Thursday, September 9, 2010

Nine ways to get 'discovered'

8x12 © Shayla Perreault Newcomb 2010

"Discovered" means different things to different people and here it means getting encouragement to pursue art professionally.

Joanne and Dave, the owners of  Heron Bay Gallery are such sweeties. I always used to paint just to decorate my house and for fun. Jason got it in his head to take my paintings into the gallery to see what they said. I was intimidated of galleries, thought he was going to get a rude brush off and I wouldn't go in with him, but they told him I could bring something in for their summer gallery. I'd always wanted to be an artist, but if it weren't for their encouragement, and Jason's of course, I wouldn't have taken the plunge at that time- perhaps not at all. It's no surprise that their gallery has won several awards for outstanding contribution to the arts.

What about you? Would you like to be 'discovered'? If you're a maritimer I suggest 1. applying for "Max 5", a Juried art competition open to all Maritime Canadians put on by Heron Bay Gallery. They're an emerging gallery and are open to newcomers. First prize receives $1000, September 17 is the deadline to apply and the theme is "Gold". Check out Heron Bay Gallery's site for an application and more info.

As for 'getting discovered', I got a lucky break but discovering yourself, or giving yourself permission to be an artist is the best way. A recent newsletter by Christine Kane covered 8 ways to "Get Discovered" Here they are, with permission.

2. Be yourself.
3. Guard your thoughts
4. Work on your craft
5. Stop waiting
6. Take Risks
7. Learn the business side
8. Adjust to overwhelm
9. Expect criticism

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

5 comments:

ArtPropelled said...

Well done Jason! Sometimes it's just that little nudge that we need to get started. I keep forgetting about Christine Kane's website but whenever I do visit I will spend an hour browsing. No.5 should be pinned up on my noticeboard ..... and the fridge ... and the bathroom mirror. Thanks Shayla.

Tracy said...

Great list for thought, Shayla! I need to be more mindful of #5 too... hhhmmm... Thanks for sharing this. :o) Happy Weekend ((HUGS))

picciolo said...

I will be coming back to this post as the answer for me is definitely yes! I'm so glad that you got such deserved encouragement!
: )

Deborah Carr said...

Hi Shayla - I remember when I was given my first start at writing and what a confidence boost it was. I determined then, to pay it forward, to encourage other writers and pass on what I was given. All it takes is one voice, one gentle shove. I believe that each of us has a creative soul, but many don't recognize it as such. (PS I, too, subscribe to Christine's newsletter.)

Jeane Myers said...

wonderful post Shayla - I agree with the list - a step a day makes a huge difference down the road xxo