Blue Heron, in process, 4’2" tall, by Tammy Vitale. When finished will be ready to insert into the ground. $400.
VERY productive day! But I can’t show you anything because I’ve been making Christmas gifts and some of the receptees read this blog, so it will all have to remain mysterious. Some has already been wrapped and therefore will never be seen by the larger world. So I guess you’ll just have to take me word that I’m on a roll productively and having a grand time being there.
Started the morning off with the plan to journal and never made that. So as I’ve worked today, I’ve been working on One Coach tapes and tonight, after this blog actually, I will do some journaling and working on some of the action sheets that go along with the tapes. Um, not tapes, IPod – funny how we get attached to language that is no longer valid….do you still use "records?" I do. =]
Had a great brainstorm about the male torsos this morning, which, alas, will also have to remain untold until I figure out exactly how I’m going to work with them. At the moment, I believe they will have to go out under a different name (a pseudonym! isn’t that fun?!) since they will be quite different from my branded lines of masks and torsos (and smaller work).
So, for the most part, all I have today is brag rights and no pictures to show. Well, okay, I’ll show you the first ever male torso, in process. The upper right shoulder is done in an acrylic and
the rest in a glaze. The upper right shoulder will have a tattoo (which I have spend hours browsing the web to get an idea for). His name is Hades.
Got my latest The Crafts Report magazine today and it has several really interesting articles this month (listed as January 2008). Here are some thoughts from "The American Craft Brand" by Loretta Radeschi: "Artists must be storytellers, and buyers must be visual learners, story lovers and info-maniacs. Women fall in love with the ‘why’ story, while men fall in love with the "how" story…Always ask a customer if they’ve purchased from you before. If the answer is yeas, then say "you’re one of my collectors. May I have your address so I can send you special invitations to gallery openings, shows and my open studio tours?’ Always write down stories about how and why people purchase your work, and use them. Always stay in contact with your customers and learn as much as you can about them, and suggest they bring a friend to a show or exhibition where you’ll be….The key to being successful as a wholesale and increasing consumer perception is a good partnership with retailers. A study has shown that artists who sell wholesale have incomes twice that of retail only artists. If that’s true, and it appears to be, people need to have and maintain those relationships…It is important that artists seek galleries appropriate for their work, and that gallery owners and managers strive to promote the artist…In my gallery, if an artist’s work isn’t selling, we sit down and try to determine why. The gallery should be honorable in assessing the work and in promoting the artist to their clients. Educating the pubic begins long before a person attends a craft show or walks into a gallery…."
Note the statement about wholesale…I knew that! I’m ahead of the curve, or at least following it! Maybe that’s why I liked the article: it agrees with me.
thought for the day: Logic will get you from point A to point B. Imagination will take you everywhere. Albert Einstein
6 Comments
Mmm… Hades has been working out! Nice muscles….
I mean, *clearing throat,* he is a very nice piece of artwork in progress, and I can't wait to see his new tattoo and hear what his tribe's name (pseudonym, I believe you call it?) will be!!
These pieces are beautiful, Tammy! I have been away from the blogging world, off spreading holiday cheer to family this past weekend. Phew – good to be home! Anyway, it's cool stopping by here to see everything you are accomplishing – and yes, you're a total bead addict! Amazing amount of wonderful work! I have much brewing, but not enough time to devote to it until after the holidays. Psyched to start the year off right and participate in Leah's new challenge for 2008.
Hey, Tammy!
Very productive, indeed! I'm not clear on whether the pseudonym will be instead of your name, or a different name for a different line of work. (Instead of "Sacred")I would suggest that you promote them either under a "male" name or a genderless name (like T. Vitale–and in correspondence, refer to yourself as Mr. Vitale) and then market them to galleries/shops in gay areas—like the Castro district in SF. Gay males are noted for having disposable income.I think you might do quite well with that.
And "yes" to wholesale–I think that in order to do well as artists, we have to investigate all avenues, and galleries/shops give you more exposure. I just had a 2 people come to my Open Studios who had seen or bought work from a local shop that is carrying my work. Together they spent over $1000. at my Open Studios. Definitely worth doing!
Christine
Ooo – a pseudonym, how intriguing! The new work is looking good, I can't wait to see what tattoo he ends up getting…
Love the Einstein quote. Have a great weekend, Tammy – wouldn't you know, now that I have something to read, I haven't had a chance to sit down and do any of it, lol – but hope to tomorrow. Thank you again!
Love that male torso and can't wait to hear what your pseudonym will be (I know it will be creative). The quote about women wanting to know the 'why' and men the 'how' is sooo true. Women buy my books but men will stand and ask question after question about how I did this or that. By the way, your slide show is wonderful, as I write this the images keep drifting in to the box and I love seeing all those beautiful torsos.
oo, the heron and male torso are looking great! even when you think you don't have stuff to show for all your productivity, you do!!
very interesting info from the magazine too. that's a great point about keeping track of why someone buys your work.
interesting about wholesale. i'm not sure if my work fits in that sort of style of selling. hrmm.