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Permalink Reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on October 26, 2011 at 3:07am

You are viewing things at local level and I am talking about international level competitions. Well if the judges can work on your wave length,  because they come from the same background and therefore can have similar views on things and if all this helps you, you can go ahead.
Many famous and well established artists from this region complain that they never won international competitions because their works were never understood by the judges properly even though  they get rave reviews here!   
Tell me this. Can you judge my works from both scientific point of view and artistic points of view?  I wrote this sometime back  : 

Art Critics, answer me, please, can you do justice to my work?

I was told by few art critics that journalists who cover art events don't know much about art & therefore cannot do justice to the art work descriptions in their write-ups.
It made me think. And I wondered how much justice art critics can do to my work if I ask them to analyse it.
Before reading further, please visit my website http://www.kkartfromscience.com & see my work.
Now, if a critic wants to analyse my work, he has to understand deeply scientific theories, religion I was born into, philosophy & logic also apart from art. He has to follow the thought process that went through my mind while I was bringing together these varied fields - analising each one & trying to co-relate them. Then he has to understand what pain I underwent to represent my thoughts in the art form for the world to see.
If he can do all this then only he can do justice to my work. If he is just an expert only in art, he can never fully understand my work. Without understanding it properly, how can he critically analyse my worK?
So, art critics all over the world answer me please, can you criticize my work & justify it?
If any one of you can do it, please let me know. 

Now try to judge my work and let me see how well you can do that.

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 4, 2011 at 7:58am

I found this article on another site and as it is related to this subject I am posting it here too:

Question: What are Art Competition Jurors Looking For?

"I had seven different realistic watercolors rejected by five different national watercolor societies for their annual competitions. Some of the jurors were 'artists' who did acrylic collages on paper. Just what are these juries looking for in a painting?" -- An artist

Answer:

It is hard to not do so, but do not take the rejection personally. Always remember, getting rejected by a exhibition jury does not mean your painting was terrible, that you are an appalling artist, that your work is worthless and you may as well throw your brushes away. It means they did not want to include that painting in that specific exhibition.

Do not read more into a rejection than this. You do not know the jurors and they do not know you. You can never know the reasons behind their ultimate choices, though you can guess, deduce, and speculate. (Local art club shows are different, of course. There people do know who is who and personalities or friendships can get involved in the decisions, but that is a different can of worms to a large juried show.)

Getting seven paintings rejected by five competitions is tough, no doubt about it. Sometimes people have success with the same paintings in different competitions, though there is no foolproof way of knowing what art society competition jurors are after because there are so many factors involved. But if you are painting in a traditional realistic style and jurors focused on contemporary collage, the competition will probably not be a good fit for you. There is no point in trying to get a painting of pears into an apples show. Conversely, if the same paintings keep getting rejected, then you have to concede that other people simply do not like them as much as you do.

Before you decide to enter, check the competition is suitable for your art. The medium, subject matter, and style. Do not make assumptions, but check the small print. For instance, "watercolor" is sometimes limited to transparent watercolor only and at other times include any water-based medium such as acrylics and gouche as well as watercolor paint.

Remember that larger, national competitions will have more entries, and thus it is harder to get in. Question your aim in entering competitions. If it is to enhance your profile or resume as an artist, enter the big, prestigious shows. If your aim is to sell, look for exhibitions aimed at buyers with lots of marketing to the public. If it is about winning prizes, consider regional and local shows with fewer entrants where the odds will be better even if the prizes are smaller.

Check who the jurors will be, what style and type of art they produce (if they are working artists) or favor (if they are critics) or teach. See who the leading members in the society are, and the style of art they produce. Also check what paintings were selected for the exhibition in previous years and what won awards. None of this will tell you exactly what might be accepted this year, but it is a starting point for getting a feel for the type of work that has been included and thus might be again.

Do not mimic a juror's style of painting in the hope it will get you accepted. No-one likes to have their style copied, and your work may be seen as unoriginal.

Do not forget to compare the size of your paintings to what was in last year's show, as the final selection may include choices based on what will fit a group exhibition. Over-sized paintings are less likely to be accepted simply because of the amount of wall space they take up.

It should go without saying, but be sure to follow all the entry requirements. Every single thing, even if you think it is daft. That is the way it is wanted, so do it that way. Do not get your paintings rejected for a technicality.

Ensure your writing is legible, that you have provided all the information requested, and signed the forms in triplicate if necessary. Double-check the requirements for framing (or not) and that you do (or do not) have a hanging mechanism (such as d-rings and wire) as stated. Again, do not get rejected for a reason that has nothing to do with your artistic skill.

Do not enter an okay or nice or safe painting, enter your best work that fits the competition criteria. Submissions are accepted or rejected within seconds; you wouldd probably be horrified how quickly the initial choice is made. You want the "wow" emotional impact to hit the jurors, not generate a "yuck" or "boring, seen-that-a-hundred-times" response. If you do not think the painting is exceptional, why would something else?

Jurors are looking for creativity and originality, which in most competitions is not synonymous with cutting-edge, earth-shattering, in-your-face difference. Something that is appealing, catches the eye and pulls you in for a closer look. Something with a strong composition and solid technical skill (no paint flaking off!). You can not know what this definitely will be in the juror's eyes, but if you can not decide for yourself which are the best from amongst your paintings, ask your friends (both arty and not) which they prefer.

If you have enough good paintings, enter the maximum number of pieces the competition allows as it gives the judges a chance to see more of your work, that you are not a one-hit wonder. But ensure they are all of an equal, consistent standard, representative of the quality of your body of work.

If you're asked to provide a biography or artist's statement, keep it straightforward and short. Do not try to "sound fancy" or put it into "art speak", and don't fib about going to art school. If you are a mostly self-taught artist, say so. It does not change what your painting looks like. Ensure it sounds sensible; if you don't know what it means, how will anyone else?

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on November 4, 2011 at 8:04am

And here is what a judge says:

Juried Art Shows

What a juried art show is like from a juror’s point of view

From Katie Lee, Botanical and Zoological Artist, 

On occasion I am asked to help jury an art exhibit. These requests are never answered right away. This is a great responsibility, of course not life and death, but responsibility nevertheless.

Always I am an artist and as such experience the anticipation and often the disappointment when the juror’s results come back. How long I let the disappointment effect me depends on how much I wanted the results to be different. But in time I seem to get beyond my insecurities, the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach and get back to the studio and to my work. Because, in truth, that is what it is my work, my voice and my passion. But the insecurity that visits any artist is always there no matter the experience, no matter how many times you submit work to be reviewed by a jury.

I am one other person, that is a teacher, and as such it is very important to me to never say, or do, anything that will create an environment in which a student would feel vulnerable or inept. It is important to me that my teaching is a chance for students to expand their abilities and techniques, not for me to insist on a style, or change an individual’s personal voice.

So when I answer the invitation to participate on a jury I answer from an artist’s point of view, a teacher’s, and a person willing to be public with an honest opinion and comfortable that the other members of the jury will do the same. All jurors have to be willing to voice their opinion and stand by it no matter how unpopular.

Acceptance Juries and Medal Award Juries

Is there any difference between being on a jury for acceptance into an art show, and a medal award jury? I do not think so. Both bear the same responsibility: fairness, honesty, and no politically motivated decisions. The result will be an opinion, that is all. I have been on a jury for acceptance into a show with two other jurors; we had a preset list of criteria, each to be awarded zero to five points. The paintings accepted were those with the highest total points awarded by the jurors, and in my opinion it was the fairest panel I have ever been on. There was little or no discussion between jurors, the art show was the combined result of three opinions.

I have had another experience; this was a jury to award medals. The jury was made up of six people each bringing their own particular expertise. We set our own criteria: botanical accuracy, color accuracy, composition, drawing accuracy/ability, control of medium, clear sense of a single light source creating volume and form. Each artist had to submit four works for the show, so the final criteria was overall consistency of the works. We talked at length in front of each artist’s grouping, debating each and every decision. Not once did we reach agreement, every medal was awarded by majority vote. This process depended on each juror having an opinion and being confident enough to vocalize that opinion and not be overruled. (Too often anyway.) You need to be ready to be the odd one out, and if necessary stand by your decision. It was often contentious; sometimes fun, but always a tremendous learning lesson.

Then we attended the art show opening ceremony, which of course included the presentation of the medals. I looked into the audience each time a medal was presented, and my heart went to those filled with anticipation. I so know that place and I so understand the complete let down when your name is not announced. Oh, how I wanted the announcer to say “Everyone got a medal, and by the way it is a gold” but there were artists who received gold, silver, or bronze medals and there were many artists who got nothing. Of course all the artists exhibited were accepted into a juried art show and that was no small feat. But all that work, passion, effort and no medal.... There were some who came to receive their medal with eyes full of tears, and there were those who did not get the expected medal with eyes full of tears.

Lessons to be Learned from Juried Art Shows

I have to remind Katie the Artist that a jury just has an opinion to be agreed or disagreed with. When you look at your work that's been rejected, do you see it now with different eyes, maybe even in truth agree with the jury, it was not your best work, or do you look at the work and think “No this is exactly what I wanted to say, I disagree with their opinion” and be comfortable with that?

I have to ask Katie the Juror the question: “Are you completely comfortable with your participation in the process, was it fair and honest even though you might disagreed with some of the outcomes?”

I am writing this to Katie the Teacher: “How can you better prepare your students to create for themselves, to be confident in their own opinions, but still recognize their vulnerabilities?”

I am writing this to all of you who have been disappointed by the opinion of a jury: if there is a constructive lesson to be learned then take that as a gift. But do not put your pencils or brushes down because of the opinion of so few. Hold your opinions high in a respectful place and remember this is your work to do as you please. Try not let the jury effect you for too long. Keep in perspective that the opinion of any jury might well be different with only the slightest change in the make up of that jury.

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