How Much Does It Cost?

My block has been removed, hopefully for a while. I don't enjoy being blocked. This week, I have been painting up a storm. In fact, I don't have enough space to do all the things I want to so I am pacing myself. I'm also running low on supplies which should be arriving in a day or so (how did we live without the Internet?). Regardless, I have things I want to do, namely marketing.

From many artist I speak with, or people in general, marketing is not easy. I fall into this category as well. I find it difficult not only putting a price on my work but also then hitting the pavement and attempting to get it sold. It is far from glamorous but a necessity if I plan to eat in the future. I have found that art fairs are a lot of work and little in way of sales. I am beginning to think that many people who go to art fairs are not serious art buyers but using it more for entertainment. I'm okay with that and recognition is always a good thing but at some point I want cash not just accolades. I have often tried galleries and will attempt them again in the future. There the clientele is more serious but I am limited by the gallery owner selecting me and then turning the shows over quickly so their clients don't get bored. It is all part of the game but not to my benefit.

So now, I'm in the process of attaining a representative. I view them as my sales and marketing arm. This is what they are good at, they have the connections, my work is accessible to their client 100% of the time and the best part, I don't have to do it. It seems like a win-win to me.

The final step however to all of these avenues is pricing. What is that magic dollar amount the people are willing to spend and I am willing to release my work for? There is a special number. But the number changes depending on a number of factors such as the piece, the area, the artist popularity and other subjective variables. And there lies the issue. The criteria used to determine a price is subjective. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and since art is a commodity, at the end of the day, all the criteria gets thrown out of the window in I end up in a negotiation for the art work. No, I am not willing to take anything they throw at me. My work has value.

That got me thinking. What other things in my life are subjective that others or myself place value? I think most things in my life are subjective and the value changes, everything from relationships with others to the price of my house or car. And many values are determined (or dictated) by others, imposed on me, or at least if feels that way. If my priorities, likes or goals don't line up with others, how are we to find the common value? I may hold value of something that someone else finds meaningless and visa-versa. I haven't met anyone who has the exact same priorities, likes or goals. It is quite a dilemma. I don't have an answer.

A storm is approaching on this warm July afternoon so I want to finish up, move inside and close up the windows. I value my life (priceless) and I'm not in the mood to be struck by lightening, at least not today.