Signature Membership of the National Watercolor Society

"Daily Duties" was accepted for the 96th Annual International exhibit of the National Watercolor Society. As a first time exhibitor, I submitted three more pieces for the judges , so that it would let me proceed to the next level of membership. I was an Associate Member, and was awarded Signature membership, after the judges viewed my additional matted pieces. It was a real honor to be chosen for this status, but it took me so much by surprise, that I kept mulling over the entire process and came to the conclusion that painting all four pieces was the easy part, to get all the paper work done, the pieces chosen and matted and then submit them at the NWS gallery was more time consuming and scary. What if they were not accepted? What if I did not get this opportunity again, when I would be in the show and only then become eligible to go through the entire process again?

I nearly did not submit anything to this exhibit, as I did not get in before. But to go through the two stages of judging, by four judges, was not an easy process, and 96 pieces were chosen from over a thousand entries. How could I even imagine that mine would be amongst them? But I am glad that I did, since one does not know how one will fare, if one does not even try. That is one of the reasons. The other was that, I thought my painting was the best I could do at this stage, and if it did not get through, I would take a couple of years off to better my work. If anyone reading this ever wonders about giving up before trying, please don't. Keep trying, and sometime it will be your turn.