recession or what

**NeilS** · 18th October 2009, 11:42 AM

Caught up with an artist friend last night and we were talking about exhibitions, sales and that sort of stuff. The value of her work has gone up considerably in recent years (darn, should have bought a painting or two of hers years ago).

At one of her recent exhibition openings someone asked her how long it had taken her to do a particular painting. My friend felt that the question was being asked with one eye on the the price tag and the other on the painting with perhaps the thought that it was a lot to pay for the time that it may have taken to paint. She replied, "Oh, about 40 years. That is how long I have had to practice my art to get to the stage where I was ready to do that painting." What she didn't say was, 'I got less than the equivalent of sweat shop wages for the first 30 years of that time, and I'm still trying to catch up with average weekly wages over all of that 40 years, which is why I'm not driving the latest BMW, like you!'

Anyway, some of those prices may seem high, but if the above principle is applied they seem to be more reasonable, or at least understandable.

The other thing to keep in mind is that those are all exhibition or signature pieces. There is only a limited number of such pieces that anyone can produce. Those artist/craftspeople represent the best of the best and they pull us all up after them. For which I'm grateful, even if I can't afford to have some of their work on my shelf...

.....

**Ed Reiss** · 18th October 2009, 11:46 AM

Neil, you couldn't have stated that any better...Amen!!!

**Texian** · 18th October 2009, 11:55 AM

Good point Neil. My stuff is very modestly priced and I couldn't afford some of it. Not sure what that means. Never mind.

**ElizaLeahy** · 18th October 2009, 12:04 PM

I couldn't afford the stuff hanging on my walls. Just as well I did them myself!

I won two prizes at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention in Vancover (VCon) a week or so ago. Unfortunately, no money!!! Nothing sold either. Appearently only two art pieces sold in the whole show. Usually Art does well.

**Ed Reiss** · 18th October 2009, 12:12 PM

Eliza...about the only thing one can count on when doing a show is that a) you pay your money to get juried in b) you stress a lot for at least 3 months before the show date c) Major stress the day of the show getting everything set up. d) major stress that it won't rain e) stress about the lack of sales f)pack it in...get home, have a few drinks to calm down and g) start planning for the next show - face it, your hooked!!!

**ElizaLeahy** · 18th October 2009, 12:20 PM

Nah. My agent in Canada does that. She even pays for the shows in exchange for paying me off for art. Half the time I don't even know what's going on over there. For example, we didn't know that she was going to put it in VCon until a few days before. She got in very late because she knows the organisers. Then, a few days later she tells me about the awards. I would have been more interested if money had turned up in my paypal!

I don't even know when the next one is. I don't organise anything over here. If someone contacts me I'll put something in. I've been asked to send something to New York for a show, but I don't think I will be this time. Chances of sales are too slight in this ecconomic environment.

**NeilS** · 18th October 2009, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

I couldn't afford the stuff hanging on my walls. Just as well I did them myself!

I won two prizes at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention in Vancover (VCon) a week or so ago. Unfortunately, no money!!! Nothing sold either. Appearently only two art pieces sold in the whole show. Usually Art does well.

Congrats on the prizes, Eliza.

OK, so you can't eat them, but they are grist for the CV mill, which should come in handy the next time you have to brush off your CV (covered in shavings, no doubt) and polish it up. That's got to be worth something....

....

**ElizaLeahy** · 18th October 2009, 02:44 PM

Yeah, the only other award I've ever one was one from the Pennsilvania Family Planning society for a condom wrapper design!!!

LOL

**Texian** · 18th October 2009, 03:00 PM

Did not know that Eliza is an internationally famous artist. Might want to look at her regular website, not the hairsticks/woodturning one.

Edit: Can't imagine how I missed that one.

**NeilS** · 18th October 2009, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by ElizaLeahy

Yeah, the only other award I've ever one was one from the Pennsilvania Family Planning society for a condom wrapper design!!!

Tried to think of something witty to say about some awards having more inflated value than others, but thought it best to not go there....

.....

Thread: recession or what

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Similar Threads

Recession - Where Is It?

recession now over

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions