SNAG

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Comment by Diane Falkenhagen on December 20, 2009 at 12:50am

FYI if you entered "eXtremities: Exploring the Margins of the Human Body," juried by Andy Cooperman, please note that notification of acceptance or rejection has been pushed to after December 29th, two weeks later than originally noted on the prospectus.

Comment by 2Roses on December 11, 2009 at 2:38pm

Brigitte, that eco-friendly method is how we handle the carved Halloween pumpkins around the front yard. Just let'em rot in place. Back to nature they go and it creates just the right note of scarry je ne sais quoi to keep the neighbors at arms length. ;P

Comment by Regina Rose Malone on December 10, 2009 at 10:07pm

I've been working on some enameled pieces.

Comment by Brigitte Martin on December 10, 2009 at 9:22pm

Making your own decorations ? Sorry, not high on my to-do-list. Margaux Lange makes awesome tree-hangers from Barbie doll clothes hangers, though. I know because I got one :-))

Sometimes I give self-made gifts, but it's rare. I am so lame in the holiday department. Always the last to put up the tree and ALWAYS the last to take it down too. This year we got rid of it in mid March - much to everyone's amusement we ended up dumping the thing on a forested strip of land at the edge of our property. We keep telling ourselves that this was a very eco-responsible thing to do. Providing habitats for critters and such ... So much for my holiday traditions. Hope yours are more festive, folks.

Comment by Nathan Poglein on December 10, 2009 at 8:33pm

Is anybody making there own holiday ornaments, gifts, or decorations?

Comment by Robert Longyear on October 19, 2009 at 2:19pm

no f-ing way!

Comment by Robert Longyear on October 19, 2009 at 1:35pm

images from slouis fashion week + plastic jewelry up on the blog.

www.flypigeoncamp.blogspot.com

Comment by Paul Bierker on August 25, 2009 at 10:49am

Well really the 50/50 split is quite normal even in the commercial market- Many MFGrs offer merchandise on memo which is also consignment- as artists we are lucky to have proactive galleries who will promote your work as well as take a vested interest in YOUR story as an artist to sell it- Now if a gallery takes your merch and does not promote you or keeps you in a box out back then the heck with them.

Here is a link to one of my spreadsheets to help you price better-

http://www.box.net/shared/yat8qy7upi

The password is "snag" no quotes- I will add useful stuff when I can.

As an artist you really need to Key or double your material cost- also 20-25.00 is rate for your time- If you are just learning it would be less of course. The Key is finding your market. If I knew a gallery would sell out my range every time, I'd price it 70/30 shoot if they are gonna sell it-
30% of a few hundred grand is better than 50% of 50 grand

I'd rather be makin stuff and talking about makin stuff.

P

Comment by 2Roses on July 13, 2009 at 5:15pm

Some very good thoughts coming out in this discussion. We like to think of our galleries as business partners. As such, each of us has a responsibility to perform a certain range of tasks that contribute to the success of the business (ie selling art). If each partner performs their responsibilities professionally and diligently, we have no problem with a 50-50 split. Our partners have earned their share. The point is not to focus on price or commission split. Focus on performance. Galleries cannot control prices any more than the artist can. Working with the gallery to determine pricing levels is part of the process.

Are we, as artists, being proactive with our gallery partners to suggest and explore different business opportunities and relationships to try and take advantage of the changing landscape? In short, have you talked to your gallery lately and had this discussion with them?

Comment by Hershal Wiggins on July 13, 2009 at 1:38pm

The question is not so much do we need galleries, but how long will we need galleries or for that matter how long will they need us. Many galleries had a very bad year and many more are no longer in business. This is just my point of view, but I think the function of galleries needs to change. The galleries have the people and we have the art and talent. In the word of CAD-CAM we can do more commission work than ever before. The true beauty of galleries is the commissions that they can get us from the cliental they have. I think it would be great if a client saw my work in a gallery and decided that they like it but they wanted something more personal. At a prearranged time they come to the gallery and I design or show my ideas on the computer right before the client, of course they would have to pay for my time as well as the gallery regardless if they accepted the work or not.
As for the 50/50 issue, why is it that we are always trying to come down on our prices, I say, charge what you want, including profit and shipping and if the gallery thinks they can except it than great, if not, sell it on line at YOUR price without the markup. Materials cost too much in today’s times to have our work decorating gallery walls and alter, yes.
Do we need galleries I would like to think that we do, just as much as we need libraries in an internet age? It was gallery owns that gave me the inspiration to continue my craft, I would hate to lose that for the next generation that comes along, BUT things will have to change.
As artist we need to stop making money a taboo word of evil and start looking at some to the advantages for the next and now artist, which truly need our help in exploring and expanding the realms of our craft.
Just a thought.

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