Risk, Rejection, and Resilience with Christine Aaron (#114)

Risk is scary. Rejection stinks. Resilience seems elusive. When I
think of these three R words, the word practice comes to mind.
Taking one step at a time over and over again because we know it
is the only way to make big progress. In order to embrace risk,
we have to practice. We step into it, try it on, and, almost
always, discover that it isn’t as bad as the soundtrack we were
playing in our heads. Rejection is also a practice. We build up
emotional muscles after receiving disappointing news. After years
of accumulated rejections, we begin to understand that they are
rarely, if ever, personal. And finally, resilience is something
we have to work at. We were born resilient, but, over the years,
life beat us up. But rejections give us courage muscles we never
had before. And, because we paid attention, we pick up on a
number of tools that help us become more resilient.


My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Christine Aaron.
You’ll hear how she embraces risk and has come to understand the
role of rejection in her art career. She also shares the tools
she relies on to act with resilience, to get back in the studio
and do it all over again.


Highlights




The unusual motivation behind Christine’s first watercolor
class selection. (2:08)




Taking risks and challenging yourself in a rewarding art
career. (5:31)




Refining your art by sharing it with and soliciting critique
from others. (12:45)




Identifying your safe zone and moving beyond it. (21:45)




Taking on the work that pushes you out of your comfort zone.
(25:12)




Name the risks to work your way through the potential
rejection. (32:57)




What rejection really means about the work that you’re doing.
(39:46)




Honing your resilience skills amid rejection. (40:35)




Stop comparing yourself to other artists and remember how far
you’ve come. (45:45)




Reflecting on your work, your processes, and your
improvement. (47:06)




The risks that Christine is going to take in 2022. (48:00)




Mentioned




Christine Aaron




Christine Aaron Art on Instagram




Weaving as Metaphor by Sheila Hicks




B. Avery Syrig




Patricia Miranda: CritLab




Resources


 




Show notes, images, and listener comments




How to Price Your Art free report




Create Opportunities for Your Art




Quotes


 




“There’s not one of us that hasn’t experienced disappointment
and loss in life.” — Christine Aaron




“I make work ultimately because I want it to resonate with
someone else. And the only way to do that is to get it out
there.” — Christine Aaron




“Think beyond what you can imagine now and know that you’ll
have the ability to get the resources you need to do it.” —
Christine Aaron




“Every artist I know gets way, way more rejections than they
get acceptances. But nobody is talking about that.” —
Christine Aaron




 


Guest Bio


Christine Aaron is a conceptual and material-focused artist. Her
work is exhibited nationally and internationally. Aaron received
an artist’s grant from ArtsWestchester — New York State Council
on The Arts, a Surface Design Association grant, and a residency
and grant from Vermont Studio Center. She presents talks at The
International Encaustic Conference in Provincetown, MA, received
awards in printmaking and mixed media, and had a solo exhibit of
The Memory Project at California Museum of Art Thousand Oaks.


Aaron holds a BS in education from Cornell University and a
Masters in Social Work from Hunter College. She lives and
maintains a studio in New Rochelle, NY.


First posted: artbizsuccess.com/rejection-aaron-podcast