When They Told Me Not to Paint Flowers (And My Brain🧠 Crashed a Little)
- April Tolosa
- Jan 21
- 2 min read
Today I attended an info session for an art fair I really want to join.
And one of the first things they said? “If you want to be picked… maybe don’t paint flowers.” 😅
Apparently, it’s a pretty common theme—and if you want to stand out, you’ve got to be unique. I could practically hear my floral series plan crashing in my brain. Loudly.
Yes, yes… I did say in my last blog post that flowers are everywhere. 🌸 Damn it. Why did I think it was a good theme for this?
The Harsh Reality of Art Fair Applications
It’s fair, though. If they’re receiving over 1,500 artist applications and can only accept around 350, they have to be selective. According to them, by the 10th floral-themed submission, it starts to get repetitive. (Also apparently TTC trains are a popular subject too? Who knew! 😂)
Do I Need to Be More Eccentric to Stand Out?
The more I read and learn about the art world, the more I wonder…Is this whole thing just a little bit crazy? And maybe I’m not quite crazy enough to make the cut. Maybe my art is not cut out for trendy art.
Sometimes it feels like if your art isn’t wild, loud, or totally off-the-wall, it might not get noticed.
And then there's the other advice:
“Create art for your audience.”
But what if I don’t have one yet?
I’m still looking. Still discovering. Still hoping to connect with the people who will resonate with what I create.🙏🏼🎨
So Now What?
For now, I’m choosing to make art that feels true to me.✨ Maybe it won’t be flowers (or TTC trains 😆), but it will still be mine.
I’ll keep exploring. I’ll keep creating. I’ll find my people—and they’ll find me too.
👉 Stay tuned for what I come up with next! And if you’re curious, check out my latest work at appato.ca or follow me on Instagram [@appato.ca to come along for the ride.
Let me know if you want to brainstorm alternative themes to florals that still feel like “you” but help you stand out—especially for juried art shows. We can totally work on that too!
April Tolosa | appato.ca
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