Art by Allysia

Not every opportunity is meant for us, but every opportunity can teach us something.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post titled What’s the Best That Could Happen?, sharing my excitement, fears, and hopes about potentially becoming a member of a local art gallery.

Well, I finally heard back.

Unfortunately, the gallery decided not to offer me a membership.

Ouch.

I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t disappointed. I was. I had already started imagining what it would be like to have my artwork hanging in a gallery, meeting other artists, participating in shows, and hopefully connecting with collectors who appreciate my work.

But here’s the funny thing.

I felt disappointed and relieved at the same time.

My husband and I have some financial goals we’re working toward. We want to pay off some debt, save money, and eventually finish our basement. Becoming a member of the gallery would have meant an additional monthly expense, along with the initial membership fee.

While I was willing to make that investment in myself and my artwork, there’s also something comforting about knowing that money can now go toward our other goals.

Maybe the timing just wasn’t right.

A No Doesn’t Mean Never

One thing I’ve told myself is that just because this particular gallery said no doesn’t mean the answer to my dream is no.

It simply means this wasn’t the gallery for me.

And that’s okay!

There are other galleries, other opportunities, and other people out there who might connect with my artwork.

Maybe I need to explore galleries outside my immediate area. Maybe I need to develop another body of work. Or maybe I just need to create two or three really strong pieces that better represent my abilities.

I’ve even wondered whether the three paintings I submitted were strong enough.

Maybe they weren’t.

And you know what? That’s okay, too.

I can do better. I can grow. I can practice. I can challenge myself to create something that makes someone stop in their tracks.

That’s part of being an artist, isn’t it? We’re constantly learning, experimenting, and discovering what we’re capable of.

I don’t want to become so attached to what I’ve already created that I stop pushing myself to improve.

At Least I Tried

Here’s something I don’t want to dismiss.

I actually did it.

I walked into a gallery, asked questions, put myself out there, went through the interview process, and submitted my artwork for consideration.

That might not seem like a big deal to some people, but to me, it was.

I could have easily talked myself out of the entire experience. I could have convinced myself that my work wasn’t ready, that I wasn’t good enough, or that I had no business approaching a gallery.

Instead, I gave myself a chance.

And even though the answer was no, I’m proud of myself for trying.

So, What’s Next?

Well, I suppose it’s time to find another gallery!

I’m not giving up on the idea of having my artwork represented in a gallery. I still want to surround myself with other artists, meet collectors, participate in exhibitions, and continue growing my art career.

In the meantime, I’ll keep painting.

I’ll keep working on my technique, exploring new subjects, and building a collection of artwork that I’m proud to put my name on.

Maybe this rejection will be the motivation I need to create some of my strongest work yet.

Or maybe, a year from now, I’ll look back and realize that this particular door closing led me somewhere I never would have expected.

In my original blog post, I asked myself, What’s the best that could happen?

I think that question still stands.

Because the best thing that could happen wasn’t necessarily getting accepted into that particular gallery.

Maybe the best thing that could happen is finding the courage to keep trying, even after hearing no.

After all, one gallery’s decision doesn’t determine my future as an artist.

The best is still yet to come.

And Speaking of the Best Yet to Come…

I have some exciting news to share!

This morning, I woke up to something that immediately put a smile on my face. I made my first sale from my new Through Glass series!

Someone purchased my original painting, Perfume Bottle!

But what makes this sale even more special is that this is the very first time someone I don’t personally know has visited my website and purchased an original painting directly from me!

A complete stranger saw my artwork, connected with it, and decided they wanted to make it part of their home.

I can’t even begin to explain how exciting that feels!

I carefully packaged Perfume Bottle, made sure everything looked nice and pretty, and took her to the post office so she could begin her journey to her forever home.

As I think about the gallery’s decision, I can’t help but smile at the timing of it all.

One person said no, while someone else said yes.

And that yes means more to me than the buyer probably realizes.

It reminds me that my collectors are out there. I just have to keep creating, putting myself out there, and finding them.

Maybe I didn’t get into the gallery I had hoped for, but somewhere out there, a stranger decided my painting was worth bringing home.

And right now, that feels like a pretty wonderful answer to my original question: What’s the best that could happen?

Maybe the best is already beginning to happen.