Bacon. Some people like it, others don’t. Nutrition aside, liking bacon has nothing to do with if bacon is “good food” but merely a reflection of personal taste. I am reminded of this after entering three shows and failing to get into any of them. The nature of art is about trying to find a vision of self expression while tying to do your best. To make a statement while having no rules to follow. Art is about exploring the world and, I believe, recognition is a part of the feedback process. Negative recognition feels like a kind of rejection of the effort itself. But as in liking bacon, this rejection has little to do with whether or not the effort was in fact “good” or worthwhile. The critique has more to do with the personal preferences of the judge. Their taste and their experience has more to do with the approval of the work they are judging then an actual “judgment” of merit. So after three rejections in a row, I got accepted into the 37th Annual Open Show at the Salmagundi Club... and I won a Merit award.