In order for the art ecosystem to work, many rejections must be handed out. You have, no doubt, discovered this and been the recipient of one or two.
This means to have a successful art business and career, you must learn to deal with rejection.
More to the point, in order to be successful in life, you have to learn to deal with rejection, regardless of your vocation.
The good news about rejection is that you are not alone. Every artist who wants to attain a higher level of accomplishment must deal with rejection. If you aren’t counting your rejections, you aren’t taking risks or stretching your goals.
The bad news is … well … You’ve been rejected. And that feels awful. But you can’t let it stop you.
Help is here!
My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Megan Wimberley, who wants to help you move past rejection. As both an artist and a founder of the Cowgirl Artists of America organization, she has experienced both sides of the process.
We discuss Megan’s framework for dealing with rejection, including the importance of emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and learning from the rejection—all in the service of elevating your professionalism and protecting your reputation.
Listen
Scroll down to watch the video interview.
[ Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron ]
[ What Your Failures are Teaching You with Laura Petrovich-Cheney ]
Highlights with Audio Timestamps
01:48 The birth of Cowgirl Artists of America (CGA)
03:01 Balancing her art and organization admin
03:29 Exhibition programs and the jury process
06:42 We all experience rejection
08:57 Emotional intelligence and mindfulness
14:47 Every juror has a perspective and they will vary wildly from one another
16:24 Common mistakes in art applications
20:27 Space considerations are one reason you might be rejected
22:23 Handling rejection with professionalism
25:16 More about emotional intelligence and mindfulness
26:44 What are your rejections trying to tell you?
29:24 Rethinking that disgruntled email you may want to send
31:54 The importance of professional communication
36:53 Therapy and support systems for artists
38:44 Upcoming CGA exhibition and events
Improve Your Presentation
Spend time learning about how to get better rather than dwelling on rejection.
Start with my comprehensive art-marketing program for building a lasting foundation for a successful art business … Essentials for Artist Success.
Then gain some insight by listening to these professionals discuss on The Art Biz what they look for in artists.
COLLIN PARSON
nonprofit gallery curator
MELISSA MESSINA
independent curator
JEREMY TESSMER
commercial gallerist
Quotes
“We should all be in therapy.” —Megan Wimberley
“Sometimes when I’m dealing with something challenging and feeling big emotions, I imagine that I’m holding this little emotion in my hand and I say, ‘What are you trying to tell me? Because our emotions are trying to tell us something.’ ” —Megan Wimberley
“Because when we name the emotion, it’s this weird little thing in our brain. It takes a little bit of that sting and that power away.” —Megan Wimberley
“What you are communicating when you submit a poor application is I am not trustworthy.” —Megan Wimberley
“Tearing other people down is never going to lift you up.” —Alyson Stanfield
Related Episodes
These episodes center around mindset.
About My Guest
From the moment Megan Wimberley could cling to a saddle horn, legs barely long enough to sit a horse, she was in love. Her fascination with the wild and domestic animals of the American West has dominated much of her life. She explores our connection with these animals, drawing on her experiences with horses, dogs, and cattle.
As founder of Cowgirl Artists of America, she champions female artists in the Western genre. Despite battling Rheumatoid Arthritis, Wimberley continues to create and inspire. Her work has been featured in Mountain Oyster Show and Cowgirl Up! among others.
Follow Megan on Instagram: @megan.wimberley
Follow CGA on Instagram: @cowgirlartistsofamerica
