I may have written about this before, but it bears repeating. Especially because I sent out some feelers to a few galleries in New Mexico just before the holidays and boing! Got rejected. Although each gallery had come highly recommended from people who knew both the gallery and my work, I got the same response: Your work is not a good fit.
A store owner posted to a forum I participate in. They have a form rejection letter, a very nice one, that they'd like to fine tune. It essentially says the work submitted is not a good fit with their gallery (arrrgggh!!) If the work looks like something that has potential for them, they ask the artist to come back with new work some time in the future.
Seems that when they use it, some artists respond in a nasty fashion. Should they try another form? "Could you folks tell me how you deal with rejection?"
I posted, "Not well!"
At first I took it as an opportunity to share how I would like to be rejected, but quickly came to the conclusion there IS no way I like to be rejected.
The owner deserves a better answer, and I'm sure they will get lots of excellent feedback. But ultimately, some people will accept your no and move on, some of us (me!) will stew for awhile and then move on. And some people (oh God, I hope not me) will let loose with a few choice words.
Fortunately, from what I've heard from friends who must reject artists, the artists who let loose with a few choice words often have other issues besides their work not fitting in.... So I would advise store owners not to worry too much about making these artists happier. Ain't gonna happen.
Aside from the obvious—I'd like to know if the work intrigues you enough that you really DO want to see it again, and what you'd hope to see—there is no way to tell someone you don't want their work that won't end all further discussion happily, at least in the short run. Think of the proverbial "Dear John" letter. Has anybody ever gotten that message and not felt bad?
As an artist I'm delighted you really want to find a way to make all rejected artists happy. But it really isn't possible! It is totally true that some people are not going to be "accepting of your rejection" no matter what, and nothing you can say will end the conversation on a nice note.
In my own case, I have a hard time reading between the lines. After all, what does "the work isn't a good fit" mean? I've found it can mean different things.
Here are some of the reasons customers/store owners haven't bought specific items even if they like my work in general... And yes, almost all of them have been used to reject my work at some point or other. Fortunately, not all at once!
WHY DIDN'T THEY BUY MY WORK???
It looks too much like something they already carry.
It doesn’t look like anything else they carry.
It’s not unique—it looks like a lot of other products on the market.
They just don’t like it.
They like it, but their customers won’t like it.
They may be looking for new work, but not new people.
It doesn’t meet their criteria of “handmade”.
It’s functional and they only carry decorative work.
It’s decorative and they only carry functional work.
It’s too expensive for what it is.
It’s priced too low for what it is.
It’s not in line with their price points for that item. (Could be too expensive or too inexpensive.)
They have too many items with that price point already.
They don't like the color turquoise.
They don't like a certain shape bead because it looks like a tooth.
Fiber doesn't do well.
Big jewelry doesn't do well and my jewelry pieces are big.
Simple, little pieces don't do well and my jewelry pieces are simple and little.
They don't like polymer clay jewelry. ANY polymer clay jewelry.
Animal motifs don't do well for us. And its corollaries:
Fish do well, but not horses.
Horses do well, but not fish.
Cats do well, but not fish or horses.
Do you make dogs?
It's too contemporary, and they do traditional.
It's too traditional, and they do contemporary. (After these exchanges, I credit Heidi Leugers with the face- and life-saving insight, "Your work is post-modern! It refers to traditional art forms in a modern way, creating interesting tension and a wonderful counterbalance of ideas." Heidi, will you tell those galleries what you said? Thank you.)
It's craft, not art.
It's art, and they only do craft.
It's craft, but they only do functional craft.
It’s not the right size.
It doesn’t come in enough sizes.
It comes in too many sizes.
Your finishing techniques aren’t up to snuff.
They overbought and have too much inventory.
They overbought and they’re short of cash.
They’re struggling to stay in business.
They’re on the verge of bankruptcy.
It’s the wrong season or wrong time of year.
Your work is too seasonal.
The buyer doesn't like the work. (I've had accounts where I sold tons of work, then they got a new buyer and the account went to zero in a matter of weeks.)
The “buyer” isn’t really the person allowed to make a purchasing decision.
Or a committee has to approve the purchase.
The ownership/management is chaotic and NO ONE is in charge.
You are difficult to deal with; you are argumentative, confrontational, too meek or too sullen, etc. You aren’t taking “no” for an answer, and they are SO done.
THEY are difficult to deal with—insecure, shadow artist, had a fight with their significant other that morning, they’re an alcoholic, etc.
It’s someone’s “hobby store” and not a viable business.
They have cramps. (A store owner told me this one. And it's true. I swear to God.)
They’re a jerk.
You’re a jerk.
In short—It could you, it could be the work, or it could be them. Or any two, or all three! Remember—it’s never really over. Leave the door open, leave a business card, leave on a high note, and try again. Try again with them, try another day, try another year, try with another manager, or try with another store.
I used to work really hard to try to find out what those rejection letters really meant, figuring if I could find the REAL reason, I could counter, or adjust, or try again.
But now I take it as a sign to move on. There may be a better place right down the street. If you read my blog entry called HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, you'll learn that the faster you simply move on, the sooner you'll find the store that IS an excellent fit for your work.
Or maybe, as has happened occasionally, they will turn around a year later and ask ME if they can carry the work.
Oh, what a sweet moment that was!
