I am so excited about all of the comments from the last blog entry... maybe I am on to something here.
Its a difficult thing, making your way as an artist. I was so determined in school to, " practice, practice, practice" and that was what they drilled into our heads. But nowhere along the way did I ever hear about what happens after school. they told us not to worry about the business side of things, to not worry about selling work, but when I walked into the burrito joint one fateful day and was greeted with a flying jar of garlic.... well, I took the leap without looking. At first, I felt like I was going to have to beg people to buy my work, and with low prices... well, thats what I did. I had no idea what my work was worth, and the only comparisons I had.. well, they were traditional pots and drastically under priced in their own right. I had no idea how many $20 pots I would have to sell to break even.
What I have come to understand through experience is that I screwed up right out of the gate by undervaluing my work and not understanding the cost involved in running a business. I don't feel it is ethical to just decide to double my prices overnight, but I have chosen to implement incremental increases over time driven by demand. (somewhere between 20-30%)
I have many concerns about my business,1) I don't want to be an employer, 2)I want to maintain the handmade aspect of my work,3) I want the quality of my work to remain high, 4)and I want to pay myself a liveable wage. These are goals and sticking points that have taken a few years to cultivate. Whenever I feel pushed to deviate from any of these points, I know it is time to reevaluate and raise prices.
I really wish I had more experience with the business side of things, and had been more prepared when I decided to pursue this full time, but we live and we learn. No matter how stressful this path is at times, it is absolutely worth all the struggles.
Monday, June 8, 2009
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7 comments:
I think all art students should be required to take business courses. As craftspeople we act as designers, fabricators, accountants, web designers, salespeople and p.r. people.
I was lucky enough to be surrounded by internet savvy mentors so that I could learn a thing or two. But I still learn new things everyday.
Best of luck with your sales and upcoming shows. And again thanks for the awesome post that read my mind!
They gave me the same story in school. I asked the prof about the business end of things and I was told "this is art school, not a trade school" And so most of the folks I went to school with are now perpetuating..they teach art in colleges. A few have done stints as potters, sculptors, but most have retreated to the safety of academia. I think it was an direct result of no business classes. I was just too stubborn, or maybe stupid to quit making pots.
Can you tell us about the flying jar of garlic incident?
The schools are only concerned with the spiritual part of the art and technique, but not part of making a living with art. Although not want to be a business person, these are a must because your business. Have a company you have to manage. If you have a regular sale held for a year or more, if you can raise your price if it is not expected to be in that situation. Your creative high ideas, make me see that you are more artist than craft. Your work is shown. I follow your blog and your work because I love what you do.
regarding the jar of garlic.
I walked into my workplace, freshly awake from a nap, as I had a teaching gig and was making art as well, and was sipping a Red Bull. I walked by everyone on the line and waved hello and headed to the office to pull on my work shirt and clock in. By the time I got there, the boss had made his way through the prep kitchen in a tizzy and was throwing things in the trash and screaming. He went into the fridge,pulled out the jar of garlic I had ground the day before and threw it at me. He missed, but then proceeded to curse at me like a dog.
That was my last day of working in the restaurant industry.
Heather, I just renewed one of my items on Etsy. When I went to check to see if it showed up with the freshly added pieces, I saw a photo of your work. I quickly clicked on it before it scrolled away. Your work takes my breath away. I've been searching on Etsy to see what others are doing so I can better market myself, and to see you work is proof that there are stunning, high-end items on Etsy.
Now, that I've said this, I'm going to go read more of your posts.
WOW!
I so agree with you (once again) Heather. Business classes usually are offered at Universities, but I think most artists find them distasteful or unnecessary because they think "if you follow your passion" the rest will follow. Not so, business is business.
Heather, you have taken the first important step in the Business of Art -defining YOUR goals and objectives. So many artists are unable or unwilling to do that. Then, just as we have those goals and objectives defined, economic forces being what they are, will surely force us to reexamine those things before we've even implemented them! That's life for all independents or sole proprietors!
-Artists are entrepreneurial – 3.5 times more likely to be self-employed.
-Artists are underemployed – one-third of artists work for only part of the year.
-Artists generally earn less than workers with similar education levels. The median income from all sources in 2005 was $34,800 for artists, higher than the $30,100 median for the total labor force, and lower than the $43,200 for all professionals.
There's more at:
http://www.nea.gov/news/news08/artistsinworkforce.html
The business side is very tricky, and then you don;t realize when you are first starting out, exactly how many hours you will spend doing administrative tasks, running errands, answering the phone, setting up shows, packing up work etc.
It is absolutely a business, and without the drive to make it through the half of your day where you have to treat it that way, you won;t be a successful artist.
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