CON-signment

A stranger walks up to you and says: 'I think I like you." You hand over a cheque for R20,000.
They say: "I'll pay you back," and walk off with your cheque.
Crazy?
Absolutely, but in principle thats what we do every time a gallery asks us to consign work. They take no risk (if our work proves unpopular there's always a storeroom.) And in handing over what is essentially merchandise we could say that we are financing their business. Thats step one. Step two is when work sells and we don't get paid, so our R20,000 investment hangs around gathering no interest and no return on our investment while the gallery is using our work to finance their business. That is basically what we as artists are doing. An example: a gallery I've had dealings with over the years have always claimed that they only work on consignment. Another artist comes along and says: "no ways, you want my work, you buy it from me." They roll over and the gallery coughs up. Perhaps their is a case for unknown artists consigning work, but surely more established artists should atuomatically work on a buy the painting upfront basis. What are your thoughts?

The Florence Biennale - to go or not to go?

Received a query from an artist invited to the Florence Biennale later this year. having taken part in 2007 felt equipped to answwer her question as to whether the expense (2,700 euros entry and courier of paintings R15,000) and effort were worth it.

Here is my abbreviated response:

re your query: Depends what you are after.

If its sales, there are very few buyers if any. (Same goes for art critics etc) Mostly the viewers are the 800 artists and their buddies/partners plus local students.

That being said I did manage to sell my 3 works (discounted) and with a bit of ingenuity but it was very much the exception not the rule. 

There are 800+ artists involved so being 'discovered' is unlikely even if your work is really good, as the cognoscenti of the art world do not view this event on the same level as say the Venice Biennale for instance. If you are fortunate enough to be one of the handful of prize winners though, this may alter this and would look good on your CV.

With 800 artists it goes without saying that the work will range from weak to great.

Ok that’s the more negative aspects.

The positive aspects are getting to meet lots of other artists from around the world.

Staying in a beautiful city when it's not over run with tourists. (It's cold though then, so take warm stuff .) And just basking in art and feeling part of it all is a once in a lifetime experience.(Have been invited again this year and if I wasn't educating children we'd be going!)

re courier: A number of artists did take their work as baggage with them, which is obviously cheaper. Would opt for this myself should I go again.

So short answer - if you haveR80,000 to spare(flight +-R8,000, budget hotel/b&b/food R12,000, other expenses - taxis etc, plus courier and entry)to spare - it’s a great experience. If it means eating lentils and living in overdraft for the rest of your days, enlarge the invite and hang it on your wall as testimony of your achievement/brilliance!

Hope that helps

To me or not to me - artists painting under pseudonyms

Recieved an email from an artist today asking for my views on her signing her work with a nickname. There are a number of artists who do this, 'Munro' is a local example. I guess if you are painting across styles it makes it easier for the audience to see each style belonging to a different personality, just as authors, writing different genres of books often use pseudonyms. If you are fortunate enough to become wildly famous, it could be confusing for the media I'm guessing. In the end don't know any rules as such. Guess its up to the individual to decide. What are your thoughts/feelings?

Success is hard work!

Anthony made the point this morning that no where in the book had I made mention of how hard most artists need to work to be succesful. Sure you can structure your time (we just went Stand Up Paddleboarding with dolphins!) but there is seldom a weekend that we both aren't working at least some of the time and often most of the time. To produce enough art to live off usually requires a lot of hard work, so being an artist is NOT an easy option, in fact compared to my days in advertising, its a lot more work. (Its just that the work is more enjoyable!)

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....