Being in control. Or being out of control...That is the question

I learned something new this week. The hard way. And this could be a small story. But it´s also a big story.

I was asked in the beginning of January, before going 10 days to Florida, if I wanted to participate in an exhibit in February with two other artists, well one of them was the artist’s mother since the artist has died. The other was a painter that I´ve been doing a few exhibits with before. No name mentioned.

And I said yes. And went to Florida, knowing the two other participants was going to have a meeting about practical stuff  while I was away.

Then I got home from Florida and put up my art at the place for the exhibit.

And discovered that I was NOT in the press material and NOT on the homepage for the place where the exhibit took place. The other two participants where. As the two other participants told me, ”Well, you were going away for 10 days and we were thinking that you might have changed your opinion about participating when you got home, therefore we decided not to put you in the press material”.....What?????????

See.... I´m still sort of speechless when thinking about it...... I´m so speechless I´m not even sure WHAT I´m thinking: Angry? Surprised? Disappointed? Unable to comprehend what they are telling me?

I guess I´m all of this.

And I´m this girl brought up to be a very nice girl, so I haven´t even told them how mad I am. And I don´t know if I´m going to. Right now I´m just thinking: Never to do something with these people again...

Maybe they´ll google me one day and find out?

Are any of you (especially women) readers out there recognizing this?

I´ve been thinking quite a lot about this. And I certainly blame these people for not seeing me as a serious artist, as they have absolutely no reason to think I shouldn´t be serious and responsible.

But I´m also blaming myself. I´m blaming myself for not making sure that I´m in control of my own career.

Don´t expect people to treat you nice. Make sure for yourself that people treat YOU the way YOU and your ART deserves!

So the next time somebody asks me to participate with my art in something, I´ll say: ”Sure, I´ll love to participate. What are we doing about public relations?”