Bread and Butter Art

[Darrell Baschak]

The other day as I gazed at the multitude of unsold paintings hanging in my studio space I had a thought.  Is there a particular genre of painting that resonates with the buying public? I am not particularly thinking of the wealthy elite but the rest of us (the 99 % the occupy Wallstreet folks talk about) who maybe are forced to shop at the increasingly more prevalent Wallmarts of this world. I paint because I love to paint but it would be nice to sell the occasional piece!  What should I be painting to put bread on the table?  Let me know your thoughts on this matter and what you do to get by.

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[Marsha Hamby Savage]

Darrell,

My thought is, "No" there is not a "particular genry of painting" that resonates with the buying public. Who are the buying public is a better question. And for each artist it will be different. Who has bought your work in the past? Look at those patrons, and what is it about them that made them want your work. How can you target those types of people. But, don't forget your past buyers. Can you keep them informed of what your doing at this time? In this economy it is a little bit tough to get new clients, but those you already have should not be forgotten.

Two things I have done recently: (1) I have sent a newsletter to my patrons, students, family and friends and given them an opportunity to opt in on a new series of paintings. (2) I also have taken my studies that are piling up and done another newsletter giving them an opportunity to purchase these studies, demonstrations, experimental work at a lower price point. The people the get these two offers are those that have supported me in the past and are continuing to do so.

I hope this helps you get started targeting who would want your paintings. Don't change your focus if it is something that says "Darrell".

[Darrell Baschak]

Marsha, thank you for your reply to my discussion topic. You have some very good ideas, in particular I like the one about offering the studies etc to past clients at a reduced cost. I tend to really like and enjoy those pieces but realistically they do not have the same value as the large works simply because of their size and the time spent in creating them. Keeping in touch with past patrons is another great idea.  We must be part business people mustn't we?

Marsha Hamby Savage said:

Darrell,

My thought is, "No" there is not a "particular genry of painting" that resonates with the buying public. Who are the buying public is a better question. And for each artist it will be different. Who has bought your work in the past? Look at those patrons, and what is it about them that made them want your work. How can you target those types of people. But, don't forget your past buyers. Can you keep them informed of what your doing at this time? In this economy it is a little bit tough to get new clients, but those you already have should not be forgotten.

Two things I have done recently: (1) I have sent a newsletter to my patrons, students, family and friends and given them an opportunity to opt in on a new series of paintings. (2) I also have taken my studies that are piling up and done another newsletter giving them an opportunity to purchase these studies, demonstrations, experimental work at a lower price point. The people the get these two offers are those that have supported me in the past and are continuing to do so.

I hope this helps you get started targeting who would want your paintings. Don't change your focus if it is something that says "Darrell".

[Armand Cabrera]

Quality and a persistent effort to improve your work will attract buyers at every price point level. Never sell anything that isn’t your best work. The most successful artists I know are the ones who are good at weeding out the bad work making sure it doesn’t get out in the public. Nothing will pile up paintings in a studio faster than the sell anything at any price attitude.

[Darrell Baschak]

Some very good points Armand.  I agree that an artist shouldn't sell work that isn't the best it could be, but because I also believe that there is always room for improvement what does that say about yesterdays art?  Is it sub standard because tomorrows efforts will yield even better results?  Speaking of weeding out bad work, a friend of mine decided to make a bonfire of quite a few paintings that he wasn't happy about.  He said it was quite liberating.  I think I would have at least saved the stretcher bars!
Armand Cabrera said:

Quality and a persistent effort to improve your work will attract buyers at every price point level. Never sell anything that isn’t your best work. The most successful artists I know are the ones who are good at weeding out the bad work making sure it doesn’t get out in the public. Nothing will pile up paintings in a studio faster than the sell anything at any price attitude.

[Armand Cabrera]

Darrell,

 

 

 

Everything in its place. You wouldn't judge the art of a five year old by a 25 year old artists standards. Yesterday's art is art of the past; it reflects the time, ability and price of the work then.  If one does the best work they can do and never allows inferior work out the door they will have a consistent record of quality. People notice that and reward it. If inferior work starts leaking out at lower prices than past work, you insult your collectors. They invest not just in your work but in you as an artist. How can one justify cheaper work other than it isn't as good or it doesn't have the effort of better pieces or  it was a failed experiment. None of those explanations sounds appealing.  

I love burning paintings, but I do keep the stretcher bars on the bigger pieces. 

[Darrell Baschak]

Armand, I take your points.  At the end of the day I honestly do paint for the pure love and excitement of it and am not terribly concerned about the fact that I have paintings hanging on my walls (I enjoy looking at them and they do offer some guidance as to directions I might take). A musician friend of mine mentioned the phrase "going to the woodshed" with respect to him honing his skills as a singer/songwriter and I really like term because it so clearly speaks of the artist's way.  We largely paint in solitude, I have a mental vision of artists such as my idol, Tom Thompson, doing just that in the wilds of Central Canada.  Maybe I'm feeling a bit put off these days because of being rejected by a commercial gallery for not having an art degree, that seems to be standard in these parts of Canada.

Armand Cabrera said:

Darrell,

 

 

 

Everything in its place. You wouldn't judge the art of a five year old by a 25 year old artists standards. Yesterday's art is art of the past; it reflects the time, ability and price of the work then.  If one does the best work they can do and never allows inferior work out the door they will have a consistent record of quality. People notice that and reward it. If inferior work starts leaking out at lower prices than past work, you insult your collectors. They invest not just in your work but in you as an artist. How can one justify cheaper work other than it isn't as good or it doesn't have the effort of better pieces or  it was a failed experiment. None of those explanations sounds appealing.  

I love burning paintings, but I do keep the stretcher bars on the bigger pieces. 

[Diana Besser]

I am becoming more serious with painting. I still have lots to learn! This is so very helpful and I thank you all for such helpful suggestions.

Happy Thanksgiving all! :)

[Donald Maier]

Sell prints.... picture me jumping up and down now screaming at you. FineArtAmerica.com has a print program for $30 per year. I have gone on and on about this here and I have had a few people take my advise and thank me. I sold two more prints just today. I made over $200 because I also get 10% of the framing cost as well. Most of the 99% can't afford originals right now. Actually, there really are not that many who would know good from bad art either, but that's another bag of noodles. I have sold well over 100 prints there in the two years I have been in the program. I average about $300 to $500 per month. Trick is, to upload a painting everyday. Don't upload them all at once. I will do another forum post on this in the near future why this strategy works. but this should get you started. Seriously

To answer you question though, no genre that sells better over another. I know selling western landscapes in the southeast is waste of time. But that's my problem. I am now painting alligators. What one person likes the next will hate.

Don't make yourself crazy. Your an artist, your already halfway there as is.

[Marsha Hamby Savage]

Hi Darrell,

I have not been on for some time. I wanted to address the "lower price point" and the selling of studies, demonstrations and experimental work ... and some older plein air pieces. I am a rather prolific artist. And I wholeheartedly agree that you should never allow work out there that you are not proud of at that time in your career. I want every work that goes out my door to speak the best it can for me! But, I am the one that makes that call and I better be able to discriminate between "so-so" and my best work. And, I do destroy work ... much to the chagrin of my family!

I loved your comment about does today's or tomorrow's work automatically make yesterday's work substandard. Not if you are still learning! And, my answer is not if that was the best I can do at that time and at that point in my art career.

Don, I can see you jumping up and down and screaming! I love that image in my mind! Great comment. I have paid the $30 and will be positioning myself to periodically post more of my originals that can be bought in print. I totally agree with you.

[Darrell Baschak]

Thank you Don and Marsha for your replies to my post, they are both very informative.  Ever since I made the initial post I have become more introspective about my painting practices and am glad of that because I have re-discovered what it is that informs me, being in nature and really "seeing" my surroundings.  It is a curious thing about human nature that we so easily forget that which is best for our souls and pursue imaginary concepts that do us no good at all.  Anyways, wishing a wonderful Christmas to everyone in this painting community and also outside of it!!

Marsha Hamby Savage said:

Hi Darrell,

I have not been on for some time. I wanted to address the "lower price point" and the selling of studies, demonstrations and experimental work ... and some older plein air pieces. I am a rather prolific artist. And I wholeheartedly agree that you should never allow work out there that you are not proud of at that time in your career. I want every work that goes out my door to speak the best it can for me! But, I am the one that makes that call and I better be able to discriminate between "so-so" and my best work. And, I do destroy work ... much to the chagrin of my family!

I loved your comment about does today's or tomorrow's work automatically make yesterday's work substandard. Not if you are still learning! And, my answer is not if that was the best I can do at that time and at that point in my art career.

Don, I can see you jumping up and down and screaming! I love that image in my mind! Great comment. I have paid the $30 and will be positioning myself to periodically post more of my originals that can be bought in print. I totally agree with you.

[Ned Mueller]

Hi Don..where is this place that you sell prints from...sounds like something I should look into. Ned

Donald Maier said:

Sell prints.... picture me jumping up and down now screaming at you. FineArtAmerica.com has a print program for $30 per year. I have gone on and on about this here and I have had a few people take my advise and thank me. I sold two more prints just today. I made over $200 because I also get 10% of the framing cost as well. Most of the 99% can't afford originals right now. Actually, there really are not that many who would know good from bad art either, but that's another bag of noodles. I have sold well over 100 prints there in the two years I have been in the program. I average about $300 to $500 per month. Trick is, to upload a painting everyday. Don't upload them all at once. I will do another forum post on this in the near future why this strategy works. but this should get you started. Seriously

To answer you question though, no genre that sells better over another. I know selling western landscapes in the southeast is waste of time. But that's my problem. I am now painting alligators. What one person likes the next will hate.

Don't make yourself crazy. Your an artist, your already halfway there as is.