When it comes to art, rejection doesn't have to mean failure

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Every year, the State Department of Education and the State Foundation of Culture and the Arts sponsor a prestigious art contest for intermediate and high school students from around the state.

Each year, only a few of the entries are chosen for the juried Scholastic art competition, which can be a gateway to national recognition.

Last year, Kaimuki Intermediate art teacher John Nippolt entered 26 pieces of his students' work, and not one was accepted.

So he made his own show in the school's cafeteria.

This year, Nippolt has expanded his alternate-venue idea and invited all the public and private intermediate and high schools on O'ahu to participate. The show is called "Salon des Refuses" and to have a piece entered, it must first be rejected from the Scholastic competition.

It's not at all sour grapes. It is, among other things, a history lesson.

In Paris in 1863, Napoleon III gave exhibition space to the painters rejected from a prestigious show. Among the rejected art in this first "Salon des Refuses" were pieces by Paul Cezanne, Auguste Renoir, Manet, Monet and Degas.

So there.

Nippolt is hoping budding artists will appreciate the cache of getting into the Salon show. At the same time, though, he wants them to pay close attention to the pieces that were selected for the Scholastic show and respect what it took to get in.

"You have to learn rejection," says Nippolt. "It's healthy. You have to learn how to lose with grace sometimes."

He and teachers Christine Ho from Wai'anae High and Jo Giubilato from Kapolei High, are spending their own time, on nights and weekends, putting together the Salon. They hope their efforts also get the point across that the art world is subjective, and that "no" doesn't have to be the final answer.

"I myself can have my own show of artwork rejected from judges around the world," says Nippolt.

There will be a gala opening and awards ceremony Feb. 5 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Honolulu Hale. The show will run through Feb. 20.

Some of the artwork at the Salon will be for sale, with a small portion of the proceeds going back to the school art departments to buy supplies. About half of the pieces, though, have already been claimed by proud mothers or are just too sentimental for the artists to part with.

"Look at this!" says Giubilato, holding up a wild sculpture of wire and beads. "And this!" She lifts a glowing raku vase out of a box. "Did you see that one?" She points to an achingly detailed pencil drawing of crushed soda cans. There are more than 250 rejected pieces that will go into the Salon, each one looked over, yet each one judged as worthy by the art teachers who entered them into the juried show.

"These pieces are great, and these kids deserve recognition," says Giubilato.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.