Another from my gorgeous day at the refuge last Monday. I wasn`t sure if this composition was going to work. I liked the idea of a very busy band of foliage and a simple, peaceful sky and reflection. It wasn`t right until I extended the blue to the bottom of the painting. I guess it needed to be weighted down.
The other day, Jo directed me to the Art Biz Blog where there was an ongoing discussion about posting prices next to artwork on our blogs and websites. Many felt it was practical. Who would try to sell something without being clear about the price? After thinking about this with an open mind, I still felt uneasy. I find it off putting when I see it and the reason is, it seems to diminish the art, reducing it to another commercial transaction. An artist has a deeper mission than just being a manufacturer and merchant of pleasing objects. Now I want to make a living as much as anyone and I try to make it apparent that my work is for sale by adding a link at the bottom of a posting directing the reader to a website of 'available work'. There is a link to a price list in the sidebar as well. I think that is all I`m comfortable doing. However, it seems like a brilliant idea to put prices on my Pinterest board of 'My Own Work'. There is something voracious about the way images are consumed in that social media forum. Would a price tag slow someone down and allow them to consider owning art? Or is it a waste of time, or worse, a turn off? And if it`s such a great concept, why haven`t I seen it done yet? I ran it by someone I respect who is active on Pinterest and loves painting and he wasn`t in favor. If anyone who reads this has an opinion, I`d love to hear it. As a comment or directly; randalldavidt@gmail.com Thanks!
work for sale in my studio
3 comments:
The top piece is lovely-clear colors and I love the shapes at the bottom as well as the details in the mid section.
As for prices on Pinterest, I see Pinterest more as a forum for exchanging images and not as a commerce based forum (in a direct way). I think a link to the forum where you sell your work is a great idea, like a link to your web site. I don't think the price on Pinterest is quite the right thing based on what I said above. Although I'll add this as an idea. If I saw a piece of artwork in a show at say the library or something, I would want a way to see the price on a web site. I want a way to contact the artist and see the price directly-I don't want to have to ask "how much?" And at a gallery, you are there to buy art and not to swap images or check out a book. Buying art should be an accessible thing without reducing the loveliness of that process. (If that makes sense.)Anyway.
I guess I just don't like the idea of people having to jump through too many hoops to find out the price....make it easy access...and you do that, Randall...at your Flickr page. A link from the blog to the website let's a viewer see more of your work, too. The mystery of no prices leads me to believe a piece is way out of my price range, though. I know little about Pinterest.
I read the same article. I am torn... I do think it is nice to have the prices stated right next to the piece. I don't do it. Maybe I need to be a bit more unapologetic.
I don't think Pinterest is a good place to have the price. I would rather have buyers see it on my website, where I can control how it looks.
I will have to think about it and possibly try it out...
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