Thursday, June 04, 2009

Bunnies in Bulgaria


These three prints went to Bulgaria.

Three of my prints have been accepted at an exhibition in Bulgaria. It is the Lessedra Gallery Annual Mini Print Show. Some 653 prints were submitted and of those 535 were accepted. It is my first acceptance. I find it amusing to think of my animals hanging amongst the rather more serious works and am surprised they were not rejected out of hand for possibly being cute. Though I don't call my work cute, I may think of it as cute which is different. There are different kinds of cute. Cute is when you are surprised and charmed by something, like a rabbit flopping almost into the water bowl. I admit I am often surprised when a print works out and looks OK, then I think of it as cute. But not cute in the way that pictures of children and puppies with over sized eyes are thought of by some as cute (I think of them as scary, very scary). Looking up cute in the dictionary I find that it is derived from acute with roots in the Latin  acutus meaning sharp. The first meaning says cleaver, sharp, cunning as in a cute swindle. The second meaning is pretty, attractive especially in a delicate or dainty way. The Spots prefer the first meaning and hope to swindle me out of some extra blueberries by being cute. 

Earlier this year I donated a Sky Rabbit and a Heath Talisman print to a benefit auction. Only the rabbit print sold. I got a promotional card with Sky Rabbit on it. As you can see it seems rather out of place; what doesn't fit in this picture? But I know my Bandit (bun in the print) would have been pleased to be the bunrepresentative. 


Here's both sides of the promotional postcard. 

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9 comments:

PJ said...

I'm no art critic but I looked at the prints you sent to the exhibition and I see an underlying intelligence in all of them (I also own three of your prints, two of which are related to the submissions)but not cute. "Cute" can also imply passivity and there's none of that in any of the prints. The buns all convey personality which makes you want to get to know them and the bull has its own dynamics. Congratulations, Diana. And the only reason Bandit looks out of place is because the other prints are too busy. Less is definitely more here.

Annette Tait said...

Congratulations Diana!

I agree with PJ on both points. and I agree with you on the Scary eyes!

I once read/heard that cute meant ugly but interesting! and I have never forgotten it. I don't use the word cute too often.

Your work is intelligent - if art can be described as such - but I feel it is very appropriate.

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Congratulations! Your prints have a certain charm that is often absent in works that attempt to be too serious, but I don't see that as a bad thing.

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh congratulations, three wonderful prints, especially the first one. Interesting thoughts about the word cute too

RG said...

Aw .. The Spots and Hugo and Miss Eve are International celebrities now.

Remember you knew us back when!!!

Congratulations ...

Alice said...

wow! breathless, speechless....gorgeous!

Unknown said...

Congrats Diana...the buns must be proud of their talented 'mama' :P hugs/m

Anonymous said...

Congratulations, D! Your art certainly deserves to be part of the exhibition :)

Over-sized eyes.. you made me think of Puss in Boots (from Shrek), pulling his innocent face. There's lots of scary in that cute face, lol!

I agree with PJ on Bandit's picture. Each time I look at the card, my eyes automatically rest on Bandit.. her's is a picture of calm & peace amidst all the other busy pictures :)

ilex said...

Congratulations, D. I think of you as very acute. And your prints, cunning.