Help: Rejection, what's love got to do with it? Success

Given those acceptance percentages just for OVAC’s programs, why keep trying?

“You just have to keep working on your art,” Kate Rivers, 2009 Fellowship recipient. Rivers received a $5,000 award this year, judged by an outside curator.

She had submitted six times before being a winner this year!

In fact, her seventh submission (the winner) ties the highest number of submissions by an artist to OVAC’s Fellowship program. In this case, her diligence paid off.

When I asked Kate why she kept submitting, she pointed out that the guest curator changes each year, plus she feels compelled to keep evolving her artwork. Also, the submission pool varies greatly. This year 52 submitted, last year 85 and in 2007, 85. You never know who else is applying, so can’t guess what the curator will see.

Kate said the Fellowship was just a part of a string of successes with galleries she’s had this year. I think all Kate’s opportunities have come from a combination of her hard work in the studio art and her willingness to risk rejection when submitting her artwork.