Russel Fouts on tue 9 jul 96
I've wanted to send this out for a long time and am just getting around to
it. The original was written by Paul Delvin. A craft photographer friend Steve
Meltzer merely changed it a bit to fit our purposes.
To: Show Jury
Any Show Or Fair
Outthere, USA
Dear Juror(s),
Having reviewed the many show rejections I have received in the last few
weeks, it is with great regret that I must inform you that I am unable to
accept your rejection at this time.
This year after applying to many shows and fairs I have received an
especially fine selection of rejections. Unfortunately the number of
rejections I can accept is limited by requirements of space and staffing.
I reviewed each of my rejections carefully and on an individual basis before
selecting those to reject. Many factors were taken in to account-- the
condition of the returned slides the cost of the entry, quality of the
rejection notice, the typeface used, the overall design and the number of
words in the rejection notice.
I am sure that most shows I submitted entries to are more than qualified to
reject me. But given the large number of rejections I have received, I am sure
that some mistakes were made in my own jurying of some rejections. I can only
hope that they were few in number.
I am also aware of the keen disappointment my decision may bring to you-- the
juror(s)-- and the show promoter. Throughout my deliberations, I have had to
keep in mind the time and effort, small though it may have been, that it may
have taken for you to reach your decision to reject me.
Keep in mind that due to the very high volume of rejections encountered this
year it was necessary for me to reject even those rejection letters that would
have normally met my high standards.
I appreciate your having enough interest in my application to accept my entry
and judging fees whilie rejecting my work. Let me wish you well in what I am
sure will be a successful event . Perhaps next year I will give you another
opportunity to submit a rejection noice to me.
Thank you
Feel free to use this version to send to shows.
Russel
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* Russel Fouts, CI$: 100021,23,
Bruxelles, Belgium
Internet: 100021.23@CompuServe.Com
"It took more then one man to change my name to Shanghai Lil."
MD
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Pelly123@aol.com on wed 10 jul 96
I was rejected for some of the larger shows I applied for last year....I
determined that this would not happen to me this year....spent the entire
months of December and January working on pieces that would please a jury and
photographing them. Spent over $200 to come up with slides that met my
standards. Then reworked the presentation as a result of the Clayart
discussion on what juries want....and have not been rejected this year.
Note I am a published wildlife photographer so know what I want..some should
have them professionally done, but the presentation is what gets you your
bread and butter so pay attention to it and don't whine...make better
slides.....
Pelly
in Rochester, NY
dannon@ns1.koyote.com on wed 10 jul 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I was rejected for some of the larger shows I applied for last
year....I....spent the entire months of December and January working on
pieces that would please a jury
>
> but the presentation is what gets you your bread and butter so pay
attention to it and don't whine...make better
>slides.....
>
>Pelly
>in Rochester, NY
Pelly,
I believe you are absolutely correct in your advice to make better slides.
I just finished filing about l,000 of them for the juror for Ceramics USA,
and I could see the enormous variation in the slide quality. Some were
nearly invisible they were so dark, others completely washed out from
over-exposure or poor light. Some had used the wrong film for the lighting
and had yellow or green slides in consequence.
There were a LOT of really great slides, of really good work. The juror is
bound to
pay attention to those things: you can't put what you can't see into a show.
On the other hand, I think that to spend time making work that "a jury would
like" is a waste of time unless it is work that the ARTIST likes, wants to
do, has some passion for. Perhaps if someone loves, say, lidded jars, and
they spend that time making the very best lidded jar(s) that they can, then
it's worthwhile. But if they think that juriies or jurors only want,
perhaps, wood-fired work and they have no interest in it but just make it to
make an exhibition...an enormous waste, and probably won't work, anyway.
The maker's lack of interest is bound to show...
Dannon Rhudy
Pelly123@aol.com on thu 11 jul 96
It didn't come out right in the original memo....I am a firm believer that,
if you love it, it will come through in the pot, no matter what...so it
follows that the best pieces you can make and those that would please a jury
come from way deep inside you. I remember, last year after our Park Avenue
show, I was standing in line at the bank and a friend ( a marketing person)
was behind me in line...He asked how I did and I mentioned that I had sold
every large bowl and paltter on my booth and would have to make them all over
again this week. He said..too bad...and I told him I enjoyed these big
things most. He told me that that was probably why I sold them all...the
love of it comes through in the pots.
I did twenty four shows last year, cut it down to sixteen this year, but
larger ones....you have to spend a lot of time making mugs and lotion bottles
with this many shows...December and January are my time to fly in the studio
and the results always amaze me...darn, I'm good....this is the time when I
slow down and make as finely crafted, thoughtful and original pieces as I can
and the results are worthy of photographing.
I understand about poor quality slides...I really think that people who do
not understand the fine points of it should seek professional help. We had
a photographer come in here where I work at Xerox to do a shoot....we got to
talking while he was setting up and he ended up critiquing my slides for me
(which I just Happened to have with me) He said he has done many
presentation slides and they would be of quality sufficient to get me in such
shows as Rhinebeck...cost was $75/hr plus cost of film & developing, so for
$100 I would have everything I needed, except to get copies made..just bring
in boxes of pots and we would run through them.
When you figure out how much it costs you when you fail to pass a jury, the
nominal cost of professional slides is slight and not to get them is just
plain foolish. We also had several really great posts last winter on what
juries want. These are well worth re-reading.
Pelly
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