Art Gallery
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A Massage For Your Scalp
Conversations with Virgin Mary Everything I plan refuses to end as planned. I have been sending applications to every open call where I believe my work belongs, and the results have been the same: rejection. I have grown so accustomed to rejection letters that they no longer surprise me. I don’t ask why anymore. I…
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Waxing a wooden floor is a simple task
In a conversation about proposals, a character expresses disappointment over a rejection from the David Suzuki Foundation, while remaining hopeful about alternatives. They explore the complexities of advocacy, drawing parallels between life and waxing floors. Through connection and persistence, they emphasize the importance of understanding one’s path, leading to unexpected opportunities.
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Water Takes Many Forms
Conversations with Virgin Mary Thursday, April 27 Water takes many forms. Frozen—waiting for someone else to free it.Still—green, thick, breeding sickness.Whirlpool—moving but going nowhere, swirling with its own debris.Waterfall—leaping into the void, surrendering to gravity and consequence. Which one are you? You know the answer. You’ve been circling for months, mistaking motion for progress. The…
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We Trade the Ticket for the Sugar Bag
The narrative centers on self-doubt, procrastination, and the struggle to pursue artistic ambitions. Through conversations with a friend named Jorge and reflections on personal experiences, the protagonist recognizes excuses tied to past grievances and fears. They confront their reluctance to take action, guided by messages that inspire self-acceptance and boldness.
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All Thing Must Pass
The post reflects on the author’s complex relationship with their late gallerist, Oscar, and the challenge of balancing artistic integrity with social media trends. Visiting Jorge, the author grapples with loss and the inevitability of change while processing grief through metaphorical comparisons to outgrown shoes and the fleeting nature of relationships.
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You have Started to Smell like Ketchup
Your ketchup is leaving a bad smell in your pantry. When was the last time you poured ketchup on your food? Was it with Thai takeout or French fries? I bet it was the second. You pulled out a bag of McCain’s frozen fries, tossed them in the microwave, squeezed ketchup on top, and started…
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Should You Keep Trying of Giving Up?
The struggles of submitting for Art Calls. Here I put my reflections about being artist and showing up
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Why People Don’t Buy Art: The Stories We Tell and the Rituals We Keep
For most people, the morning is a ritual of familiarity. My grandfather used to read the newspaper while the radio droned the morning news, offering him a constant stream of updates to critique over breakfast. My mother, more focused, restricts herself to the local news—traffic, weather, maybe a fire or two. My wife, in contrast,…
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Love Conquers All, another story about censorship
In 1602, Caravaggio completed Amor Vincit Omnia, or Love Conquers All. It was the kind of work only Caravaggio could create: Cupid, standing with arrows in one hand, seems to tread casually over symbols of human accomplishment—armor, a lute, a lined notebook—suggesting that love supersedes all human endeavors. The painting was an instant sensation among Rome’s…
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Congratulations, You’re Now Officially an Artist!
“Dear Carlos Fentanes, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for entering this year’s International Artist Awards. We are pleased to inform you that your artwork has been shortlisted at this stage. Congratulations!” Every now and then, I get a message like this. It’s official—I’m an artist! A little thrill. A…
Carlos Fentanes 