Rejection

First rejection is under my belt.  Submitted my work for a juried site, and received a response that "we feel that your work is not ready at this time."  Ouch. . .I requested specific feedback and finally received that today.
1.  Contrast and rendering:  Many of the pieces did not show a wide range of value.  The graphite work did, but not the colored pencil and watercolors. 
2.  Composition:  While the compositions were lovely, all the work felt very academic.  We would like to see you in your work. 
Double Ouch. 

Okay, so now for my rant about this evaluation......it is WATERCOLOR.  I happen to like the soft qualities of watercolor.  Does everything have to scream vivid colors?  and....please, please realize that work is first scanned then downloaded and then uploaded - yes, folks, some color quality is lost in the process. 
Academic quality of work . . . really, really?????   I am at a loss of words for that critque, but then who am I - obviously I have no judge or taste as far as "art composition" goes.  So, with that off of my chest - it is back to the drawing board. . . in every sense of the word. 
But, being one not to be deterred, I am going to now recreate my portfollio and in a month resubmit again.  Most likely the evaluation this time will say "colors are way to vivid and composition is too artificial."  Okay, okay - I know, "sour grapes." 
The plan is to do a study in color . . . going to be working with blue.
Went to Luquillo yesterday and got some great shots of waves, water, and sea.  I think a great place to start with the color "blue."

n