Saturday, October 8, 2011

Paid for My Time


Still have more to do on this Girl With A Hat; she's about 10 x 10 inches. I've got to start watching my sizes since my shelves are only so big. Wonder if I could put the two half shelves together and span the shelf? I need to put more shading in the sweater and make the hair longer on the left side, and, and.

Recently I went to an appointment to be juried into a show. Of course I brought an example of my most recent work which included some of my wall tiles and sculptures. They oohed and aahed over my wall sculptures. Then they asked how much I would sell them for. They said the wall tiles wouldn't sell at that price. I said some of the wall tile portraits take hours to hand paint and it's taken years for me to perfect the techniques. I asked if they had any oil or acrylic paintings in the show. I'm not sure they answered that question. But they did say "You can't expect to be paid for your time".

I said I realized the economy isn't doing well and perhaps the attendees don't have much money, but I can't sell pieces which take countless hours and skill and reduce the price below their worth. This particular show is billed as an artisan boutique in it's seventh year; artisan's must be juried to get into the show. But the folks running the show said from their experience most items sell for under $40. So I told them I had lesser priced items I could put in the show, small bowls, ornaments, etc. So we agreed that's what I'd do. But then they said I could try putting the wall sculptures and tiles in the show.

I got home and started thinking about what they said. Why can't artists or artisans be paid for their time. We pay the car mechanic, we pay the doctor, the painter, the lawyer, the teacher, well you know. How can someone love your work but not be willing to part with a little cash for it. And if the person doesn't have the cash, they can save up for what they want or buy something lesser priced. I can't help but wonder if these same folks don't go to the hair stylist and have their hair colored or permed for more than a piece of my art.

I said my work was ceramic art for the wall and wouldn't fade or yellow with age and could last a lifetime. I said perhaps a gallery setting would be better for my wall tiles and sculptures. I didn't get into the fact of the cost of the kiln, the tools, the mason stains, the clay, the propane torch to burnish the wood, the glue, the eye hooks, the wire, the losses to perfect the technique, the years it took me to get here. It's really foolish for me to make work if I can't sell it for more than the cost of materials. Other than the fact I happen to love making it. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Out of curiosity I checked wally world, a print can be purchased for less then $40 but the purchaser said it didn't come with eyes or wire so they had to purchase those separately. They could potentially see the same print at their neighbor or friend's house too.

17 comments:

  1. i don't know what you gave them for a price but your tiles have to sell for more the $40!!
    if you are going to make larger size tiles you should invest in some whole shelves. i have a couple of them for bisque firing larger platters. i have never spanned two halves for larger pieces... seems they never sit level enough.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Michele, thanks, I have them priced on my buy pottery page with shipping included. I think maybe this show is more craft than art even though it was juried and that may have misled me. It was close by and they man the two day show so that was appealing since I don't have to be there. My shelves are pretty level so far, I have those corelite shelves, not sure they come as full shelves. I might be able to get a small full shelf and put that at the top of the load, I'll check into that, thanks again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wrong venue.Painters spit on a canvas and think it's worth $500.In the end, we all need to find a niche in the market where we fit.You can't sell pearls to swine.I feel that once the right market has been found , pricing is determined by what the buyers will pay.How we value our time determines whether or not we can afford to sell at that price. If we can't, we don't make that item.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AMEN Linda! Amen!
    And maybe that "juried" show is not your market- 40.00 or less!
    Good grief!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I agree, you need to find the right venue. $40.00 is plain insane. A lot of painters figure their base price by the square inch and proceed from there. Also to be considered is the percentage you pay the gallery or show.

    "If it's clay it's craft, not art." It's an attitude that can be found across the creative spectrum, and it makes me CRAZY!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Dennis, thanks, since I am new to this area I had no idea what this show was about, but now I know. I do have a lot of items I will sell for under $40 and need to move some of those so that's ok.

    Hi Meredith, thanks, I can make a plain tile and sell it for less than $40. Ha.

    Hi Smartcat, thanks, I'm looking for the right venue right now, finally feel I have enough of a body of work to show a few galleries. Yeah pottery or ceramics is considered a craft and crafters are supposed independently wealthy, retired with disposable income, or making it for fun

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wait...What? I can understand them sharing the information that $40 and under items do best at their show, but to tell you how to price your work and that you shouldn't expect to be paid for your time? Really? How strange (and kind of insulting). I guess they are not used to dealing with professional artists. Hoping you'll find a more appreciative venue soon :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Barbara, thanks, I was rather insulted but got caught off guard and didn't quite know what to say but I handled it ok I think, while I was told this they were handling my wall tiles and saying this would look good in my kitchen or on my patio, etc. I believe there may be an underlying attitude in some people since the economy isn't doing very well "artisans" need to adjust their prices so those with less disposable income can still afford art, along with their food and fuel. Even goods made in China or reproductions are paid for their time otherwise they wouldn't be selling for the prices they are, they are just paid less than us. There are more and more jobs that are paid less than they used to be here in this country and this seems to be a trend for the future.

    Gary used to deliver newspapers in high school in l965 for 3 cents a paper, he just read that a 78 year old woman here delivered over 108,000 newspapers in this area for 4 cents a paper, gas cost 31 cents a gallon in 65 and now its $3.40 a gallon, so much wrong with this picture for America.

    Oh well, I'll just sell lesser priced items and keep my prices the same. Oh and the tiles I will provide the rotating pegboard for them to hang on for display as this location doesn't allow nails to be put in the wall, that's another of my expenses. Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My biggest sellers this year are pieces at $25.00 or less. I'm not taking it as an insult, because my customers are the general public and they just can't afford to spend more on anything that isn't a necessity. It's a bummer.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Cindy, thanks, I think you are right, I know I can't afford anything which isn't a necessity, I cut back in other areas just so I can afford materials for my art, "working in clay keeps the doldrums at bay" for me - I may coin that phrase, Ha.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Much of it probably is that people can't afford art right now. I should say some people. The jurors sound like they are more into crafts than art. No one sells art for less than $40. Good luck with the galleries.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It has to be the economy. I know for myself, if I can't eat or wear it, I pretty much have to pass.

    ReplyDelete
  13. How insulting for you! You definitely must find a different venue. I love your work and am glad you want to stick with what is right for you. I can sell a simple stoneware mug on Etsy for $18 all day long, but my family and friends consider that "way too high" for a simple mug. It's all in what audience you decide to cater to. I'll be putting my precious time into making art for those who appreciate the little bits of me that remain in my pottery after the final firing. Hang in there!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Linda, thanks, yes I think you are right people can't afford much more and I think this venue, althought juried, is more crafts, not art.

    Hi Patti, thanks, same here, if I can't eat it or it doesn't pay for utilities I have to pass. Ha.

    Hi Sharon, thanks so much, yes little bits of me are in my pottery too, I have just talked to a local gallery today and based on my photos they have asked me to bring in my work next week, so we shall see.

    I just finished cataloging my work for the show next week and I have lots of items I can sell for under $40 - actually more than 40 pieces, so I'll bring those to that show. I had work from before I moved which was packed away and didn't realize how many pieces I had, so hopefully all that will sell at the local show.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I find pricing very difficult. To get back something reasonable for the time,effort and skills not to mentiong creativity and yet have some hope of selling. Recently I came across a post on a blog (http://inkandspindle.blogspot.com) which suggested we should use The Formula: time + materials = cost; cost x2 = wholesale price; wholesale x2 = Retail price. I'm not quite brave enough to price mine that high but those that have the confidence to price that way seem to find buyers no matter the economic times. I also think finding the right place to sell is just as important. Good luck with your under $40 sales and especially the good luck with finding the right gallery.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think your girl in a hat is your best yet!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Anna, thanks, well if I used your formula then the price on the portraits would be high indeed. But the other tiles would be less since it takes me less time to make them. Still the hand building and painting with stains seems to take quite a bit of time. Perhaps until a person has a following or is discovered or been an artist in that mediaum for years it's more difficult to command higher prices. I'll be testing the waters soon so we shall see.

    I changed the girl with a hat a bit with more shading and hair adjustments. I'll be posting the next group after I fire them so you'll see her again then.

    ReplyDelete

I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment