Hand-made designer tile, SW Vase, finished with metallic patina by Tammy Vitale of Tam’s Originals.
Sold Shangri-La chair (see May 5 post for a picture) at the Calvert Artists’ Guild’s show yesterday – to another artist. I think I am going to have define my demographic not only as independent women over 35 who have their own disposeable funds, but also more specifically as artists. I realize I sell most of my work to women artists (not just the visual arts, but also to writers). Or maybe not artists alone, but also empaths. Interestingly writing about art helps me to make these connections.
The really good news to me about this sale is that I started these chairs selling at $95 which didn’t really cover my time. I inched them up to $105 then $115. I really liked Shangri-la and it was a part of a suite of work, so I marked it $150 and there was no quibble. And that pays for my time and materials. That’s a good sale!
Found several interesting links on-line and will share them with you here.
Art Daily on the web (try typing it at: http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp – I can’t get the link to work) announces it has returned. Apparently it "ended" last December. I have never seen it before but was happy to stumble across it thanks to a google alert (done with key words, most aren’t on target, but every now and then you get a good one). The writing is a bit lopsided and makes me wonder if the writer’s first language is English. It also tends towards that academic mishmash that I read in Ceramics Monthly magazine that tends to put my teeth on edge, but hey, I guess everyone has to use their education some how. All that said, my first glance at the publication was good enough to get me to add it to my subscription list and see what comes in. I can always unsubscribe.
I forget how I got to this one, but it’s a listing of calls for art with a "green" orientation. Called "Opportunities" it is published by the Green Museum and includes some really nice residancy opportunities. I keep thinking I’d like to try a residancy somewhere. With husband getting ready to go on the road doing sound for a band (more once the dotted line is signed), that might be something to do (but then we’d have to negotiate with Daughter to take care of Dog – see yesterday for picture of Dog).
Finally, here’s new art blog that I found through Shan at Thick Paint, called Paul Dorrell Blog whose tag defines him as "novelist and gallery owner". Skip the excerpts from Cool Nation and scroll on down to the art blogs. They’re interesting and well written. I need to explore his site a bit more to see if I want to visit regularly. But it’s defintely worth at least one visit. Shan’s original question had to do with contracts when doing art business. I commented that I don’t use them, as a rule. Maybe I’m stupid, but at the level I’m playing it’s all about relationships. If I can’t trust these folks where I leave my art, who can I trust? I think I have 2 contracts out of about 20 stores, and they deal with commission percentages. At this level, insurance is usually on the artist and since insurance refuses to insure anything but materials, why bother. If it breaks, make a totem out of it!
Thought for the day: The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit. Nelson Henderson
1 Comment
I sell a lot of work to creative women as well–not always artists but those drawn to creative fields.
Thanks for mentioning my blog, Thick Paint. I often go with trust over contract but I have to tell you I recently had someone I trust and like strongly hint at bumping a big chunk of time off a show I'm organizing and I nicely reminded her we had signed a contract. I was glad we had one.