During "Life Drawing" class one day, my instructor informed the class of an art show open to anyone who has not been part of a juried show (art not selected by jury to be a part of an art show).
Since I qualified, I decided to enter my final class project (portrait of my daughter). The show is called Aspiring Artist Debut. I was happy to find that the portrait received an Award of Excellence ribbon.
I also entered the drawing of the cat in a animal themed show. This is a juried show and the drawing was accepted in the show.
As an artist, I find that shows are a great way to gain exposure and experience.