Congratulations! Very inspiring. That sounds very Ness like.. down to earth and honest in a constructive way. I really rate picture hooks too. I entered one Yr and was a runner up. My illo ( blue dog, created whilst having tutorials with Ness) ended up as a book. PH gave me the confidence to change agents and seek a new way of working.
Thanks Polly! Yes very Ness, incredibly helpful and I totally agree with your PH feelings. What an amazing organisation, and how wonderful that many of us have benefitted from their encouragement, perhaps just when it was really needed. So great that yours turned into a book. Funnily enough I have also written a story for my cherry tree image!
Ahh Ruby you’re such an inspiration! I keep entering everything - my friend said ‘I admire your tenacity’ it’s a good word to think about even if you’re not successful 😅
Oh congratulations, they are beautiful illustrations! I remember when your lovely cherry blossom picture won the Picture Hooks competition, it's so reassuring to hear about the other submissions too. Sometimes I forget that we only see the tip of the iceberg...
Thanks for sharing this! I greatly admire your perseverance, and your honesty about the times when you weren't selected for things. I love the images you've made for Bologna this year - congratulations on your thoroughly deserved sucess!
An Incredible post Ruby. Thank you so much for sharing your successes and 'failures' (I don't like that word as none of them are). It's so important to myself as someone still in the failure category. It's hard to keep going. I'm looking forward to my first OrangeBeak portfolio review at the end of the month too so I'm sure I'll have lots to think about after that. Xx
Oh Claire, thank you and I hope the unsuccesses aren't getting you down, it's totally understandable if they are, they have got me down many times but you're right that they're not really failures, just stepping stones, things you've got to get out of the way. I can't tell you how revolutionary Orange Beak was for me, and I hope that you find it equally illuminating and motivating!
Thank you so much for sharing your ups and downs Ruby! Your cherry blossom picture is just beautiful and congratulations in your recent Bologna success! I have “dabbled” with illustration for a number of years but when I won the picture hooks competition last year (which I very almost gave up on) it gave me such a boost to commit and carry on. It’s a bumpy road. Thanks for being so generous with sharing your journey!
Wow. Thank you so much for sharing this! And massive congratulations for Bologna! I’ve entered quite a few things myself getting rejected & occasionally accepted. And it is heartbreaking. The rejections feel personal even if they’re not. But the only way is always forward and to create more.
Anyway, I love your illustrations! And especially the riso prints are gorgeous. So, well done! 👏 👏👏
Thank you Franziska. I know what you mean about it feeling personal but we have to remember that it never is! I think it’s importance to find a balance so we don’t get too many rejections all at once! It’s so hard but looking back I can see why certain things didn’t work. It reminds me that it’s important to take stock. And celebrate all the tiny wins!
Hooray for your Bologna shortlisting this year!! I love the images you made! ❤️ I’m so impressed with your persistence - and so interesting to see your work progress over the years! Xxx
Gorgeous winning work for Bologna! Love the connectons in them, the compositions. So refreshing to see what didn't work too which often gets hidden away. It's all process. And yes, persistance pays!
It's a great sign! I wish I had more fails... *sigh* Don't worry, I'm going to apply for many, many things this year, so there are many rejections in the pipeline! 😅
Congratulations! Very inspiring. That sounds very Ness like.. down to earth and honest in a constructive way. I really rate picture hooks too. I entered one Yr and was a runner up. My illo ( blue dog, created whilst having tutorials with Ness) ended up as a book. PH gave me the confidence to change agents and seek a new way of working.
Thanks Polly! Yes very Ness, incredibly helpful and I totally agree with your PH feelings. What an amazing organisation, and how wonderful that many of us have benefitted from their encouragement, perhaps just when it was really needed. So great that yours turned into a book. Funnily enough I have also written a story for my cherry tree image!
Ahh Ruby you’re such an inspiration! I keep entering everything - my friend said ‘I admire your tenacity’ it’s a good word to think about even if you’re not successful 😅
Tenacity is exactly it. It’s a superpower I think!
Yes tenacity is! Keep going x
Oh congratulations, they are beautiful illustrations! I remember when your lovely cherry blossom picture won the Picture Hooks competition, it's so reassuring to hear about the other submissions too. Sometimes I forget that we only see the tip of the iceberg...
Thank you Martha! Yes that big old messy iceberg is always there isn’t it!
Thanks for sharing this! I greatly admire your perseverance, and your honesty about the times when you weren't selected for things. I love the images you've made for Bologna this year - congratulations on your thoroughly deserved sucess!
You’re very kind Nicola! It’s quite helpful to go back and look at the “fail’s”!
An Incredible post Ruby. Thank you so much for sharing your successes and 'failures' (I don't like that word as none of them are). It's so important to myself as someone still in the failure category. It's hard to keep going. I'm looking forward to my first OrangeBeak portfolio review at the end of the month too so I'm sure I'll have lots to think about after that. Xx
Oh Claire, thank you and I hope the unsuccesses aren't getting you down, it's totally understandable if they are, they have got me down many times but you're right that they're not really failures, just stepping stones, things you've got to get out of the way. I can't tell you how revolutionary Orange Beak was for me, and I hope that you find it equally illuminating and motivating!
Thank you!!! Fingers crossed 🤞 😁
Thank you so much for sharing your ups and downs Ruby! Your cherry blossom picture is just beautiful and congratulations in your recent Bologna success! I have “dabbled” with illustration for a number of years but when I won the picture hooks competition last year (which I very almost gave up on) it gave me such a boost to commit and carry on. It’s a bumpy road. Thanks for being so generous with sharing your journey!
Isn’t Picture Hooks great? I’m so glad that you also found it a boost. I wonder if they know how important they’ve been to so many of us!
So fascinating to see the progress of your work in the context of applications - thanks so much for sharing! HUGE congratulations on the shortlist!
Thank you so much Raj!
Wow. Thank you so much for sharing this! And massive congratulations for Bologna! I’ve entered quite a few things myself getting rejected & occasionally accepted. And it is heartbreaking. The rejections feel personal even if they’re not. But the only way is always forward and to create more.
Anyway, I love your illustrations! And especially the riso prints are gorgeous. So, well done! 👏 👏👏
Thank you Franziska. I know what you mean about it feeling personal but we have to remember that it never is! I think it’s importance to find a balance so we don’t get too many rejections all at once! It’s so hard but looking back I can see why certain things didn’t work. It reminds me that it’s important to take stock. And celebrate all the tiny wins!
Hooray for your Bologna shortlisting this year!! I love the images you made! ❤️ I’m so impressed with your persistence - and so interesting to see your work progress over the years! Xxx
Thanks dearest Ella! Blimey, you just have to keep on going don’t you!
Totally!! Xxx
So much honesty here, thanks for sharing Ruby! And huge congratulations for the shortlisted nomination in Bologna Fair 🧡
Thank you so much Theresa!
Hey! It's about time! Well done YOU. Sending a massive ((hug)). I never doubted our futures being positive from when I sat next to you at HOI. xx
Hey thank you so much Amanda! Sending big hugs to you too
Gorgeous winning work for Bologna! Love the connectons in them, the compositions. So refreshing to see what didn't work too which often gets hidden away. It's all process. And yes, persistance pays!
Thanks so much Bridget. Persistence is definitely an important tool in the tool box!
Ps forgot to say your new illustrations for Bologna are wonderful.
Huge congratulations!!!!! A brilliant post. So interesting to see all your submissions. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU Charlotte!
That's very encouraging! Thank you for sharing all that. 😍
I’m so glad it’s encouraging Robyn! In a way I’m quite proud to have had so many fails!
It's a great sign! I wish I had more fails... *sigh* Don't worry, I'm going to apply for many, many things this year, so there are many rejections in the pipeline! 😅
Oh Ruby! I feel you. Really feel you!
Massive congratulations for being shortlisted, you truly deserve it!!
Thank you so much Giulia! I think we all have these experiences don’t we!
Wow what a story of resilience! Very inspiring - and congrats on the Bologna shortlisting!
Thanks so much Jane! Not a unique story, just nice to have some perspective on it!