Skunked Again

When I got home from work today I fired up the computer and checked the Arts Council website. As promised, they had a press release about this year's grant recipients. Out of 350 applicants, they awarded a total of 30 fellowships. They awarded 10 fellowships in my category, Works on Paper, but my name was not among them. Definitely glad I skipped the trip to Red Bank. Based on the group photo, I would have been underdressed anyway.

This was my fourth time through the process, same end results. The first time I applied was in 1995, when I was just back from school. The score report I received stated that I had the 3rd highest score in the Graphics category (as I was classified then), but they chose not to award any fellowships in our category. The next time I applied, printmaking fell into the new Works on Paper category. My total score went up, but I wasn't informed how it ranked in the category. Either way, no money. My preference would be for printmaking to be back in its own separate group- based on some brief investigating around the web, it seems only 2 of the 10 are primarily printmakers; the rest do such processes as painting, collage, book arts, drawing, and paper making. There are often very different goals among this group of media.

What's next? I should get official notification soon. If they offer the usual opportunity to see the scores and panel comments, I'll request them. And I'll be ready two summers from now to put together another application.