Stunning and Exciting News!

I have gotten to the point in my painting development it seemed logical to start a new challenge, to take the next skill expansion steps and to be brave!  I have been entering into juried shows with the Federation of Canadian Artists out of Vancouver BC over the past 18 months.  I have had about a 30% success rate so far.  The competition is pretty stiff as there are now 2900 artists registered with FCA and they are now receiving about 500 entries for shows that only have space for 60 pieces.  

So the logical next step is to start to expand into different kinds of shows in Canada and the USA.  Well logical to me anyway. I made a list of 6 shows (beyond 2 of the FCA shows) I would like to enter a painting into.  I focused all of January and February on painting for these shows.  I only was able to enter into 3 of the 6 shows.  LOL it takes a long time to do these paintings...always longer than I hope for. 

So on April 16th I received a message from an artist friend congratulating me for having a painting accepted into the Richeson75 2018 Still Life & Floral exhibition.  This is the response that I had below.  I was completely stunned, super excited and completely breathless.  See photo below!  Thankfully two of my sons and my parents were willing to listen to me being crazy excited for a long time that night as my husband was in the midst of Arctic Winter Games prep.  

I really thought it would be 3 to 5 years before my paintings were at the level to be accepted into these big shows...and I am pretty sure that I am not completely mistaken in that expectation.  But, here I am with a piece accepted into my second big show I entered.  Wow universe thanks for the message that I am going in the right direction and for the total incentive to keep my nose to the grindstone and paint. (lol too bad I am traveling a lot for the next 4 months...of course)

'Glow', 15x22in, Watercolour (Sold) - juried into Richeson75 2018 Still Life & Floral Exhibition (on-Line)

Today the link goes live to the Show.  Click HERE!

Over the years I have been following a number of the artists who were also accepted and I am amazed and humbled to be part of a show that they are in.  There are an amazing range of artists from all over the world in the show. 

So what am I doing now?  I am finished up one commission and getting the second commission set up so that I when i get back from visiting our oldest then I can start painting it before I head out on the next trip!  Then I am packing and sorting and getting ready to head out.  So all this exciting energy kind of not going to get used...darn but isn't that what life is like, isn't it.  

Thanks for stopping by to share my fun news.  Tell me what you think... :)