Well, yesterday was one of the longest days of my life!
After picking up the final pieces of my submission on Saturday afternoon I got them home to find issues with printing and mount sizes (my fault not theirs) so I had a last minute panic and spent Saturday evening desperately trying to re-shuffle things to make some sort of coherent panel.
In the end I decided to take both panels, the dogs and the studio portraits and went with the dogs as my first choice.
I arrived in York nice and early, it's the first time I've been to the Railway Museum and wish I'd had more time to look around, trains don't usually float my boat but there's some fab stuff in there.
The advisory started on time at 10.30, there was 18 panels to get through and guess what number I was, yeah..........number 18 !!!!
I had to wait all day!! It was very interesting listening to the critique and I learned a lot about what was required for a distinction. The more I learned the more nervous I became, there was some lovely work displayed throughout the day and I began to wonder what the hell I was doing there. By the time my 1st panel was put up at 3.30 I was a jibbering wreck and had one eye on the nearest plant pot in case my nerves got the better of my churning stomach.
The advisor stood for what seemed like an age just staring at my photos but not saying anything, at this point I started to wish I that plant pot was big enough for me to climb into. He then turned, looked me straight in the eye and said "This work does not meet the requirements of a Licentiate". I didn't know whether I was going to throw up or burst into tears (or maybe both at the same time!), he must've realised I was on the brink as he quickly followed it up with "It is much more suited to Associate level, I advise you to bypass the L and go straight for an A distinction". At which point I must've looked very confused as I wasn't sure if I'd heard correctly so he repeated himself but this time spoke a little slower and it began to sink in. Well BLOODY HELL I didn't expect that!!!!!
As they began to display my second panel I was feeling a little hopeful that they may make the L standard, once again he stood staring and this time also shaking his head as he said "These are not L standard either, this is also an 'A' panel". I almost started to hyperventilate and my grin was as wide as the theatre screen.
Secretly I feel a little disappointed that I didn't make the L grade but what the heck - it looks like I'm on my way to a BIG FAT 'A' 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀 Happy days !!!