Visitors' poll

I tried to register and was refused, which I couldn't help but find insulting. I'm a professional artist and regular contributor to several other fora. I'm also a member of my local art guild's Artist Review Panel, so I understand the jurying process and the fact that rejection is not usually a personal matter to the juror. I feel bad about having to reject artists too.
I rarely visit this forum because it's frustrating to see people that I know having a discussion and not being allowed to join in.

I do appreciate this one time opportunity to be heard.

Respectfully,
Todd Cooper

The fact that there are often as many as 100 times as many guests reading threads on this Forum as members attests to the fact that there's something here worth having a look at. There's a great deal of worthwhile material elsewhere, too, but here there's a focus, and you won't usually have to wade through 30 way-to-go posts in a technical or instructional thread before you get to the next substantial offering.

For what it's worth, this analogy regarding the application process for participating in this Forum. I work for a company that last week sold off a small part of its operation. It's a publishing company, once a book publisher, now 98% electronic (Internet, CDs, DVDs, and such). The "small part" of the operation that was sold was a college text division, still publishing books, and it simply didn't fit within the mission of the company anymore. There was NOTHING else wrong with it, as evidenced by the fact that this very small element in this huge corporation just sold for over 7 billion dollars.

Similarly, not being juried into this Forum as a participant doesn't mean that an applicant may not in fact be a magnificent artist, perhaps wildly successful, and teaching many classes. It just means that the work actually submitted with the application -- which is the entirety of what the administrators know about you -- didn't "fit" the mission of this Forum. Sometimes the applicant simply isn't ready. Sometimes the applicant's work is great, but isn't in the vein of what this Forum is about. What it's about is thoughtfully stated at the top of the page every time you open up this Forum and see the statement of purpose and interest for the Forum.

A feeling of "insult" is painful from both sides, and certainly is never the intention here. There could be no rational motivation to inflict insult. There are other forums that get off on that, but this one doesn't.

It's simply a site dedicated to the highest levels of excellence in portraiture and in the training of dedicated and disciplined artists to achieve that level of work. It doesn't make a dime off of it. There are no awards and little prestige. Everyone does it for his or her own reasons, but there are sure a lot of other ways that top artists could spend their time. That many spend time offering something back here is something worth capitalizing on, as evidenced by the fact that when I signed on recently, there were 2 members and 103 guests reading the Forum posts.

Principles before personalities, as they say.

[Cynthia Daniel]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The fact that there are often as many as 100 times as many guests reading threads on this Forum as members attests to the fact that there's something here worth having a look at...

Wow, what a thoughtful and appreciated response.

And, yes, the Board does hate rejecting applicants.

[Mischa Milosevic]

To be honest, I have not had time to go through all the posts in this thread but do think a word or two, on my part, would not hurt. Actually, I hope that by sharing my though, in regard to the forum, I may benefit someone.

I try to be a person of but a few words. Still I try to convey my thoughts the best I can with the limited palette of words. It has been my personal observation that most on this forum have had their moments of ups and downs. These could be moments of personal struggle or an encounter of verbal misunderstanding. What ever the case it is a part of life that nudges each one of us.

I have also observed, the short time that I have been here, that individuals join to receive and many have also to give. What ever the case in question it is good to hear and it is obvious to see that the forum has contributed as well as benefited. As in any situation there is always room for correction and improvement and in my humble opinion I see Cynthia doing her best to grow in this respect. This section or thread the Visitir's poll is a small indication of that. Sure each has a personal agenda why they do something but the generosity should always prevail.

I personally appreciate all that the generosity I have received on this forum and find that the more I give the more I receive.

Thank you to my new friends and my not so friends. My sincere best to all and what ever your path may you find what you are looking for

I don't think the opinion that the site's too "haughty" or "snobby" is a good enough reason to take all comers. I agree with a previous poster's ideas that presently registered people need to be encouraged to post in order to attain the critical mass of relevant and frequent posts.... but there are gobs of posts at WC, with its egalitarian registration process, and the place is a landfill. Sure, there's the occasional treasure, but you won't catch me digging through it to find it. I might get typhus.

This site could use more posts, but the posts that are here are beautiful and well-thought out.