Some Disappointing News
I didn’t get into Chicago Zine Fest this year. It stings—but I’m channeling that energy into making more art. No one can take that from me!
I have some disappointing news. I applied to be part of this year’s Chicago Zine Fest, but I didn’t get in. They had a huge number of applications, and the acceptance rate was only 14%. So competitive! I was really disappointed.
I had been preparing to bring not only Fruit Body Playboy (which I made in 2020) but also my new zine Something Long, along with other pieces. It’s frustrating to put so much into getting ready and then not have the chance to show them.
It reminded me of Yayoi Kusama and how she wasn’t officially invited to the Venice Biennale in 1966. Instead, she protested by staging her Narcissus Garden guerilla-style right on-site. Now she’s a global star, but back then, she too faced rejection. And she turned that frustration into action. That story has become a kind of legend—an artist refusing to stay invisible.
Thinking about that gave me courage. So I didn’t get in—okay. But I’m still an artist, and I’m going to keep making things with that same energy. Because that’s what feels healthy. And because no one can take away my drive to draw!