This is a true confession to you about my love-hate relationship as a juror / curator. During my art career I must have organized, juried and curated more than 200 exhibitions. Before the Internet, I arranged them in NYC galleries, corporate spaces, night clubs, universities, and other alternative venues. Since 2000, I have organized and promoted online exhibitions using the two websites: Manhattan Arts International and The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS.
What I Love About It
I love curating exhibitions. I love the exhilarating process of viewing the myriad of art entries, discovering new creative expressions, and exploring the depths of the hearts and minds of artists. The unlimited range of artistic imagination and talent always amazes me. The many different ways artists are able to convey emotion and ideas, observe and capture their passions are always astounding. The commitment they have to excel in their chosen mediums is supremely admirable.
I love that artists take time to not only create and select the art for the show but also to prepare the jpegs and entry form. I realize they could be doing many other things with the same time it takes to resize jpegs, write their statements, and all the other detailed work that the submission process requires.
It is a humbling experience to know the artists place their trust in me to take time to earnestly and thoroughly give their art the attention and consideration they deserve. That feeling remains with me throughout the entire judging procedure.
In addition to viewing their entries I also love visiting the artists’ websites to learn more about their creative process, body of work, and career strides. It’s always a joy when the art they submitted is part of a larger story with surprising twists and turns. It is an awe-inspiring experience.
I love informing the artists I’ve chosen when I have selected their art. Many times, the news comes to them when they need it most and they tell me that being selected has changed their lives. They often reveal that receiving an accolade such as this fosters confidence and gives them the fortitude to persist. They often share personal information that is very emotional and I often read emails with tears in my eyes.
I love curating exhibitions that make a difference. The annual “HerStory” exhibitions of art by women aim to increase equality in the art world.
The Love That Keeps Giving
I love the exhibition projects, the varied themes — from HerStory to Resilience, to Nature-Inspired Art and The Healing Power of Color, and Mixed Media… I never pay attention to the clock or mind the long hours,. My eyes are wide open, my heart races with anticipation, and many tears flow during and after the process.
I’m sure you can relate to this roller-coaster experience as an artist as you face the joys and challenges in creating your art and also a series of works.
After the individual works of art are selected I then take care to arrange the order in which the art is shown, to create an ebb and flow throughout the show, as I consider how the viewer will experience the art. I try not to think about offending the artists whose art may not be on the top of the page or else I would never get finished. And, yes, I change my mind about the order hundreds of times.
And, finally, when the project is complete and I click “publish” I explode with gratitude for the opportunity to share it with the world. Sending the first email newsletter and social media post about it is always a celebration. That’s when I get up from my computer desk and do a happy dance!
Afterwards, I sit back and relax and enjoy viewing the art exhibition innumerable times. I notice new aspects about each work of art work with every viewing. It is a joyful artistic milestone to share, savor and cherish.
If it is a love-hate relationship that carries pain, you might ask me why do I do it? Because, among many things it is a blessing to share the art of extraordinary artists and give them a larger audience. It is an honor to promote artists I have known and have believed in for decades as well as new artists whose relationships are born through the exhibitions.
And, with all of the mixed blessings, after the project is complete, I feel elated and renewed as I contemplate what’s next? It’s a love that keeps giving.
What I Hate About It
I hate the process of having to reject artists from exhibitions due to the limitations of space, time, and other constraints. And, based on the fact that they are competitions after all. Some artists are extraordinary, others are close, while others still may just need a little more time to develop. I see so much artistic excellence that has been attained and I also see so much potential waiting to come to fruition.
It is disheartening when I have to reject art because the artist failed to follow the clearly written requirements. The causes may be their jpeg images are not sized or cropped properly or they submitted a statement that didn’t correlate with the exhibition theme or it had too many grammatical errors that could not be overlooked.
The job has become more difficult each year because the calls for artists on Manhattan Arts International and The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS websites where I curate the shows attract the best artists. There are no other online exhibition sites that can compare with ours.
It’s an excruciating ordeal. I frequently have to choose between art that is relatively similar in order to make sure the exhibition shows variety. It often comes to having to decide which nature scene surpasses the others in technical proficiency or which abstract paintings have more of a “wow” factor, or which narrative pieces communicate stronger messages that best reflect the theme of the exhibition.
The problematic decision-making process involves comparing each artists’ overall entries. If an artist submits six images and I love them all, which one should I choose? It’s a game of mental gymnastics!
Splitting hairs is an easier feat than having to make these curatorial decisions. And, a lot more painful. Furthermore, these painful feelings of having to reject artists linger beyond the opening of the exhibition.
However, the feelings of satisfaction definitely outweigh any of the negatives.
Thank you for reading as I felt compelled to share my feelings.
You may also want to read…
Important Basics to Know Before Submitting Your Art to a Jury
Why Artists Win Juried Competitions
How to Avoid Getting Rejected in Art Competitions – Mistakes Artists Make
Answers to “Why Wasn’t My Art Chosen?”
The Joys of Being An Art Curator
Thank you Renee for your insight and thoughts on curating and selecting art for an exhibit. I, like most artists know the feeling of rejection as well as the elation that comes with being selected; I now understand a little bit more about how hard it can be to select work. I hope you continue to share this and other information that will help artists better understand how the art world works and how we may be better prepared to find our way in it.
Thank you Steven for reading the article and letting me know it served a purpose. As you suggested I will continue to share information from my experience, perspective and observations about how the art world works. Your comment will help me be a better artist mentor.
It is obviously a difficult task. As hard as it is sometimes to produce art, decisions like yours would be even more difficult. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Patricia, Thank you for reading the article and your comment! I’m glad you enjoyed reading it.
Thank you for sharing this, Renee. I truly admire your honesty and vulnerability about when you jury an exhibition. Those two qualities are so important in any area of the artistic process. You can relate to the art and the artist in a better and more intimate way when you see honesty and vulnerability in their work. Thank you for your sensitivity and kindness towards all of us who work with you.
Always my best, ~Linda
Thank you for sharing your humanity and such a deep perspective on making decisions as a juror and curator. Without your profound honesty, the jurying process can often seem/feel cold, hidden, cut and dry to artists on the other side. However, It’s beautiful to read about how thoughtful and sacred this process is to you. It’s YOUR art. Every artist who comes before you truly doesn’t even realize the blessing you are to their growth (no matter what your decision) because that decision comes from your heart with the best of intentions for their journey. I love that you look behind each piece of artwork and recognize each creator as a full and whole individual with infinite potential and then continue to discern how you may or may not be part of their path. Thank you, Renee! You are a gift to so many and are beyond generous with your time. Many blessings to you for all the love, care, and wisdom you share and will continue to share with the art world. I feel lucky that our paths have crossed.
Dear Karen, YOU are a gift to so many! Thank you for your kind words. I hope to live up to the credit you give me. I feel very blessed to know you and grateful that you took time to read the article and share your thoughts and feelings about what I wrote. It is comforting to know we are part of the same community that knows every action must be taken with a higher consciousness. And, thank you for sharing your love and faith based art with the world and for giving me the opportunity to promote it through The Healing Power of ART & ARTISTS and the exhibitions I curate.
How nice if you to share your feelings this way. I too know the exhilaration of curating shows as I curated two huge shows at the Main Library in San Francisco. As an artist I have experienced both the joys of acceptance and the gut wrenching lows of rejection. However, I am grateful for all the work that curators do in galleries and museums and I would not want the job of a juror. You are very brave. Thanks for all your hard work.
Dear Linda, Thank you for reading the article and for sharing your comment as an artist who has also curated shows. Thank you for your kind words. I feel that organizing exhibitions is an exhilarating experience and each show offers new opportunities for me to learn and grow.
Thank you Renee for sharing such a heartfelt piece. I can still remember the elation I felt when I received an honorable mention as a Healing Power entrant in one of the very first shows I entered. So thank you for sharing a look at the other side! ❤️
Thank you Carolyn for reading this article and your wonderful comment. I am so grateful that you entered the competition and for giving me the honor and opportunity to promote your art.
Thank you Renee for sharing your process and heartfelt support of all the artists around the world. It was such an honor chosen by you for the Her Story show earlier this year. You definitely put your heart and soul into your work.
Sherry
Thank you Sherry. I appreciate your comment and for submitting your art to HerStory. You’re right, I always put my heart and soul into a project because I know the artists are also doing that and they deserve my total devotion. Take good care!
Renee, thanks to this article I now have more of an appreciation for the challenges that jurors have to face. I am always amazed at how generously you share your experience and knowledge with sheer honesty. And the article about what mistakes to avoid when submitting art to a juror is an important wakeup call for me to pay more attention and take more time when I submit my art to juried competitions. Thank you!
Dennis, Thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading this article and the other article How to Avoid Getting Rejected in Art Competitions – Mistakes Artists Make. I wish you the best of success in juried exhibitions and all of your career endeavors.
Thanks Renee.
It seems so hard to jury a show yet so fulfilling. Sometimes I know artists get angry at the juror.
I hope that hasn’t happened to you.
How did you learn to become such a great writer?
Thank you Dee. Sometimes artists express their disappointment, never anger. Whenever possible I try to offer an explanation as to why their art wasn’t chosen. It is often a technical problem, not a rejection of their art. That’s why, to explain, I wrote Answers to “Why Wasn’t My Art Chosen?” and “Important Basics to Know Before Submitting Your Art to A Jury”.
Thank you for your question. You are very kind. I don’t think of myself as a great writer. I’m still trying. 🙂 I think my best writing is when I allow my heart to guide me and I always write with the purpose of trying to serve and be helpful to readers. And, I’m always amazed and elated when I receive comments like yours. All the best, Renee
It was very sweet to read your heartfelt words about jurying artists. I’ve been on a jury a few times (not 200!) and I can relate to everything you’ve said! It also made me a better artist as I was able to see my art “from the other side”.
Thank you for the extraordinary work you do for us artists and for the art world. Finding you online at the beginning of my career gave me faith in the contemporary art world!
Dear Gaia, Thank you for your kind and reassuring words, especially since you have had experience as a juror. I feel very blessed to have made a positive contribution in the beginning stage of your art career. Furthermore, thank you for continuing to read my articles all these years! Best wishes, Renee