view from the mail slot

So, let's see. What did we get in the mail today? 10% off coupon for Macy's. Yeah, like that helps afford anything there lately. LL Bean catalog. Again. There is a collage of thermal underwear and rubber shoes there just waiting for inspiration. Cable bill. Why do we have so many channels when we hardly watch any of them? Make a note to review cable requirements. Oh. What's this? It's addressed to me in my own handwriting. That can only mean one thing. A decision from a show. And it's from Chautauqua.

Now let me explain why I seem to care so much about this particular show. Yes, the Roycroft wait list thing blew a cannon ball hole in my schedule, but I was on the hunt for a show or 2 to replace it. And the Institute has to be the most perfect place to sell jounals! But that's not the whole reason.

See, back when I first started, maybe 10 years or so, I was blissfully naive about shows and which ones were harder to get into than others. So, I applied to anything that seemed to be in a fun, artsy place and I got rejected. A lot. Eventually I learned to research the shows and I also improved my work. Most of the shows that didn't choose me back then did so with a certain morsel of charm, but not Chautauqua. A half sheet of paper, torn by hand unevenly. The 2 shows--July and August--with 3 choices beneath them: accepted/declined/waitlist. That slash of yellow over "declined"...twice.. (I remember it as "rejected" but I may be wrong) was so cold. I remember that I almost thought about giving up the whole idea. I didn't, obviously, but I never had the nerve to apply to Chautauqua again.

Today, the envelope felt almost empty, which means no show info, no payment info, no info at all. Not good. The only people who get no info are the people who have no need for info. But I was cool. I had tried. I slit the envelope and there it was. The ragged torn slip of paper. "Accepted" smiled at me from under yellow hi-liter beneath the July show. The one I truly wanted. August sat on a blue hi-lited "wait list" which was absolutely fine.

I now have been accepted to every show that once rejected me. This is like a milestone or something!

The work at this show is so awesome, I am thrilled to be a part of it. They have a slideshow of some of the artisans from last year on their site. Where can you find it? Why, just click on the link in my list of scheduled shows. ---->

And, Chautauqua? You can send those accepted letters on pages torn out of the LL Bean catalog for all I care. :) You probably have as many of those hanging around as we do.