169 Thick Skin, Soft Heart — Taking Rejection Without Giving Up

Join our next BoldBrush LIVE! Webinar by signing up here:register.boldbrush.com/live-guestLearn the magic of marketing  with us here at BoldBrush!boldbrushshow.comGet over 50% off your first year on your artist website with FASO:FASO.com/podcast---For today's episode compilation we explore how artists can reframe rejection as a normal, even necessary, part of a creative career rather than a verdict on their worth. Our past guests describe rejection as an ego blow that must be met with humility, a willingness to learn, and a long-term mindset of steady improvement. Several artists share stories of painful setbacks—unsold shows, declined gallery submissions, ignored emails—but explain how these experiences fueled their determination to work harder and get better. They emphasize building a “thick skin” while still remaining open to tough, honest critique, using feedback to refine both craft and professionalism. The conversation also highlights that rejection isn’t always about the artist’s shortcomings; sometimes the fit, timing, or other person’s vision just isn’t right yet. Throughout, our past guests stress perseverance, self-awareness, and staying committed to the work itself as the healthiest way to survive and grow from rejection. All of the episodes mentioned in this compilation are linked in our show notes.24 Kelly Eden46 Hillary Scott60 Gladys Roldan-de-Moras63 Noah Buchanan76 Chris Navarro87 Johanna Spinks101 Joseph Gyurcsak121 Paul Batch140 Donald Yatomi