my first attempt "at the big time", so I'm preparing myself for the worst, but hoping for the best.

Thanks,

Sam

Re: REJECTION..too long

John Lucas

>Keith

Been there done that. I've learned that rejection or being passed over at the symposium is simply one or two people making a decision at the spur of the moment. This decision may or may not work out for you but it was their decision at the moment. I just keep struggling.

The main thing to remember is that we started this for fun and relaxation and perhaps to release some creativity and of course to make new friends. That is still there, fortunately.

Sure it would be nice to be recognized but I think the friendship is probably the most important thing I've gotten out of this hobby.

Critics are another matter. It's hard for people to accept a critic of their work. Ideally a critic is done to show how a piece of work might be improved (in that persons view). However many people take a critic to mean I did poorly and they don't like the work. This is almost never the case. They are just trying to show you how to improve the work.

Case in point. I went to my first symposium around 1990. I had a segmented piece with carved feet that I was quite proud of. Betty Scarpino picked it up after complimenting me on the joinery began to show everyone how the feet didn't match the shape, the taper was too straight and the lip didn't match the feet. I was hacked, but I got home and looked at it real hard and she was right. She wasn't actually putting my piece down, she was simply using it to show how it could be improved. Made a big difference in my turning because now I looked at the shapes, I just didn't blindly turn them. In fact I now look at every piece critically when I'm done and ask myself what could be changed to improve the piece.

Another way to get in..... *LINK*

tdaniel

>I recently received a notice of an upcoming juried art show which required 3 slides be submitted in order to get into the show. I didn't have any unsold pieces completed that were of the quality I wanted to show so I just sent them my website instead, along with a note. I was contacted immediately and given a spot in the show. We have another member in our club that never submits slides; if he is invited he doesn't go. I am sure that this will not work with many of the bigger shows but it works on some. Remember, their goal is to have quality exhibits. The slides is a means to that end; but not the only means.

TD


http://www.theoldrebelworkshop.org

Re: REJECTION..too long

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Hello Keith et al

Rejection is a tough thing to handle sometimes - well, maybe all the time, but it does get better. I spent a fair amount of time in sales before I turned my hobby into a business, so maybe I got all the rejection stuff out of the way. In a regular sales job, a person is doing well if they get one person in 10 to say yes. One of the things I have learned over the years is that there is a person for every piece. What one person hates, someone else will love. The hard part is finding that person, and sometimes we have to go through a bunch of failures to get to the success. However, we never reach the success if we give up at the first (or even the 10th!) failure.

Everyone fails. Everyone is rejected at some point. The ones who succeed are the ones who do not give up. I have had people look at my stuff and give me every critique possible. I thank them for their comments, take what I feel is warranted and (ha ha) reject the rest! There is bound to be someone else coming along soon enough who will want the piece that was rejected.

Of course, it gets harder when the rejector (is that even a word?) stands at the gateway to others, but that is part of life. Most people make a buying decision within a few seconds of seeing our work anyway, and most of the time it is no. Otherwise we would all be so busy we could never keep up. Success comes in trying again and again until we find our niche (sorry for the pun - well, not really.)

Bill

Rejection is a good thing

steve antonucci

>I've been in sales for the past 6 years, but only carried quota for one. As part of a team, I never saw the rejection most sales people get, and when I had my first quota and failed, I was devasted by the amount of rejection. Not only was I missing my numbers, but I also had 9/10 people telling me "no."

First instinct was to stop trying, since I was only going to fail. Anyone in sales will tell you that this is a great way to become unemployed. So I tried calling back the same 9 people who said "no", and I got one of them to say yes the second time. Then a third. Then a fourth.

Persistence is critical to improving your skills in any aspect of life. Often, the critic is "right" in their assessment of your current ability, but they have no way to tell the future. Learn from the critique, and learn to be self-critcial. By seeking others opinions, we often see things we missed because we are too close to the process.

One year later, after looking within, I will close this quarter 200% of goal. Remember that you are your own best critic, and that only YOU can make YOU better.

steve

Re: REJECTION..too long

Molly Winton

>Keith, reading your examples reinforces the need to keep trying. I also believe you only fail when you give up. I've been thinking about which pieces I will bring to KC for the Instant Gallery, and in my personal assessment I'm also comparing what I will choose, with the ones I brought this past year to Provo. Looking at the personal improvement I've made is really significant in just one year. As I've gained critiques from those I respect, and keep assessing and reassessing what I'm doing and how I'm doing it my work continues to be refined. I'm the first person that throws one of my pieces under the nose of someone to critique it. I want it to be analyzed to the last wood fiber. As Bill Grumbine says, I then take what works for me, and reject the rest. I'm up for the challenge, it makes me a better turner. So rejection can be a good thing.

Re: REJECTION..too long

Russ Fairfield

>A critique is just one persons opinion. Some are tactful in their criticism, others are not.

Other woodturners are usually poor critiquers, regardless of who they are, because their opinions reflect their own work. Some are egotistical about it. Some are spiteful. Some appear to be jealous. Others aren't.