But even though I was not selected, I don't think it was a waste of time.
Yes, there has been a lot of interest in
the Bravo auditions around here lately, making for a lively exchange of opinions. Some people were angry and said they were a waste of time. Others were upset with the judges. And I can understand the frustration they may have felt, but I know that comes with the territory. It's a lesson I learned not from my experiences as a visual artist, but from my adventures in other artistic disciplines.
I may not have mentioned this before, but I also sing. And as I've tried my hand at making a little money from this avocation, I have been to plenty of auditions. I've tried out for a wedding band, a performance group that entertains passengers on a popular Navy Pier ship, a part as extra in
Wicked, and even a part as the feather duster in
Beauty and the Beast. I have learned a lot from each one.
What matters in the end is your attitude, as well as your perspective. You can't go in thinking you're a shoo-in, as you may be in for a lot of disappointment. You also can't go in thinking your life will be over if you don't make it. You have to go to every casting call ready to enjoy the moment and relish the experience. What better chance to meet and socialize with others who share your passions than an event that draws fellow travelers from far and wide?
From the other casting calls I have been to, I have met interesting people, and even learned that the
Harold Washington Library has a great selection of popular sheet music to check out or photocopy. I also leaned not to view not getting chosen as an indictment of my talents. I learned to take it in stride. There were times when I was clearly out of my depth or when my voice may not have been at its best. But through it all I learned to achieve the delicate balance of giving my all in every audition, while at the same time maintaining a sense of emotional detachment in the time spent waiting my turn, and taking things in stride when I was not chosen. You have to take risks in life to reap the rewards, and you'll never know what you can do until you actually try.
And from this experience, I learned about an upcoming artist in residence opportunity at the Galaxie, and met many amazing artists. Among them are
Tara Roys, a self-described "fractal evangelist,"
John Ginsberg, the Founder/Art Guy of
Chicago Art Leasing LLC , (by the way, don't you love the creative titles of entrepreneurs?), and
Frank Fitzgerald, a very prolific painter and art teacher. I even learned some things about myself. The application required descriptions of me from someone who knows me well, and I learned that the one word my fiance would use to describe me is "colorful" and that he thinks my best trait is that I am trustworthy and my worst trait is that I am stubborn. Not only that, but having to put together a quick digital portfolio forced me to finally make videos of the works in
The Doll Project and my
Post Consumerist series. So even though I didn't get to be on TV, I still got a lot out of this experience, and that's what counts.
So, if keep this in mind if you're going to the last round of auditions. You still have a chance if you're
in New York City this weekend. Just remember to keep it in perspective. If you don't believe me, just ask our fellow artists who are actors, musicians, and dancers.
