Sad news at Mystic...

[Elizabeth Schott]

Jimmie last time I looked in the dictionary "best in show" did not mean the best art work with applied color!

This is a very deserving drawing, and now you can think about how much more fun it will be to keep doing even greater pastels since you didn't get the big prize on the first one out!

I am very proud of you and I bet your family is too!

As for the other guy, heck he's likely been there a godzillion amount of years and bakes everyone cookies for the holidays!

Still a standing O!

[Claudemir Bonfim]

I understand what you mean, but you are wrong!
That's a lovely drawing! It's not a common or ordinary drawing, the best thing in my opinion is the expression you captured.
Be happy and enjoy the moment, you deserve it!

[Jimmie Arroyo]

Thanks guys, I'm still gonna feel crummy for a while but thanks.

[John Crowther]

Without seeing the pastel, and for what it's worth, I think this is a terrific drawing. It's in the nature of what I call a "golden problem."

John C.

[Tom Edgerton]

Jimmie--

Don't worry about it. Competitions are odd events in any case. I've juried a few, and I can tell you that the process that determines how everything shakes down is very capricious, even under tightly controlled circumstances. I know that sometimes if I had gone to lunch and juried the show an hour later, I might have gotten a different result when picking winners. Often, you just go with your gut at the time.

So I just figure that if I'm juried into a very solid show with great work overall, it means my piece is great too, and beyond that, the awards are just the luck of the draw. It's great if you get one, but it doesn't diminish your work if you don't.

That said, the DRAWING is a fabulous piece too. I just think you overlooked this fact in your excitement around having fought a battle with the pastel and won. You have nothing to apologize for.

And if you were made to feel undeserving by the crowd there, shame on them, not you. It's their bad manners, not yours.

Nobody on this forum is blowing smoke at you...you should believe you're a terrific talent even when there's no one in the room but you. That's all that matters in the end.

[Lisa Ober]

Oh my! I love that story as it illustrates (pun intended) what an incredible master of all you really are. Double congratulations. The panel just had too much good stuff from you. They were dizzy with the choices.

I had something like this happen to me once upon a time. I thought I had lost weight after being on this huge diet---only to discover I hadn't really lost weight at all but I did get taller! I didn't get new pastels out of the deal but I was shocked.

Que bueno, friend! Enjoy those new pastels!

[Terri Ficenec]

Hey Jimmie--
For the record that drawing of yours is a powerful piece in its own right. Presumably the women who were chosen to jury the competition were qualified to do so. . . that they saw power in your work that was lost on the President... doesn't make the work itself any less powerful. Different people connect with different things. Regardless of his personal opinion, I think the president's remarks to you were out of line (not to mention less than gracious)! The reaction of the crowd at the opening is a poor guage... you were from out of town, an outsider, who knows what the relationships may have been among the other attendees there?

You should feel good about what a beautiful drawing it is and realize that it's not the medium, or the color, that gives impact to your work.

Congratulations on your win Jimmie!
(it's something to feel good about, not second guess. )

[Richard Huante]

Jimmie,

You're upset because you won with this? C'mon, now!!! No tengas lastima por nada! Don't be sorry for nuthin'!

The judges' decision is beyond your control, so there's no reason for feeling guilty. Trust me, it feels worse when you are on the other end of the stick. Besides, when a potential client sees this accomplishment on your resume', do you really think they'll dispute it?

Many artists (myself included) would be proud of this drawing and award. Ain't no shame in your game!

Sincerely,

[Alexandra Tyng]

Jimmie,

I have to agree with Terri that these judges were chosen because they were qualified to judge. I have been to, and participated in, many competitions, and I notice that often the quieter, more subtle power get lost or ignored in favor of the bold, obvious power. Not that there's anything wrong with that kind of power, either. It's just that there seems to be a bias towards extroversion and against introversion.

It's a beautiful drawing, by the way. Don't apologize for your prize.

Alex

[Mary Reilly]

I like both the pastel and the drawing! I know you were disappointed that the pastel wasn't chosen, and the surprise result overshadowed the event for you. However, the drawing really is excellent and the expression on the drawing is captivating.
Congratulations.
Mary