A handmade work becoming an Artwork

Hello-

Found this question thru Bim’s website and I had to respond. I wrote
a truly BRILLIANT response the other day, and then it disappeared
into cyberspace!! (easy to say it’s brilliant when it’s gone!)

I make driftwood furniture and sell my work through galleries,
juried shows and the like. I have been VERY fortunate in having a
few mentors along the way to guide me through the process of
marketing artwork. WIth this posting, I pass along some of the
lessons I was taught, as well as some of the experiences I’ve had. I
do not present myself as an expert.

How to sell your work as high priced art is a multi-faceted
question. Is it art? comes to mind first.

My own definition of art is that it must involve an interpretation
of the materials or subject matter. So, within my own definition,
some mediums that are not traditionally considered “Fine Art” are,
nonetheless, art. Baskets can be made in China on a production line,
or on a kitchen table in Kansas. A production line, of any kind,
will not produce art. Neither will reproducing a pattern. THere is
no interpretation of the subject matter or materials. A “maker” who
repeats is same design over and over is not creating art either.
However, sometimes an artist will work within a series…think
Monet’s waterlillies. A same subject matter, in some cases same
color pallete, however each piece is an individual work.

Art does not have to be appreciated by others in order to be
considered art, nor does it necessarily command a high price if it
is “art”. A Picasso which is undiscovered is still art, though
nobody has seen it. Conversely, my 8 year old’s crayon drawing is
art. She has interpreted the birds and trees to her own views. Even
though the drawing is art, by anyone’s definition, it will not
command a high price. Although her drawings are art……coloring
in a coloring book is not art. You cannot color within somebody
else’s lines to create art.

So, if one is creating art, how do you market it in order to obtain
the fair market value?

LOCATION- Sell your work in reputable galleries, enter gallery shows
or choose reputable, established outdoor art shows. I only enter
outdoor artshows that require slides. Also, I look at the prize
money and purchase award money. It shows that the organization took
time to put the event together. Also, shows with high amounts of
prize money will have better art and artists. Good work does not
sell well next to junk. I never enter shows put on by promoters
(someone asked about this in a previous posting). Promoters make
money at artists’ expense. They can only make money by
entries…hence those shows tend to let work of a lower quality in.

ARTIST Most people’s definition of art is that it is made by an
artist. An artist typically has a vitae (fancy name for a resume),
which lists awards, exhibits, and affiliations with artists’
organizations. Many galleries require this before even looking at
your work. If you don’t have one, build one. Enter shows, join a
league etc. Establish yourself. THis is hard and takes time and TONS
of rejection. Even the BEST are rejected. (you actually learn a lot
from being rejected and never forget that it is the work that is
being rejected…not you) Your vitae will also include a listing of
customers, corporate and private collections.

WHAT CREATES THE SALE- Based on my own observations, three elements
generate sales of art. Name, asthetics or STORY. Some patrons love
to say “I have an or-i-ginal “so-and-so”. You wonder if they truly
like the piece, or the name. Secondly, some folks buy because they
like the way it looks or are moved by the piece (the right reason to
buy in my estimation). And lastly, which was the key to me starting
out, they LOVE to hear the story associated with the piece. In my
case, where the wood came from, how I came across the found objects
etc.
I once had a customer who looked at a table for a long time. I knew
she wanted it, but knew she wasn’t going to buy it. As soon as I
told her that the marks on the wood were from a porqupine that was
CHEWING on my table in the middle of the night, she pulled out her
checkbook and wrote a check before I was done. I’d caution, that
the artworld is small. Your stories must be true….but all art has
a good story and there is no need to manufacture one.
PRICE- This is the most difficult element. What is work selling for
that is similar to yours? If someone is just entering the market,
their work will sell for less. You have to develop a clientel, an
interest and a following for your work before commanding a market
price. Don’t forget that you have to price your work high enough so
that people know you see the value in it, but not so high that you
don’t get sales. (this is the HARDEST part). My prices change and
vary. I base my prices on how much it will take me to relinquish the
piece. I might price a new chair high, because I know I can use it
for a gallery show, and I might have a table that doesn’t thrill me
so I will price it a little lower than normal.

I could go on forever. Hopefully some of this helps. HOwever, there
is one last point to consider. If the goal is to generate income,
the non-art market may prove to be far more lucrative. I know of
many who have a standard furniture design, produce and sell a lot of
pieces and make far more money than I will ever dream of. Also, at
artshows, you sometimes see a craftperson, not artist, who is
selling a ton of work while the rest read novels.

There are also those who make a standard design, not art, and also
make unique (a word I despise when associated with art…because it
is redundant…all art is unique) pieces which are art. They sell
the art thru galleries etc and the other pieces elsewhere.

I hope this helps….it’s a little long. Maybe the original version,
lost in cyberspace, was better.
Best of luck
amy

Article by Amy Alansburg posted at Monochrome yahoogroups on 31 Dec 2004 – (I was the moderator Oruc Yildirim)

Mrs Amy Alansburg please contact me if you are ok for posting your valuable thoughts – Thanks