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Buzzy Wuzzy talking to the voters.
Myrtle reminds everyone to get out there and VOTE!If you've ever entered a contest before, you will know along with the excitement that goes along with being nominated and/or winning there's also the disappointment of not being nominated or having your entries overlooked for some reason (i.e. didn't follow the rules, label your entries correctly, etc.). I have entered a number of contests over the past 10 years. Truthfully, I've entered the contests sponsored by both American Teddy Bear magazines faithfully every year since I went professional (I usually alternate - one year the TOBY's and the next year the Golden Teddies) and have not once been nominated. Am I disappointed? Slightly. But here's the thing. I do know that different judges have different tastes and what might appeal to one judge does not appear to another. Losing in a contest is part of growing and maturing as an artist. One way it has helped me is that after 9 years of losing, I looked at my work not with disappointment thinking that it's not as good as another artist that was nominated but with pride thinking this is the best that I can do and that I love and am happy with my work. It makes me happy to create and that's what is important in the end.
With that said, besides "losing" or not being nominated, I have also experienced the joy of being nominated for two TITA Awards (Japan Teddy Bear Magazine), two Teddy Bear Scene Reader's Choice Awards (England), an ACE Award (Canada), and several Softie's Awards (Softies Central). Now while I am excited and proud to be nominated, I also see the other side of people who were not. There are those that handle not being nominated like I do by being happy with their work and knowing, hey, that's what it's all about and are also happy for those that were nominated. Then there are those that are bitter and let the world know their disappointment. I wonder if they realize how much it not only hurts them as an artist (people see them as bitter) but it also hurts the people that were nominated (it makes me unhappy that someone thinks that my piece wasn't "worthy") as well as the contest sponsors and judges who put so much time into coordinating the event (is it really worth doing this whole thing every year when people don't seem grateful or appreciative?).
Truthfully, this side of the business is the only thing that upsets me about the bear/softie/fiber arts world and makes me almost want to quit being a part of it altogether. Why can't people just be happy for one another and know that their work is just as worthy but it wasn't the right time, place or person judging the event? While it all makes sense to me (I was raised competing in 4-H events and trust me, I lost plenty there and learned how to deal with it graciously), I guess it doesn't to others.
Happiness and now disappointment. I'm off my soap box and will be back to happy, happy, joy, joy tomorrow...
P.S. Please do take time to VOTE if you can. It took a lot for Therese (Softies Central) to coordinate this contest and for the judges to make their decisions.
2 comments:
Truthfully, I was really disappointed when I saw I didn't "make the cut" and I did want to grumble. But it was only about five seconds until I was dancing around celebrating that you had two nominations and One Red Robin had one. People would be happier themselves if they learned to be happy for one another.
I felt the same as when I saw your bear on the cover of TBR. Hey! I know her!
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