After the Submission🪶

April 13, 2026

“Every doorway asks for a deep, calming breath before entering.”

Today I submitted four original pieces to a juried show. My first juried show. It wasn’t dramatic or ceremonial, just a quiet sequence of steps, each one handled with care until the final click sent them out of my hands and into someone else’s consideration. These are the moments that rarely look like milestones from the outside, but they mark a real shift in my internal landscape. And now… I wait.

There’s always a particular stillness after a submission. My heart gives a quick flutter at first, then settles back into itself. A soft exhale. A clearing. Something has moved forward, and the space around me feels subtly different. I am an artist opening myself to the judgment of others.

With that done, my attention returns to the studio, the planned pieces are waiting for the next engagement, but before I move into all of that, I’m letting myself pause. A cup of tea, a deep breath, a moment to acknowledge the crossing.

The work will continue soon enough. For now, I’m honoring this small, quiet doorway and the calm that follows stepping through it.