Not the Royal Academy show

Emergence
8 x 24 Oil/Wood Panel

This is the piece that I submitted to the RA Summer Exhibition, which was rejected. It's OK, I wasn't surprised. Apparently you have to apply more than once plus there were rumoured to be between 8,000 and 10,000 entries, 10% are accepted, 5% are Royal Academicians so that leaves 5% of regular old artists like me! I shall keep trying though... I now see it as a challenge and must succeed before I get too old to hold a brush in my hand!

Still, the good news is that it was accepted at the Not the Royal Academy show, which is inspired by the 'Salon des Refuses' in Paris in the 19th Century.

So that is a glimmer of hope in these dismal times.

Emergence 8 x 24 Oil/Wood Panel

At last a photo of my triptych. I think I am going to start using pastel colours! This was so hard to photograph (and to paint!). Fingers crossed it gets accepted, but I know the competition is enormous, so I am not holding my breath. You have to have a go at least!

I am back in snowy New Mexico now. I have left spring in the UK, with all the daffodils about to burst open for cold New Mexico. It's so good to be back with my main squeeze after four months absence.

I don't think there will be much time to relax though. I have loads of paintings I want to do and need to get the house ready to rent.

Nuthatch Commission - Coming along!

I think my little nuthatch commission is coming along nicely.... and today I posted my entry form for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Yay!! Last year I missed the deadline so I have been really working hard trying to get the paintings finished so that I felt confident enough to submit the entry form... and I did it! No doubt I will be rejected, (I always like to expect the worst, then I won't be disappointed!!) but you have to try. I have been told that you have to submit a few times before you get accepted, but maybe that is an urban myth. So... this is my first time of trying, and hopefully I will eventually get accepted before I reach 60!