Judgment Day

I've just filled out a form, applying for a juried show this holiday season that I haven't done before. Juried shows are art fairs that have a committee who examine photos of your art, and your prices, and determine if you're "right" for the image they want their show to project.

They judge your quality of work, determine whether or not you actually did hand craft your product as opposed to purchase it somewhere, trying to fake it. Then they decide if it's pretty enough for them.

I've just realized, as I faxed this form along with several photos of our product, how much of my life comes down to being judged.

We all get those evaluations at work once a year, right?

Well, add to that two "hobbies" that are judged, occasionally quite harshly, and maybe that answers a few stress questions for me.

My art has to be judged - first by a committee, then by every single potential customer who steps in or wanders by my booth. They judge it with every comment they make, and some times they don't hold back ! We had one guy come in (while I was running to the bathroom) who - according to my sister - "glanced at the tables, turned to his daughter and said - You can't tell what it is after they "polish" it. Then turned to his wife and said "this is all just glass." Then turned to his daughter again and said "see, they faked all of this to look like rocks, but by polishing it we can tell it's glass."

WTF?

My sister said he wasn't even worth it - she ignored him. He then went to the next booth, friends of ours who do amazing photography, and made more snide remarks.

Tomorrow I'll entertain you with some of the other comments that make me shake my head and do my best Lurch imitation with "uuuhhhhhh".

Anyway, on top of that - as a writer, I'm judged constantly by agents and readers. Agents who see only my query letter and decide they don't even want to see the story, and readers who saw the story and can't resist a comment or five.

Granted, I've never once had a bad comment from a reader (crosses fingers, holds breath, tosses salt). Agents are another story, although two of them so far have at least taken it to the second stage.

Then there's my own judging - This is crap. I'm a hack. Who am I kidding?

Gah! Stop the madness!!