One out of three ain’t bad!

First posted 10/07/2017 on Blogger

Those of you who kindly read this a couple of weeks ago (a select few :-), will no doubt remember that I mentioned submitting my work for this years Royal Society of Marine Artists exhibition. Well, the digital selection finished last week and of the three paintings I entered one has gotten through – Hurrah! No great shakes in the vast scheme of things I suppose but considering the best Maritime artists in the country, possibly the world, world enter for this show I think I can allow myself a very tiny weeny pat on the back even now.

The most nerve wracking part is in a months time – I have to deliver the actual work at the beginning of August to Pall Mall where, painting by painting, the committee will sit down and consider the merits of each one. Skill, composition, surface and symbol, probably even it’s compatibility with the other paintings they’ve chosen. Are they going to accept mine? We’ll see!

So! No popping of champagne corks yet awhile, and sadly – I’ve been here before. About eight years ago I entered three of my big figure paintings (that’s big paintings rather than paintings of big figures – you know what I mean!) for the prestigious Threadneedle Exhibition, also at the Mall Galleries. No joy – none accepted – but when I went to collect the paintings there were only two to hand, I had to wait for the third as it was “still upstairs”. Pure conjecture, of course, but that suggests to me that it was in the room when they made the final selection. Good, but no cigar! Damn! (pic below – Skylark, 40″x40″, oil on canvas.)

Nothing so dispiriting as waiting at the collection counter with all the other artists to collect their rejected works – not that it’s going to be the case this year, and if the unthinkable does happen (he says raising his eyes to the heavens) I’m sending a courier.

You’ll probably have seen the pic at the top of the page before if you follow my Facebook page – it’s Groyne No2, completed earlier in the year, and of the three paintings I submitted this is the one that’s got through to the next round. I’ll keep you posted.

Pip, pip