the SMOOTH move

I finally have a use for all those black, frozen bananas cluttering my freezer –the afternoon smoothie.  I live with two high-metabolism guys, so the 4 o’clock afternoon snack is standard here.  I’m not new to the concept of the smoothie, but I am new to making them regularly.  Frozen cantaloupe, whole milk yogurt and a melange of other goodies like vanilla, berries, chia seeds.  I am frequently still NOT hungry when dinner prep time rolls around.  The best part is that they are super fast & have almost no clean up, giving me less distraction and fewer avoidance excuses.

I need fewer reasons to make excuses.  Do you hibernate from responsibility when overwhelmed? Me too. I am a member of a handful of online artistic communities, and I read all the bickering about what shows are worth entering and which aren’t.  No one seems to see different paths.  Everyone seems to have divided up into teams “realism” vs. “abstraction”, “fine art” vs. “applied arts”.  Where are you?  And why can’t your decision be based on where YOU are or where you want to be?  Right now, I am interested mainly in academic and Museum shows because this is a period of growth and change.  What shows feel right to you?  Are you concentrating on publication?  Are you testing new work in online venues?  Are you searching for gallery representation or maybe higher volume commercial sales?  All of those paths are valid.  Don’t get sucked into the guilt of not fulfilling the vision someone else has for what being a successful artist means. (Remind me to talk about Insta-worthy studios sometime.)

Check out this Call for Entries for the 56th Annual Juried Exhibition from the Masur Museum of Art (Monroe, LA). $20 Entry & no commission.  This is a stunning museum show with a storied history. The juror has excellent curatorial vision.   I think this is a great opportunity, but is it the right fit for you?  Have a smoothie and get back to me. 🙂

CALL or ENTRIES:
56th Annual Juried
from Masur Museum

ELIGIBILITY: Open to all US artists 18+

MEDIA: Open to all media

DEADLINE: December 27, 2018 (online) 

NOTIFICATION:  February 1, 2018

ENTRY FEE: $20 for 2, $10 ea. add’l (5 max.)

JUROR:  Catherine Futter is the Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO. Futter has curated a number of permanent collection installations of European and American art from medieval to the present, organized exhibitions that highlight living artists, and also has led the museum’s efforts to spark an area conversation about creating a cultural district in midtown Kansas City. Futter’s specialty is with European and American Decorative arts from 1850-present, and she has previously held positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Yale Center for British Art, and the Chrysler Museum of Art.

AWARDS: Best in Show is $1,000, and total awards are $3,200. The People’s Choice Award is $200.00 and will be voted on by visitors throughout the run of the exhibition. Best Packed: $100 This award will honor for the artist who packs their art in the most professional manner. 

SALES: The Masur Museum of Art does not receive a commission on sales.

For complete details, Read the Full Call!