Artist Struggling to Get Good Recommendations

[LauraV]

   I am an art student in a second BA degree I plan to apply for grad school and I'm struggling to get art professors to be interested in writing recommendations. I asked 2 and they made excuses or told me I wasn't ready. And I can ask the person who I volunteered under at an art community ctr to possibly write a modest one as well as the person who chose me to have a small solo show through a spiritual ctr. that was on an art walk.  But I'm still trying to figure out how to ask or get art profs to be willing to even look at my whole body of work and seriously consider writing me a recommendation when the time comes. 

[Eigen]

I think you need to consider the reasons you're getting turned down on a case by case basis. 

Did you ask the faculty who told you that you weren't ready why they thought you weren't ready? 

What about the other excuses? In my experience, faculty only make excuses when they don't feel they can write a good letter for the student. 

Have you sat down with any of your faculty and asked them to help you figure out your weak areas, or where you could improve?