Sunday 19 August 2012

when NO turns out to mean YES to so much more


some months ago i pulled out all stops
and wrote a grant application
hoping for financial support for an exhibition project
that would allow me to take time out from my busy teaching schedule
so as to immerse myself in country
and undertake a substantial project.

as part of the process i was required to gather letters of support
and be able to give evidence of where the work would be shown.
it also involved rather a lot of photocopying [for which i am planting another tree as soon as it warms up a bit]

on Friday a letter arrived telling me i wasn't successful.
fair enough, this grant involves a single amount of money
that is handed out across all art forms [so applicants may be writers, musicians, artists, actors etc]

initially i was a little despondent
but then i realised that the Dogs Above had once again conspired for the best possible outcome.


let me explain.
to apply for the grant i had to write in clear and concise English exactly what i wanted to achieve.
i also had to approach galleries and museums with my proposal
and as a result the exhibition back country
is confirmed for

The Barossa Regional Gallery [SA] 2014
The University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery [QLD] 2014
Quarter Gallery at the Regis Center for Art, University of Minnesota [USA] 2014
The Manning Regional Gallery [NSW] 2015
The Tamworth Regional Gallery [NSW] 2015

which means it will be shown in three states of this wide brown land and in America [and there are five other museums still sitting on the fence]

so it was a truly splendid exercise in getting organised
and making plans
- exactly what i most needed to do [besides do my income tax]

best of all, i have a pile of lovely supporting letters
which have not only affirmed that what i am trying to do makes sense
but will also be very comforting reading if i ever make it to the Shady Glades Home for Retired Bears

34 comments:

  1. beautiful arty statements and ideas - I look forward to seeing it realised (even without the funding that would make life easier)

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  2. So sorry about the grant, but congratulations on lining up the exhibitions!

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  3. Perhaps if you had your palm read the message would be that you are a woman of open mind & optimistic bearing. The Dogs Above may indeed be conspiring, but there is no substitute for a positive turning of mind.
    Such good news, India!

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    Replies
    1. as it transpires...various lovely opportunities have presented themselves as a result of my most recent sojourn in the U.S. which i might not have been able to say 'yes' to had i been committed to a twelve-month plan [even though the funding would have been welcome in terms of constructing, packing and transporting the exhibition]
      and something tells me i'll find the resources anyhoos.

      [the palm-reader would probably find i have Pollyanna syndrome along with my gypsy-gene]

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  4. Excellent attitude and so true about the lessons learned. Have you heard of http://www.kickstarter.com/ I believe you have to offer incentives to the people who kick in money, but perhaps it's another funding option for you. Best of luck.

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    1. thanks Theresa i have heard of that program...good to bear in mind if other plots fail [i think their idea of incentives is brilliant]. but for now, i'm feeling quite good about it all. shall keep going with the flow and seeing where that takes me

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    2. I will enjoy seeing where the future takes you :)

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  5. great achievement all the same: just means youre prepared for something grander, i hope. thats what experience has told me.

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  6. Oh, I sure know about that big grant process.... intense! For mine, I had to write a business plan with the help of a trained biz plan writer. Now that was interesting. I spent MONTHS working on this plan. I had already gotten the grant, but was suppose to do this plan and get other "technical" support before the money came. So the plan took MONTHS as I said, and basically killed my creative time, there was NONE left for that. I basically had to say things like, I will have teach such and such class, 12 students, each paying ** and I will buy *** dollars of supplies. My profit over 5 years will be blah, blah, blah. Its just not my thing, didn't follow any natural flow of the moment.

    After doing the plan, and receiving the grant, I am back to dreaming, flowing, making work and letting the moss and trees tell me what to teach when and let the river bring me the folks. I mean, I wanted to scream at the grant folks - hey, I GOT this grant by dreaming, now can I dream the business part?

    Oh my, sorry, long rant. But, I guess I'm saying I'm a fan of getting organized and manifesting and then letting all flow break loose! Congrats on all the shows, way cool! Seems the universe heard loud and clear that you wanted to exhibit widely.

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    Replies
    1. exactly...is really best [for me] not to be "in the box"...

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  7. Your posts always give something to think about! I should take time to think what I am doing and where I am going - and where I want to be going.

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  8. rats. it's such hard work to be "granted" money to just keep working. plan b sounds good and may suit you better, but geeze. (proposal looks good, by the way.)

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  9. nothing happens without a reason..if we could only understand now..

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  10. Congratulations on the exhibitions India! Your work is so inspiring and wonderful, the universe wants people to see your work for sure!

    It's disappointing about the grant for sure, but you have a great outlook on it and these things happen for a reason. Amazing things are coming to you fot sure.

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    1. Oh dear, could I have said 'for sure' any more in that comment? Sorry! Just been mordanting fabric, too much Alum for my brain apparently!

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    2. thanks for the kind thoughts

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  12. what an exciting proposal, have my fingers X-ed that one of the major galleries here in Sydney takes this on when you're ready!

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  13. where there is a will there is a way, your proposal is wonderful and the manifestation and energy you've put into "getting organized" will surely keep expanding this exhibition plan forward, opening doors as yet maybe unknown

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  14. Fabulous to be galvanised into action - and what amazing results! Grant apps are pretty daunting and rather a lot of work so it is great that you have had such a positive outcome despite the grant not coming through - love the attitude!
    x
    sue

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  15. well done on the exhibition spots, shame about the grant, but great outcome anyway...
    hugs

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  16. An exhibition I would love to see. Congratulations on the gallery confirmations.

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  17. want to read all these comments....I'm on the fly......but I'm reminded of the chorus.....'You can't always get what you want'.......this story is very inspiring........thank you for including us on your journey....it is where I get inspiration and draw strength......I agree that many more doors will fly open as you are pushing on them...ox

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    Replies
    1. door slammed so hard the windows flew open and let in a wonderful wind

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  18. grant writing...

    it is right there next to my income tax but after reading your silver lining, I guess it IS worth it.

    sort of..

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    Replies
    1. well it made me get organised
      but
      also reminded me
      that i shouldn't need that kind of motivation
      in order to make things happen...

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  19. Look forward to viewing your work, I just spent some time drawing and painting at Wilpena - my head is full of shape and shadow.

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    Replies
    1. i went over to badlydrawngirl to have a look...wonderful paintings - if anyone else is passing through here they may like to swing by there as well...

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  20. India
    Congratulations on organizing those exhibitions - sending out those proposals, getting your act together.
    I agree that this is the best outcome, although of course there is a small disappointment at the beginning.
    The most important thing is putting your own personal voice into your art work, getting that finished. This is often overlooked as so many artists set our hopes and dreams on grants and exhibitions. But from what I have seen on your blog and your books, doing your own work has never been a problem.
    The business stuff - the proposal sending, the budget writing, the website building - is difficult to get down to and grant writing forces the creative ones like you and me - to do it. No one else is going to do it for us, it seems, so we have to.
    Congratulations again. And big hug.

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  21. A great big huge congrats... to have a traveling show is quite an honor.
    All your hard work paid off.. one never knows where it will all lead.
    and I have read your most recent posts too.. you are off traveling all over the world.. congrats and lucky you!

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  22. Hey India! Are you taking pre-orders on that limited edition book? I'll be glad to pay today! I don't want to miss it.

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    Replies
    1. Not yet but it sounds like an excellent plan!!!

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  23. CONGRATS!!!
    I'm seconding Sweatpea and Theresa's comments...

    So happy for you, and for the additional exposure of your work.
    Hope one of those U.S. exhibitions lands near me!

    XOXOXO Treena

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  24. It was such a fabulous proposal you put together.
    Leaves me wondering at what does actually get the tick for funding.

    Often these (frustrating) processes help clarify and raise something new and exciting and this seems to be the case in abundance India...well done you!

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