What are you working on?

Well I guess I have to work on whether I want to sell the painting above that was accepted to the show, or not, and if so how to price it.

I'm guessing that the gallery would like me to sell it so they can make some profit ? but I don't think it was a requirement to enter the show.

However, they have two spaces for the art. One has far more traffic and it's where I would like it to be shown. More likely if it's for sale.

Should I just ask the director how to price it? Selling my work seems so weird. Would be the first time. But I have always felt that selling would be a milestone and then just maybe I might feel better about calling myself an artist.

Thoughts?
 
Should I just ask the director how to price it? Selling my work seems so weird. Would be the first time. But I have always felt that selling would be a milestone and then just maybe I might feel better about calling myself an artist.

Thoughts?

Someone with experience in the field might indeed be able to suggest a sensible price. And yes, once someone has bought something, one does begin to feel like a "real artist."

Alas for me: after years and years of battling it out, my sales finally began to pick up quite a bit in 2019. Then Covid pretty much wiped out the market around here, at least for unknowns such as myself. I see established artists are still doing okay, though for how much longer remains to be seen, given that our government is doing its level best to destroy the last tatters of our economy.

Anyway, not selling much has in some ways been liberating for me. At least for the moment, I have stopped worrying about the market at all and simply focus on what I personally have fun with. And discovered that I am actually more of a cartoonist than a highfalutin "fine artist".

American Cowthic 800 x 640.jpg


Witch landing 640 x 800.jpg


24 A new hobby.jpg


Well, I have no idea how one makes money from it, and I don't particularly care. :)
 
Good hearing from you and for you to stick it out Brian. Glad to see you are still doing it even under tough conditions. They do say to paint what you like so your heart will be in it. Love the American Gothic.

I've asked the director for some suggestion on price but haven't heard back from her yet. I hope I'm not being too much of a pain. She has to deal with 50 other artists for the show.
 
Jennie, I love this piece, SO MUCH! It's so cool!

Zen, thank you very much!

Sno, an enigma, eh? Wow. That is kinda cool. Thanks for the kudos on the second one. I'm scared to finish it I think. :ROFLMAO:
Thanks. Trying to keep the freer strokes coming. It can be hard work!
 
John, Congratulations! That's wonderful for you, definitely be proud!
When pricing, do you also consider copyrights or prints?
 
John, I think asking the director is a good idea, but asking other artists that have sold similar works in your area in similar galleries might also be a good idea. You don't want to price yourself too low or too high, even for your first piece. Where abouts is the show and how big is the piece again?

Brain, I absolutely love your new works, but I have loved all your work all along. ♥️
 
Wow, folks, where to start! Had the gallery opening/reception tonight! Multiple people told me they liked my painting the most. A woman from Manhattan said there was more in my painting than most she sees when going to the NYC galleries! I had seen her taking a photo of the painting and the description card and so I approached her and introduced myself. But she and her husband were looking for a large abstract. Mine is 16 x 20. A large painting for Manhattan (Tribeca) real estate. Yikes. She showed me examples on her phone. I told her I have been wanting to go that way with my painting. I honestly am! LOL. She took a business card. I just had them made. "Moo " business cards. You can have your paintings printed on one side. I had fifty cards with 26 different paintings. Pretty cool.

And then I notice an elderly man sitting, asking someone , an assistant?, about my painting. So I tell him I'm the artist and he asks the price. Says he wasn't even looking to buy but was just there meeting with friends but that he found my painting "charming". I ask him if he was an artist and he says no, just a consumer. A few words later and I mention randomly that the painting might be Sagaponack, which is a small town on the east end of LI...In July 2015, according to Business Insider, the 11962 ZIP Code encompassing Sagaponack was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $5,125,000, rising to $8,500,000 in the end of the year. I could have said any town out there! The painting was not of any particular place. And then, he says he lives there! and goes off on an eccentric drunk? talk about the history of his three hundred year old house and the original immigrants that settled there etc. I nod and smile. He introduces me to his wife.

So then I'm talking with some friends that came and he calls me over and says he wants to buy my painting! We are both confused about how to proceed from there. Do I take credit cards? Well yes but my credit card reader for my AC business is at home. And I'm not sure how all this works with the gallery. Do they do the transaction? I can't find the director. Well, he says he has my card and will call. The painting needs to stay in the gallery for a month anyway I find out. Then he was gone. So who knows. I'll believe it when it happens but regardless, I'm over the moon happy. Later I find the director and she tells me they take 30%. Would be 50% but I'm a paid member there now. Cool. It seems that it's just on the honor system. I do the transaction and then I give the gallery their cut. It's only a few hundred bucks but selling my first would be very cool.

Sorry for the long post but as you can probably tell, I'm a little giddy.

Things I learned? Have cards ready and also some quick way to take notes, phone numbers etc. Credit card reader. Things move so fast. I'm also not good about ending a conversation. I also should have hovered around my painting more and watched for the interested people. Instead I was wandering around, talking to friends and other artists, popping over to the brewery conveniently located nearby etc.
 
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Wow John! Congrats on all the great interest! That's fantastic! I'm so excited for you. You are a great painter and I'm not at all surprised.

It sounds like you can not take a sale, however, on your own even if you did have a credit card reader? The gallery is supposed to handle the sales? Is that right? The usual way it works is that the gallery does the sale and then pays you your cut after the show is over, but maybe this one works differently. I don't know.

Too bad the interested party was gone when you got back, but maybe they will return. You never know. What are the gallery hours? You should have business cards on you at all times.

Ending conversations are very difficult. I have a hard time with that too. I try to tell my friends, "Well, thanks for coming, but I have to get back to work now..." They seem to understand, and if they don't, I have to not feel bad, or try not to. I've been trying to practice these last few shows/receptions. It's easier said than done--to make yourself available to interested people.

I know about Moo and had some great cards made from them for my last show, the ones that have that fancy color on the sides. Nice work they do! And it's nice that they do small runs.

Congrats again!!! ♥️ :)
 
You should have business cards on you at all times.
Agreed. You want to give the prospect something to take away, no matter how small. Business cards with your art on them also make you feel authentic. Zazzle and Moo have sales going on right now, a lot of online companies have sales right now.
 
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