I'm not one to moan and I certainly appreciate that everyone's perception of what makes good art is very different. However, I can't help but feel somewhat insulted by a response I had from a moderator at DA Art Gallery who declined my 'Headspace' submission:

Me: Hello, can you tell me why this submission was declined?

Moderator: There are some good things about it. The composition is good and the face is good. I guess we felt it was almost too much like a notebook that a young person might doodle on during a class.

Me: Blimey I am surprised at your response. You do realise the entire picture has been drawn in biro by hand (including the sketchbook background)? The whole point of this piece is exploring how realism can create interesting illusions and juxtapositions using both fine art style drawings and seemingly random doodles. I'm sorry you appear to have missed this point.

Is it just me or has the moderator missed the point of what I was trying to achieve? Those of you who know my work will know that I spend many hours perfecting realistic drawings. I am particularly fond of using biro and had many positive responses regarding my technical skill. I am by no means an expert in my field (I raise my hat to the likes of Lucarduca and Viana Arts) but I do believe my work shows some degree of skill. I feel a little insulted to be told that my work looks like that of a young school child (no offence intended towards school children)!