Anyone want to guess?
Guesses
Maybe you are thinking that it is difficult to paint according to people’s instructions (called “commissions” or “commissioned art”). That might be true for some artists, but I am not one of them. I’ve said for decades that I’d rather draw an ugly house than be a waitress.
Maybe you are thinking that it is the lack of a steady paycheck. That is probably true for artists without supportive spouses with a steady income and insurance, but that is not me.
Maybe you are thinking that it is having to approach galleries. There aren’t any for-profit galleries in Tulare County, and since Tulare County is my focus, I don’t have to approach galleries. A benefit of having stayed here my entire career, both in subject matter and in the flesh, is that galleries (all non-profit) approach me. Not boasting, just stating the facts. There is much to be said for continuity and presence and reliability and community.
What about selling? Not a problem for me, because I don’t try to “sell” to people. I help people who want my art figure out which piece or pieces will please them most. No tricky words, no persuasive speech, just helping people.
None of those things are anyone’s favorite part about being an artist. So what is the hardest part?
The answer
Pricing. All artists HATE to set prices.
Other artists tell me my prices are way too low. However, my customers gasp and have to think about whether or not to spend money on my art. (That deflates any tendencies of getting fat-headed about being known in my area.)
There is a push-and-pull between keeping prices affordable while allowing those who do the expensive and boring work of maintaining a gallery or gift shop to have a fair cut of the profits. And keeping prices affordable is a bit of smoke-and-mirrors, the old 99 or 95 trick. If keeping prices consistent, and a size comes out to the price of $225, the tendency is to call it $199 or $195. If I do that, I’ve chopped $25 off my profit, and also chopped the seller’s cut.
What if I just painted small so all the prices are under $200 in order to keep the visitors and gift shops flowing along? This is often what I do.
But if I only paint small, then my inventory will not be ready for someone who asks for a larger piece, or when a gallery approaches for a show.
Ethics
On top of all that indecisiveness, there is an important piece to pricing: no matter where someone finds my work, it must be priced the same. Website, shows, galleries, my studio, stores—no “it’s cheaper at. . .” or “I know the artist and can get her to cut me a deal.” Nope. We* keep it consistent** and ethical, and if you see my piece at a show and then think that after the show you can get it cheaper from me, go have yourself another think. Likewise, if you see a piece at a show and wait to buy it directly from me, I will write the gallery a check for their cut anyway.
Conclusion
Push-me-pull-you, that llama from Dr. Doolittle with two heads, each one pointing a different direction—that’s a good symbol of the mess in my head when setting prices.
I need some chocolate.
*The royal we, since it is just big Queen Me-Me around here in this little business.
**Except sometimes I mess up, especially when doing stressful pricing math.
5 Comments
It’s the same for us “fiber-artists.” Figure in the cost of good quality yarn, and my time at minimum wage, and I still get people who say, “Oh, I can get a throw for $50 at Walmart.”
So, except for a few commissions from people who know the value of hand-made art, I crochet afghans for children’s charities, write off the cost of yarn, and am happy.
Sharon, it is probably the same for all artists, and possibly the worst for musicians. I think you have found a good way to keep making your fiber art and keeping the inventory from overwhelming your home.
Fortunately, my friends keep me supplied with yarn since they know I crochet for charity. They’ll bring stash from their grandmother who passed, yarn they meant to make into something but lost interest, skeins they found at a yard sale for 50 cents each, etc. All I have to do is supply the time!
I was drawn to the pencil drawing of the aqueduct- which I assume is in Israel. I have a photo of that from our trip in 2019. What is the size and price ( if it’s for sale).
Dwight and Barb Miller gifted me with (25?) or so notecards from the painting “Dwight’s View”. They know that #1 – I send cards to a number of people in my life # 2 that I love your art.
Which reminds me- I need to send two to my sponsored children in Rwanda. ?
Anne, the drawing is in Cesarea Maritima, from photos I took in 2016. It is 11×14, $250.
Dwight’s painting was so fun to put together; he wanted the mountains as accurate as possible in spite of there being no place to see the whole expanse.