An Artists Enemy: Pricing

 It's not a secret that the majority of artists, be they beginners or full fledged veterans, have a love hate relationship when it comes to business. Particularly dealing with pricing their own work. For years I've searched and tried out many different "formulas" in regards to pricing my work "appropriately". Overall, they haven't really been effective for me (but I'm crap at marketing/selling myself anyways, so that's definitely a factor 😂). The few works I've ever been able to sell, I ended up working with the buyer one-on-one and pretty much negotiated what THEY thought was a fair price for each work they wanted. Now, is this a good tactic? Probably not. However, some of these "formulas" end up leaving my work definitely over priced in my opinion.

In 2023 I had made two portraits, Tuvalu and Sail over the Sun, for the Ohio Art League's Thumbox expo and, part of the requirements for the works as to provide prices, as all the works were available for purchase through the gallery. 

Tuvalu (left) Sail over the Sun (right)

And, having no real experience "properly" pricing my work, I followed one of the recommended formulas that is said to be best for beginners. I think it was the width X length and possibly adding the cost of materials or something, I can't really remember the exact formula now 😂. All I do remember is is that it left me charging over $600 for each 6x6 canvas. Needless to say, they didn't sell (of course, very few of the exhibited works did sell apparently, so it might not have been just because of my bad pricing  😂.) and even my husband, who's admittedly not well versed in the world of art, thought the prices were a bit high. But what do I know?  😂 I'm just an artist!

And, yes, I know that one should be paid appropriately and yada yada yada. But, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder and art is what you make of it and all that jazz, how can anyone expect to properly know the legit value of art? Honestly, we need to all stop fooling ourselves and expecting art to be this "priceless" thing with infinite possibilities and meanings, while at the same time expecting it to be priced at a REALISTIC and fair value for consumers to be able to purchase and enjoy. We can't have our cake, eat it, and not get diabetes too 😂. 

I think I'm more comfortable with charging for materials on top of a documented hourly wage, like any other job, and establishing a written contract with my potential clients when it comes to commissioned work. For non commissioned works, though, it's still that are of dread. Sure, I could do the same thing with those as I would a commission (account for material costs and keep track of how many hours/days I spend on each project) but that also poses a problem. One major one being that I'm a hoarder of art supplies 😂. I'm still in the process of using up all my art supplies that have an actual shelf life (like paints, markers, clay, etc). And I purchased these things YEARS ago (some legitimately more than 10 years ago and they're still good! 😂), so of course I have no clue how I much I spent on them at the time, and I'd feel a little bad charging for current prices of each material. Almost seems like fraud at that point, although it's not of course. 😂

So, I think I'll just go with the approach of going with my gut as far as pricing individual things. Like, for the two paintings I mentioned earlier, I don't think I'll charge anyone $600 plus like I had originally listed. I think I'd be happy with $300 each, or $500 for the set. The costs of the materials for each plus the hourly wage of even $10 an hour would really make them even more than $600 each, which, honestly, seems steep 😂. 

Seeking advice, mentorship or just simple feedback on issues like this should be easy and even FREE, but in my experience over the years, it hasn't been either. So many people misinterpret my questions or intents half the time, trying to say that I'm short changing myself and that I should think more highly of myself and my work and so on and so forth; as if I don't think my work is worth, in this case, the $600 plus. And, truly, that's not the case. Am I a savant artist?  😂 😂 No way! Do I have talent and creativity? Definitely! No question in my mind about that, never has been nor will there ever be. I'm so creative I hate how many different ideas pop into my head every day!  😂 But, I don't have a big head about my abilities. I'm not a super talented artist, I still struggle with the basics (damn you perspective! 😂), and I'm constantly seeking out different ways and things to learn and try out. I don't own a gallery, I'm not a big name in the art world, none of that kinda stuff applies to me. And I'm AOK with that 😂. I just want to be fair to both me and my customers. 

Knowing that someone is going to spend a buttload of money on my art instead of paying their bills doesn't sit well with me. Maybe because I know what it's like to struggle, to go to bed hungry, to be terrified I wont have a roof over my head tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. I don't know. But I do know that I would rather talk down my price with a client if I honestly suspected that my prices were a hardship on them. That's definitely a bad business practice on my part, I'm sure, but I don't have the desire to make it big off the backs of other peoples suffering. It's not me trying to be holier than anyone or whatever  😂. It's just me not wanting to treat others like I have been treated. And I've suffered from the cosmic forces that control the business world  😂. Is there a person who hasn't?

And of course I realize that that leaves me open to scammers and trashy people who would try and pull one over on me. Generally, I tend to spot those types right off the bat. Social media has been a good teacher in that regard  😂. And I've never had any issues being a whistleblower/exposer of scammers and D-bags that try and mess with me. Years of being bullied for XYZ were good teachers of that also 😂. So, for those situations, I'll just have to handle them case by case and hope for the best outcome in my favor. Pretty much live life as best I can like always 😂.

Well, that's enough belly aching about money 😂. I'm also procrastinating on making a commission/pricing page for my website because I dunno what to put! 😂. But I'll figure it out the best way I can, for sure! A couple of artists website offer free contract PDF's so I'm going to take a look at those and make my own. That way there'll be little to no questions for me or the client in regards to commissions. Which is always a good thing! I also have to figure out the new laws in regards to the money apps now too 😒. I'm not too keen on having my works taxed when the government that is taxing them doesn't even acknowledge art in ANY regard unless it makes THEM a profit. I wonder what can be a tax write off if you're an artist? 🤔 You probably have to make a certain amount or something to write anything off 😂. Oh well.

Till next time MMP Fans!

Things change, but they stay the same

If you're any type of creative person - from musician to clothing designer, fine artist to website designer - I'm willing to bet you've heard words like niche and target audience. I know I sure have. And, honestly, they drive me bonkers. Not because I don't want to think about such things or even because I can't overly define what those things are, it's mostly because they both have always given off a sense of pretentiousness to me.

I went to the library today, one of my many addiction-dens😂, and checked out a couple of books on marketing and selling for artists. One of the books, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius by Brainard Carey (awesome first name😂), has a section that gives off that pretentiousness vibe to me. And, what doesn't bode well for the book is that it's only the fourth page of the first chapter. Here's what Mr. Carey (not Drew Carey😂) has to say;

If you're selling art, it may also seem like everyone can buy art, but there is an age demographic there, too. Perhaps there is an education demographic as well because buying art is a bit sophisticated on one level--to understand why something is beautiful and of value as an artwork is not an easy evaluation to make as a buyer. It often takes an education to understand art and to make a decision about buying it. You have to have a form of "visual literacy." All of these are parameters you need to take into account when deciding who your audience really is.

There's alot I have a problem with in this small paragraph, naturally. Call me opinionated, argumentative, even an idealist doesn't make much of a difference to me😂. But, lets break it down and add my two cents.

... there is an age demographic there, too.

So, only "old people" can buy art? People in their 20's, 30's, 40's can't buy art? They don't have jobs, make money, have interests and tastes that would allow them or even encourage them to make purchases? No one under the age of, say, 65, dates or has spouses, parents, siblings or friends that would have birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, births, or any other special event or holiday that would provide an opportunity to purchase art as a gift? The ageism mentality has always been a hot button/trigger for me, even as a kid. It makes no sense to me, and never has. 

Perhaps there is an education demographic as well because buying art is a bit sophisticated on one level--to understand why something is beautiful and of value as an artwork is not an easy evaluation to make as a buyer.

Did this not sound pretentious to the author, editor or anyone else? "buying art is a bit sophisticated"? So, only "super smart and well educated" people can buy art? Has Mr. Carey never been to an art hop/event before? I don't think you need to have a PHD or Doctorate to buy a beaded purse, sculpture of a dolphin breaching from the waves, or a painting of deer in the woods in the middle of winter. If you do, there's a BUTTLOAD of dumb smart people in the world😂. And what happened to the whole "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" mindset amongst the art world? Now you need an in-depth education to have an individual interest and individual opinion on what YOU find beautiful, at least to the point of buying a hand made item at a craft fair at your local church? I mean, really? That seems pretty heavy to me.

You have to have a form of "visual-literacy."

I've never said I'm a great artist or even highly skilled or talented at making art, and yet I am still an artist. But, do I possess "a form of 'visual-literacy'"? No idea😂. I know what I personally feel looks good, interesting and is a work of art. Did I go to art school and study art specifically to learn these personal opinions? Nope. I did go to college, but it was a standard university and a standard college (I went to two) and not focused on art specifically. 

Overall, yea, I'm not a big fan of this strange, yet common, mindset amongst some artists and art teachers (not just those who teach how to make specific types of art, but those who teach you how to be an artist). And, sure, I can understand the need to understand who buys your art and, maybe, why they buy it, but is it really that necessary to be so segregative and, well, mean? I don't care if a college grad or a preschool grad buys my artwork. If they see something, anything, in even one of my works that they like - could be the colors, the shapes, the model, the supposed message or the inferred meaning, or it was simply an impulse buy because they were just in the mood to buy it - then I'm happy. That's plenty for me as an artist.

In fact, I'd more than likely hate it if my work ended up being something like those works where people only care about who made it simply because it's an "investment" and not something to even look at. Sure, they hang it up in their hallway or living room to show off to friends and work-snobs, but it's not because they actually care about the art itself or what it means to them. It's more of a "look at this REALLY expensive item I own. It increases my investment portfolio by $10 thousand." I mean, would I enjoy being that famous to the point even one of my works would garner a $10k profit for me and the person who purchased it? Hell yea!😂 But, it still wouldn't be a nice feeling knowing someone bought something I spent a great deal of time, money, energy and stress on only to sit in anticipation waiting for me to die and make a "killing" off of it. Doesn't really sit well with me.

I know, I know. If I don't like the way the game is played, don't play it. Or, something like that 😂. Target audience, niche, etc. etc, etc. I'll do my best to define these things and play the game by whoevers rules (strange that artists, historical rule breakers and norm challengers, would set and force each other to follower rules😂) in the hopes and dreams of making a living off of my art. Doubt it'll all ever make sense to me though.

Till next time MMP Fans!

Who, What, When, Where, and WHY?

I am not a good actor nor am I a good professional, mostly because I don't have the energy to lie to total strangers even if it will possibly get me money. Call me lazy, but that's how I am  😂. I'm too old, too lazy, too board of having to sugar coat, beat around the bush, and out right lie to people in the slim hope that doing so will make me a financial profit. I'd almost say robbing people would be easier, except I've the body of a 80 year old and the temperament of one to boot  😂. My luck I'd make it up to the person I planned to rob, get bored/tired/cranky, turn around and go back home. You know, I just had a thought: You don't see a lot of little old people robbing people, especially younger people, do you? There's a life lesson in that. When you get old you get so sick and tired of the world that you can't even be bothered to commit crimes, or at least physical ones😂.

What brought this all on? Well, I'm in the process of writing my About MMP page and I've no clue what to NOT write. Oh, I can write ALOT, and I've been reading and listening to alot of content (I think I'm channeling George Carlin while writing this for some reason 😂) about how to write 'about me' pages for artists, but I don't want to be that artist. You know that artist who has a mission/artist statement and tells you that they want to make profound, uplifting, inspirational, world changing, condescending, Hallmark Card worthy, spiritual awakening art? Yea, that aint me. (And neither is this. I feel like George Carlin has taken over my body and made me even more of an old-crank  😂 I'm not complaining though. I love Carlin!)

All jokes aside (for now), I honestly don't know what would make me sound like a "professional artist," mostly because I have no idea what that even is. Are we talking a successful artist, someone who got lucky and is able to make a standard living off of what they make? Ok, still no idea how to pose as one of them. I mean, how do pretenders/posers manage to act like someone they're not AND maintain their actual personality/identity/persona/whatever? Again, I think I'm too old and too lazy to even begin to figure that kind of stuff out  😂. Being myself is hard enough - no, correction. Changing the things about myself that I WANT to change is hard enough, let alone becoming an entirely different person that may or may not even exist in the real world. Other than George Carlin, who's dead and totally could poses people just to mess with their minds. That's exactly what I would do if I were a ghost  😂.

Of course, I've skimmed other artists websites and checked out their about me pages, but that still doesn't help me not say things that may or may not be professional for a professional artist to say or not say. 😑 Especially considering I can type WAY faster than I can talk, and I can talk both your ears off without even breaking a sweat  😂. So, what to do? I did write a rough draft and, well, it's looooooong. Definitely going to shorten that, probably make the whole thing two paragraphs max. But, see, then THAT seems wrong cause it sounds like one of those rich snobs being short with you because you're beneath them and unworthy of so many words. Basically, it sounds cold and curt. I'm also a much better talker in person than I am a writer. It's tough to write sarcasm, hence the over abundance of emojis as, I have learned, they allude to my joking manner and help dissuade some of the over sensitive Karen's of this new modern era. Ho ho ho.😂

Some of the questions that some of the websites/podcasts give that are "essential"/"necessary"/"required" in an artists' about me page are...well, pointless. I don't care when a company started making a product. I care if the product is good, affordable and will get the job done. When the company started making their products, where they started production, who started the business, and why they even started in the first place don't really effect the quality, affordability and effectiveness of the product to me. So, do potential buyers/clients honestly care when I started making art, where I make art, or even who I am as an artist?

Honestly, I think these about me pages are an indirect way to profile someone. Find out what kind of an artist you are, but not what kind of art you make. Basically, are you an artist that will align with my specific beliefs, feelings, positions, etc etc etc. Isn't that a bad thing? I think so. While I would prefer that my work speak for itself, I do understand people not wanting to support a person they may not share in similar thinkings with. Fine, but, that still seems wrong to me. I'm making the art, sure. Your patronage does help to support me and my family, sure. But you're not buying me. You're not buying my ideals, beliefs, or choices. And I am not selling them to you. What I am selling are hand crafted portraits that may (or may not) look good in your living room or bedroom. I'm selling YOU decorations for YOUR home. Not a love letter with a chunk of my hair taped to it 😂.

I don't know, truly, it has me conflicted. While I've never had any problems speaking my mind or telling my story, I don't want to over indulge (as I'm prone to do  😂) and come across as unprofessional. I'm nice, considerate, and professional as one can be in person. But I don't have an About Me sheet of paper that I hand out to every person that comes into my work every day, nor do I rely on said sheet of paper when it comes to performing to the best of my abilities. I don't treat my customers the same because they're not the same. Each one comes in with different problems, different plans, different ideas, and different expectations. I do my best to make them happy, provide my own feedback and ideas on how they can accomplish their goals and maybe a bit more, and, if I don't know/have something that they need, I tell them where they are most likely to find the answers/what they need. Over the years, I think I've only had one or two people leave unhappy, and those were more so to do with outside forces rather than my professionalism. But trying to convey that in an about me page in at most two paragraphs?  😂

Oh well. I'm not in a rush to finish it just yet. Dealing with the holidays right now, so things are going at an even slower pace, which is fine. I'd rather get things done right, then rush and foul it all up!  😂 Time to do battle with the holiday monsters and draft some more paragraphs 😂.

Till next time MMP Fans!

Web design, oh web design, why are you so cruel to me?

 As the dramatic title may suggest, I am not on good terms with web design 😂. Trying to figure all the codes, phrases, and vocabulary for making a website is stressful to put it mildly. And, I'm sure it doesn't help being a bit of a nit-picky-perfectionist type either 😂. Such is the pain of being a creative individual, I suppose. But I want my website/portfolio to look good! Or, at the very least, not bad.

It also doesn't help that, around September of '24, I had to send in my 4tb hard-drive in for data recovery annnnnnnnnnd it's not a cheap data recovery either 😓😭😭. So it is definitely making the process of redesigning my website, uploading images and videos of my art, and everything else more difficult! While I did already plan on retaking photos of most of my art for better displays, I definitely didn't want to lose the originals (as well as SO MUCH MORE!). It has really bummed my creative spirits, that's for sure.

But, I guess I just have to keep things in perspective. No one can do everything or do anything perfectly, right? So, I'll just do my best and make things look as good as I can and MAYBE, one day in that day dreamlike future, I'll have the money to hire a professional to make a nice website for MMP! 😂 But I'm not holding my breath for that daydream to come true. And, it's brought to mind something that a successful art-youtuber I used to watch (this bothered me to the point I stopped following them honestly) recently said: It's impossible to be a successful artist without alot of help. 

While I agree with that statement I also don't agree with it. There are thousands upon thousands of people who don't have a bunch of random people to do free labor - be they friends, relatives or even significant others. Especially nowadays. So, being one of those said people, hearing someone who is clearly successful selling their art and making a business off of their art, actually say that someone like me will NEVER make it simply because I don't have a bunch of people around me doing things for me, that just sends up a big red flag to me. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. But that's how my situation is at this time. 

I don't have a bunch of friends/family that will make a website for me, take photos of my art that will look professional, record/edit my art videos (course, the majority of those are on the "dead" hard drive 😭😂), or make/monitor/market my art on social media. That's, sadly, all on me. And that's not really a bad thing either, I like doing each aspect of those things really 😂. But that does mean that things aren't going to look "professional" simply because I am not a professional at each of those things. And everything is going to take a long time to accomplish simply because it is just me doing each thing. 

So, if I don't make it only because I don't have a team of people doing things for me and getting things accomplished at the same time sooner, oh well. Guess it wasn't meant to be 😂. But, that's enough ranting and raving for now!

Till next time MMP Fans!

What I want for MMP: I want too many things!

  The Rolling Stones said it best; "You can't always get what you want/But if you try sometimes, well, you might find/You get what you need". What I want for this site/portfolio/blog/thingy is a bunch of random things all at once: I'd like for MMP to be informative and educate people on random bits and bobs in, at least, every other post. Maybe entertain people with my quick wit and savage good looks😎. Or not. And, of COURSE, show off my mediocre talent as an artist in the slim hopes of making some pocket change to possibly buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Someday...someday I will taste the nectar of the middle class gods! 😂 But, overall, I'm just doing what I enjoy. And that's a LOT harder than most people realize, or, more likely, want to even think for more than a second or two about.

    I wasn't necessarily part of the days where artists of ALL kinds would have to lug around briefcases, folders, and such around FILLED with their crafted items and, essentially, go door to door to every - and I mean EVERY - relevant business and in person market their skills in their respected industries. Alot of people don't realize that nearly every creative professional HAD to do this for generations - singers/song writers, clothing designers, architectural engineers, and, of course, traditional artists. Even in the days of colored TV, rock and roll and SpongeBob SquarePants did many a creative have to resort to putting foot to pavement and hocking their literal selves in the hopes of finding paying work. And, sure, it sounds like a nightmare but, honestly? I looked forward to that starting out!

    Meeting people face to face, showing them what you can do, basically daring them to try you out and prove you don't have what it takes to get the job done - I LOVED that kind of thing. There've been so many times where I've been in such a situation and, when I showed people what I could do (not just as an artist on paper, but as a creative/problem solving type of mind), I not only loved the looks that some people would give me (from being impressed to sometimes even being pissed that I did the deed and did it past their expectations), but, I felt a lighter as a person. If you're not familiar with the Titan Atlas, he was punished by Zeus to hold up the Earth for eternity. I would feel like the world was lifted off my shoulders whenever I would prove to people (especially those that doubted me) that I could actually do something and see their reactions. Probably called an ego boost or something to that effect 😂.

    Sad thing is, you can't get such satisfaction via online. Nobody can actually tell what another person or a group of people are really thinking or feeling just by going by some highlighted hearts, a bunch of random emoji's, or even explicitly typed out words that say "THIS IS AMAZING!". Not just because of the influx of bots or ai crapsters either. Real, live, breathing human beings lie, cheat, steal, pretend, and will do just about ANYTHING for a buck. I, personally, had a job through Amazon where I was actually paid to give positive reviews on items sent to me. (Didn't last long cause it was boring and, for legal purposes, I will say that Amazon/others did not explicitly tell me or others to say strictly positive reviews for money. But, yea. We all know the gist of situations like that I hope 😂). So, people in the digital world aren't as perceptive as they are in person.

    So, what does all that have to do with MMP? Well, I don't really know 😂. I am a rambler/talker, so get used to things not making sense! But, honestly, I do try to curb it a bit. Just not on these posts. These are rambling-dumpster-fire posts! 😂 Sarcasm aside, I guess it all means that I find it more difficult to showcase things virtually than I do in person simply because I can't rally gauge if someone is genuinely impressed or interested in my work, vs them just being indifferent or nice out of politeness or, worse, out of being a backhanded complimenter (I don't like people like that even in person, honestly. Just simply rude.). I much prefer to be able to see a persons first initial reaction and gauge on their honest opinions vs worrying about the internet saving whatever comments they say and resurrecting them 10-15 years later. Guess I'm too old for that nonsense 😂.

    What I intend to focus on including on MMP are, of course, my individual art posts but, when I can suffer the rabbit hole that is the internet, I also want to include extra material for each post: maybe some history behind the subject matter andor medium I chose, some fun ideas/tips (in the Tips page of course 😂) for projects for myself andor others to try, things like that. When I'm making some projects I always try to keep an open mind and represent something - a person, a place, an event, something interesting and fun - to keep myself and possibly others more invested in the project. The word some being underlined because, alot of the time, I don't actually have a say in the overall design/theme of the project. It decides that WAY before I even know how to do what I eventually do 😂. That's why I've always stood by the stance that creative art of any kind is like giving birth: you suffer through seemingly endless hours and HOURS of birthing a new life, only to all too quickly find out that the life you birthed had a will of its own all along 😂. We get deep here at MMP! 😂

    What I also plan to focus on including are videos - how to's, tutorials, and of course speed paintings. I enjoy watching similar videos (or content to sound like a snob 😂) online, but I also don't like watching them because they give me WAY too many new ideas for projects and I don't need any more ideas! 😂 So, I would consider that a win to some level if I inspired someone else to make something based off of what I've done. There's also the community factor that I would like to have through MMP, although, again to be honest, community these days feels like the worst curse word in modern day history. Community has so much baggage and stress and yuck these days that it's really lost any real sense of its original meaning to me. It's always drama and out fighting and in fighting and denial and yuck that I just am done with. 😂 I'm too old for community I think. Friends? Sure! Associates? All aboard! Fans? Righteous! Community?

    One of my best qualities is also one of my worst: I have ALOT of ideas 😂 So, I know that I have to focus and not overload myself, MMP or YOU with a lot of … me. You have my word as an artist that I will try not to overload at least YOU 😂. That's as best as I can do. My current hurdle is WEB DESIGN! 😵 That's another reason why I prefer showing off to people in person - technology is SCARY! 😂 But I will do my best and make something that I can at least be happy with! or die trying 😂

FOCUS ON

-How I want MMP to look

-Organizing my different portraits/projects in their individual posts and respective pages

-Formatting/editing my different videos (tips/how to's, full length videos (for smaller projects), speed paints for both larger projects and social media posts)

-Marketing and SELLING originals, crafts, and HOPEFULLY someday prints