Assignment 21 - That time I was rejected - Elizabeth Moore

Last year, more than anything I wanted to be accepted into the three-week intensive GSA program to develop my artistic skills. I spent hours and hours creating works of art for my application. I became interested in art the year prior when I lucked into an Art 1 class taught by my favorite person, Charissa Riley. Vast improvements in the quality of my creations – though they still weren’t excellent – made me excited about the prospect of acceptance into the GSA program. So I applied… And I was rejected. And I realized that I had expected something out of myself that was insane: sophomores, as a rule, are not accepted into the GSA visual art program, and I was only one and a half years into my studies. During middle school, and even through freshman year of high school, every time I failed at something, I shut down. Tears, loss of confidence, the whole shebang.  But rejection from GSA, though it marred my confidence a bit, marked the first time that failure inspired me. I started working harder and spending more time improving my art. I stepped up my game and began the AP art track. I took art supplies on vacation to attempt some plein-air painting. And as a result, I just won my first art award: I placed 2^nd in the state-wide EKU art competition in the painting category! I’m going to keep working, keep experimenting, and with time, I now know that I can achieve my goals.