Rejection

When a rejection letter actually makes your day: actually having a juror write out the title of one of your submitted pieces. Always remember to give 'em your best shit, I guess.

But seriously it brings up a point on how my father always used to council me to not ever bother hiding who I was at job interviews, since if you don't really want to waste any time working for anyone who doesn't appreciate you for who you really are. Life's too short to work for assholes in other words. And that certainly extends into the art world as well.

And as far as rejection goes, it always reminds me of my broken-record mini-lecture I give each and every semester to aspiring talents when it comes time to submit to the student art show. You got rejected? So What! Big Deal! You got in? So What! Big Deal!

Actually sometimes it is a comparatively big deal... egomaniacs with inferiority complexes notwithstanding. Impartial, objective validation of your work is a nice bonus (informed opinion), but never necessary. In fact, said rejection is more often than not an even better inspiration when it comes to motivation. The above letter graces the studio corkboard right above the drawing table. And immediately upon opening the envelope, I turned around and waded right into a new panel. Take that! And that! (repeat... "odd" infinitum).
Basically, be the Weeble.