I knew as soon as dropped my tree painting off that it would not make it into the the "Places" exhibit at DeCordova. It is a powerful piece, and one that I believe is the best I have ever painted. It captures my emotion and energy and works as a large composition. But as I dropped it off I saw how it did not fit in among the student works that were being dropped off; I knew that it would not make it into the show. It stood out. It was louder, stronger, more energetic and more intense than the usual entries--calm landscapes and peaceful pictures of flowers and doors--being dropped off. Where would such a large fiery piece go? Would the juror would find other pieces that worked with it? It was a doomed piece from the beginning.



Nevertheless I was sad and upset when I got the call saying it was not what the jurors were looking for. This is the second show this piece has been rejected from and I feel like it is the highlight of all my painting this year. To me so many things came together in this piece. In fact when I was in New York at MOMA and the National Academy I felt confident that this piece of all my paintings could hold it's own on the walls among the work I was seeing. I guess this is motivation to start seeking out a gallery to represent me.