Having some cards returned for edits or *gasp* denied? The new 'thanks but no thanks' policy has some artists fleeing, angered, depressed and downright rejected.  We are a sensitive bunch for sure and we can argue over a reviewers choice to deny a card until we are blue or we can change our reaction to the dreaded 'thanks but no thanks' email.  
 
Even Andy Warhol received rejection letters.( Read it here: www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/its-with-regret-mr-warhol.html). The paintings of Vincent Van Gogh were notoriously shunned and Charles Schultz was criticized for his lack of 'training'.  
 
When I started with GCU many years ago, I remember a fellow artist wrote that he didn't think photographs made good greeting cards. Well, if I had given that person the power, pitched a fit and closed my store, I wouldn't be selling cards today. Ok, well, maybe I did pitch a fit, but I didn't close up shop, I kept going, and proved him wrong. My point is, you have the ultimate power over your work. Another persons opinion doesn't lessen the value of you or your art.  It simply means that for whatever reason, GCU doesn't think it's marketable in this venue. And face it, they're probably right. I know, I know, some people feel that a reviewer doesn't quite understand what macro photography is, or doesn't fully understand what 'straightening the horizon' would do to the composition of the photograph but that's an entirely different post and I digress.  
 
With that said, it's important to take a long critical look at your work. I ask myself did I do the best work I could possibly do? Does it look polished and professional? Is it appealing? Is it marketable to the masses?  I always try to remember I do have a target audience. I've learned to save my artsy photography for other venues as it does always translate well to greeting cards.  
 
Art is art and it will always be subjective.  Someone will hate your work. Someone will love your work. Sure it gets frustrating, we are only human after all.  But if we change our thinking about rejection in the art world, if we learn to handle rejection in a productive less destructive way, then receiving an occasional denied or returned for edits email will sting a lot less.  
 
Still struggling with rejection? Who doesn't! Here is short article on handling rejection as an artist: http://artmarketingsecrets.com/2010/07/how-to-handle-rejection-as-an-artist.html
 
Any tips on handling rejection in the art world? I'd love to hear them!

Hi Liz. I wrote a blog post on Rejection. It pertains more to my illustration/writing activities but rejection hurts no matter what and we as creatives need to find ways to move beyond it. Here's the link if you want to take a gander.
 
http://dtdelosh.blogspot.com/2010/10/rejection-few-antidotes.html

Thanks for that Liz!  Your thoughts are well stated and your links much appreciated!
 
This statement Liz makes above is really important for everyone to remember "Another persons opinion doesn't lessen the value of you or your art.  It simply means that for whatever reason, GCU doesn't think it's marketable in this venue."
 
in this venue . . .
 
GCU is NOT an ART site; Fine Art America, Imagekind, those are art sites, you can put anything you consider to be art on those sites and no one will ask you to remove it due to lack of marketability.  GCU is a CARD STORE, though one could say that designing greeting cards is an art form all of its own, there is a big difference between a Fine Art Greeting Card where you put the painting, photograph or illustration on a blank card and designing a card for occasions and holidays.  Because GCU and most other card stores are in the business to sell consumers greeting cards for specific relationships and occasions, art for art sake simply does not apply here.

Liz, beautifully stated!