My first artistic "success" (Lookback)

Greetings fellow art lovers!

Today is going to be a short and simple post to invite in the weekend!

I wanted to share the first piece that I considered to be a (commercial) success in my artistic portfolio. A couple of years ago I decided to enter a very popular art competition in South Africa known as the Sasol New Signatures. This competition exists as a platform for emerging artists from all over South Africa to submit their work and stand the chance to be featured in a prestigious exhibition. If your work is chosen as the overall winner, you are given a platform to exhibit a solo at the next years' competition, in addition to the group exhibition of the overall selected works. I guess all of this background information isn't necessary but I think it paints a good picture of the prestige associated with the event.

At any rate, I remember deciding to enter the competition for the first time in 2015. My hopes were not particularly high of being selected but I took the chance anyway. Around this time, I had been making art for a couple of years already but had only recently started to take it seriously as an undertaking. I received confirmation that my artwork had been selected as one of the finalists and would be featured in the group exhibition (and an associated catalogue).

I didn't know it then, but this selection served as an impetus and a much needed validation for my artistic pursuit. It was after this competition that I truly started believing in my merit as an artist. I knew I had a lot of growing to do and that there was still a long way to go but it gave me confidence in my journey.

Here is the piece in question:

Morne Venter_98.jpg

Title: For a change, let me go

2015
Charcoal, Ink and Gouache on Paper
82 cm x 123 cm

It seems the rationale for this piece has been lost in time. Looking back at the piece now, I can see how my craft and artistic approach has grown and I look forward to reflecting on the work I produce now and seeing that same growth in time.

Let me know what you think! As always thanks for reading!

Wow! I love it! You are definitely an artist! Don't give up! Fame does not equal to success!

Oh certainly not! I am a firm believer in the pursuit as the reward (not necessarily money or fame - although they are nice). You can check out some of my other posts to see what I mean.

I think it would be interesting one day to make a post with samples of progression of your work, and how it has evolved. Yes I know, audience is lazy and like to be spoon fed :) Nice work & story about your first immersion into commercial art

I am actually thinking about doing that! I will be posting another lookback post soon!

Great. Looking forward to it :) Keep up the good work

amazing

Following you! Hope you Follow too @mohit
Have a good day :)

I love the expression in your artwork! The contrast you used with orderly lines and scribble like texture in the faces really speaks to me on a creative and artistic level. Good job in getting nominated keen to see more works (^:

Thanks for commenting! I will be posting work very soon again! I will have a look at your art as well :)

Thanks for your good posts, I followed you! I give you a vote!

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My first artistic "success" (Lookback)

Title: For a change, let me go

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