Florida Museum of Photographic Arts, Members Show

For the past several years I have been entering the Florida Museum of Photographic Arts Members Show (FMoPA, www.fmopa.org)). I have been lucky enough to win Second Place twice at this show in 2005 and 2007. And as the old cliche goes, third times the charm, just not for me....yet.

I'm sure most of you who enter shows and competitions have a similar experience. There is something exciting about the thrill of competition and the hope that "this time" you will make the cut, make the grade, find acceptance, validation, adulation or love and will be set on your course to world domination. Of course the odds are against it and with both the proliferation of competitions world wide and the extraordinary number of people who seem to be willing to pony up their $30, $40, $50 or more to enter, the gods really have to be with you (or maybe a friend, ex teacher or relative on the judging committee) in order for you to be one of the chosen few. None the less, it is a path to having your work seen, judged and exposed to a wider audience.

This year, the FMoPA show was split into categories, Creative Mediums, Details, Documentary, Events, Nature/Landscape, Portraiture and Travel. The judges were Delores Coe, Carolyn Kossar and Suzanne Williamson. The show was very well attended even though entries were down from the previous year, probably due to the poor economy. There was a lot of great work and I think one of the advantages of entering a local show, is that you can actual see all the entries, and get a real sense of how you stack up to the competition. I have to admit that when I had my entry framed and sitting on my dining table, I was sure that it would be a grabber. Plus, I decided to add a little twist. I posted, Please Touch this Photograph, on the bottom of the mat and left the glass out of the frame. I had printed on a textured paper so that there would be some sensation for the brave who decided to add touch to their viewing experience. Even though I was not recognized in this years show, I had a wonderful time watching those who were willing to reach up and interact with the photo. We are conditioned to never touch the art in a gallery or museum, so this was my little rule breaker and it certainly caused discussion, laughter and curiosity among those who took some time to view the photo.

So, on to the next entry. I think I like the International Juried Show, where the prize is Lunch with Susan Kismaric, Curator at the Museum of Modern Art. Ahh, I can feel it, world domination, is right around the corner....