Review in Sarie Magazine

Making your art work, Ann Gadd (Create Yourself Publications, R180)
Hierdie is ‘n baie praktiese gids van alles wat jy moet weet, as jy geld uit jou kunswerke wil maak. Ann Gadd is self ‘n kunstenaar en weet hoe moeilik dit is om jouself as kunstenaar te bemark en seker te maak dat jou kunswerke by die regte galery uitkom, waar jy verseker kan wees van ‘n mark wat in jou werk sal belangstel.
Haar wenke begin met hoe jy moet dink oor jou werk en jouself om jouself as professioneel te kan bestempel. Dan neem sy mens stap vir stap deur die roete van hoe om by jou eindbestemming te kom - om geld te verdien. Sy wys duidelik die slaggate uit en haar hele aanslag is prakties. Dis beslis ‘n boek wat enige potensiële kunstenaar behoort te lees, veral as jy nie weet waar om te begin nie.
Die belangrikste ding van die hele proses is dat jy natuurlik ook talent moet hê!
Die boek is beskikbaar by toonaangewende boekwinkels, maar kan ook bestel word by orders@blueweaver.co.za. Vir meer oor Ann Gadd self en haar kunswerke, besoek www.artforewe.co.za
 From: http://www.sarie.com/lees/artikels/doen-iets-nuut Feb 2011

The comission that wasn't

I was asked to do a comission by a gallery, which I did. I sent the painting and also emailed the tracking number for collection. About 7 weeks later I received the painting back as "undelivered." So I called the gallery. It appears that the right hand knew-ith not what the left hand hath not done.So time, postage etc was lost.
As no sales have been reported for over 18 months, (after an initial good start), I am currently trying to get all my work back. Yet inspite of calls, emails etc nothing has been arrived. I suspect, as has been the case in the past work has sold and I've not been informed.
Its a problem dealing with galleries that are far from home. As there is no way of checking on what has sold or what is still there, and so you are in a position of trust. If a gallery breaks that trust, its a tricky situation. When speaking politely or begging results in getting no response, do you
a) Jump on a plane? (costly)
b) Get your buddy who is a lawyer to get heavy? (No doubt you are joining a long queue of other irate artists)
c) Name and shame the gallery?
d) Beg and grovel further? (Not good for self-esteem and seldom works)
e) Accept the loss and move on?
 P.S. Seems like they can only find 6 of the 10 paintings they had on consignment, which means four have sold....
Q) Why was I not told?
Q) Why was I not paid?
Sadly this scenario plays itself out all too often in the art world.

Trashing your work

I'm sometimes tempted to trash a painting if it hasn't sold after a period of time. Have learnt though, that no sooner have I taken an NT cutter to the work that I get a request for it - no kidding this must have happened about 10 times. If I don't like the work, I will still destory it, but now I store away any older works (sometimes obscure sheep concepts) knowing that one day they will just click with someone. Ant is the problem though - he trashes paintings that many times I feel are good works and could have sold. Still it takes a lot to convince him of this sometimes....

What percentage markup for direct sales?

Galleries understandably do not like artists to sell directly to customers. However, it is going to happen. What should you charge? The same price as the gallery is charging ie double what you are being paid by the gallery? What you charge the gallery ie 50% of the gallery price (not designed to make you popular with a gallery though the clients will love you!) Its a contentious issue.What are your thoughts?

52 down 8 to go.....

Am doing a book of the paintings for a UK publisher. 60 paintings didn't seem like a lot when initially discussed in October, but as I see 52 of the 60 piled up waiting to be scanned, looks like a lot of paintings! There is a wonderfull feeling though of achievement when a goal/deadline is met.(virtuousness but freedom as well from the big "SHOULD." Sort of feel phew and in need of a little bubbly!
Happy N'ewe Year!

Review in Jan/Feb 2011 Craftwise Magazine on 'Making Your Art Work'

Reviews:
Scarcely a week goes by that we do not receive questions from artists asking advice on how they can turn their hobby into a business where they can sell their work. It's a very common dilemma and Ann addresses it superbly in this book. She is a fine artist and author of a number of self-help motivational books and was personally faced with this question. In this book, she tacjkles the question from a number of different angles, including self-analysis, creative blocks, marketing, the use of galleries and the internet as sales platforms. It's not a magic wand quick-fix book of answers. If you want to sell your art, this book can assist you, but you will need to actually put the words into action. There is good solid advice and very thought provoking material to ponder on, which, if you make it your own can get you onto the road of independence. If you want to make money from your art, then buy this book. And read it.
Owen Calverley. Craftwise

Beetles

The subject of beetles in stretchers has fortunately never occured in our artistic lives, until a few weeks ago, when I went to a well known gallery to swop a couple of works around. The gallery owner causually mentioned there had been a problem. (Obeechie wood is a partyicular favourite of these beetles.) Thought no more of it until I returned home and noticed ominous looking holes in the stretchers of the two paintings. Called the gallery owner who assured me they had been fumigated in a room specially constructed for the job. Problem is don't feel I can sell the works holes et al. So will have to restretch the canvases on new stretchers. (Did consider a sheep braai using the 'sheep' paintings as both lamb and wood, but perhaps the wine had taken its toll at this point...) What are your thoughts? Just an act of nature so no liability on the galleries part? Anyhow something to be aware of and maybe avoid obeechie stretchers in the future.