Art and Survival in the New Economy

When the economy was booming everyone seemed to want large paintings to decorate and fill the large walls of their newly built or purchased homes. Then came the bust. There are still those people out there. They just seem to think a little bit longer before making a big purchase but they do still buy.

How would I continue to maintain income from sales of my art?

My thought process was to create a mixture that included an increased percentage of smaller, lower and moderately priced work, along with larger paintings.

With this in mind, I started doing monotypes using gelatin as the printing plate. Painting directly on the gelatin, using both additive and subtractive methods, tonal areas and areas of visible brushstrokes can be acheived. The printmaking process is thoroughly enjoyable, both playful as well as painterly. My choice to use only black was deliberate. I wanted to keep these prints distinctly separate from my paintings in oil.

The resulting prints have been well received both with sales and awards.

There are always people willing to spend on work they love, including me. I, too, have continued to purchase pieces of art each year that speak to me.

My strategy seems to have worked and I am thankful.

It's Not All Painting

Art Things- A Peek at the Week of the Artist Life

Painted a new 18 x 24 beach scene with three figures. Finished a work in progress 24 x 30. Competed a 24 x 24 of children at the jetty "Digging for Sandcrabs" that was begun several months ago. (image to R.)

Painted an 8 x 16 marina scene and 12 x 16 of sailboats.

Took photos of all work recently completed, uploaded to my computer, edited and filed. Made a history sheet with a thumbnail image on each so I can quickly identify the work. These are used to keep a record of each show or gallery that receives the painting and when it is due back or is sold. I then logged each work into a database record that includes title, medium, size, year and price. This is then saved in three places. There is also space in the database to input the location of each painting that leaves the studio. It is then an easy task to make labels for the back of each piece and to print out a retail price list of just the ones I am delivering to a galllery.

Took six paintings outdoors to varnish and, after picking the pesky little gnats out of the wet varnish, set them out to dry on my enclosed porch. After they are dry I will frame each one and then make appointments with two of my galleries to bring in some new work. Maybe next week.

Worked as volunteer to assist jurors and hang the upcoming show at the Philadelphia Sketch Club for almost 7 hrs .

Attended an art reception followed by dinner with art friends.

Picked up works from a closing show.Updated website with events and two new paintings. Updated my art event calendar and updated speadsheet with income and expenses for the month.

Began mentally planning and reviewed opportunities for upcoming shows.
It pays to be organized!