Appeal and provenance

I couldn’t agree more! Thank you for expressing the truth about selling art in a very kind way. If a person isn’t painting for their own enjoyment to begin with, there will be huge disappointments later when the work they’ve done for “the market” isn’t quickly snapped up for premium prices. In my limited experience, there will be no problem with selling a piece of artwork for a reasonable price once your heart has touched the heart of the viewer.

The thing that worked for me years ago was going to out door art festivals. There you can easily get your name out associated with your work. I don’t do this much any more and don’t know how things are in this economy. But it seems as if this would at least be a step in the right direction getting ready for better economic days. Actually we do have an artist friend who is doing very well now but she is working hard both painting and going to festivals.

If a painter cannot sell work through private, commercial galleries, there is little chance it will sell online. Unfortunately, this is the case.

This is the only time I like to see the word “obscene” used

Unfortunately, in this world of fading traditional philosophies, and with its rise of vague spiritualities, a type of art has arisen that purports to be spiritual as well. Wishy washy sweeps of colour and impasto do not a spiritual painting make. This is a cop out. While people are free to put anything on canvas or paper that they may wish, they must not expect a lot of people (or curators) to take notice. Painters are not doing really spiritual humanistic work very much anymore because, except for a few, they cannot do it. They don’t have the skill or the imagination. One might hope that for those who do there may be rich rewards.

We are all victimized by our cultures. Here in America we have expectations of easy entry and personal gratification. But opportunites for democratic acceptance may be dwindling, and more attention to professionalism may be in the future. Both built in appeal and careful provenance may now be needed.

So “provenance” is not just the gallery history and ownership of a work of art, but all of the other things that have gone on in the past that may give someone the confidence to purchase. I would imagine an artist’s educational background (fine art degrees, etc.) would count as the provenance by some people for a given piece of art by that artist.

I disagree with Lorraine, who says that sweeps of color and impasto do not a spiritual painting make. Spirituality is in the eye and heart of the beholder. If you see it there, it is. However, if you don’t use any type of symbolism or figurative subject, it is much harder for the viewer to find a meaning there. One thing Robert didn’t mention is niche markets. There are many special interest groups in which a relative newcomer can find a market faster than in the general market or galleries. That’s one way to get provenance.

According to the dictionary, provenance means the source or origin of an object, and the history of ownership, or the records or documents authenticating such an object or its history of ownership.

Provenance is all the bumph that helps a person make up his mind to buy an unknown piece of art.

About the only thing that has knock em dead appeal is a portrait of the person who is looking at the work. Unless of course the portrait is so bad that the only response is to try to get the thing off the market. This could be a form of appeal as well.

A work of art that can be talked about has a better chance of selling than one that doesn’t. It gives dealers something to do and relieves them from some of the guilt that arrises when they make such great profits for so little effort.

I was intrigued by your words “…perhaps the appearance of participation in a movement or a greater cause.” because there may just be a wonderful opportunity for some artists to have their work seen by many thousands, even millions. A retired justice — Thomas E Brennan — from Michigan Supreme Court, several Constitutional Scholars, and a cross-section of patriots from the many states, are working tirelessly to present a virtual Article V Convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution. Instead of half-baked laws and unkept promises by politicians, “We, The People…” want to exercise our sovereign right under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to begin straightening up this mess made by supposedly well-intentioned persons of all political stripes. Balance the budget, mandate fair taxation, establish a standard voting unit (…with paper trail), investigate/prosecute white collar criminals, set term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and many other issues — all as amendments to the Constitution, so the law will be obeyed. Do you think artists would be interested in expressing themselves with content/subject matter appropriate to the theme, including the constitution, congress, voting, patriotism, America, etc.?

Repulsion and Revelation Painting the landscape for some universal philanthropic need: Leaving the mark of inspired transcendence upon a massive canvas: Spewing the deep slick of altruistic rhetoric: Needing to tap into the system in order to pump it out: Joining a movement with a corporate identity in order to feed one’s own insecurities and GREED. Thanks for this morning’s laugh Bob. Seems to me BP is winning in that department these days. Glad so many painters are out there trying to compete in the capitalist market place with them. In China there are sweat shops filled with thousands of painters 12 hours a day copying the “Masters” over and over and over and over, while living on rice; peasants who were born on the land who have moved into dank industrial cities. Where do you think the next big world class shake everything up painter who has something real to say about the landscape of the future is coming from? Starving artist means starving; not, “Oh the castle I paint in isn’t big enough. Give me more! Give me more! Give me more!” wolf@ncf.ca

It was good to read your reply to my question from a few months ago. I was well know in Manitoba, had some exhibit both juried and galleries and then my life changed priorities until now! I am in another provence using my maiden name and now I know that I must get out there, join some or a group and just market my work in whatever creative way that I can!

Choosing a specific cause or movement and working with it is a good idea. The various faiths require art to demonstrate and illustrate their myths and world views. This type of visualization is the basis of building converts and the activity is no where near finished as of yet.

Heart and soul, technique and all that stuff does not always translate into $ as you put it so well. I find myself out of the mainstream and don’t necessarily agree on what’s done around me but I keep working, show and sometimes sell but not at exorbitant prices. I paint because I like it. Thank you for being there.

One cannot be too jaded and sarcastic. It is, after all, art. And art is one of the greatest and truest of man’s activities. Well worth participating in at any level. London, UK

One day my submission to a traditional juried show was rejected because it was created digitally. The following week a sophisticated art collector invested $5000 to acquire it. On one hand the digital art was not considered to be genuine art, while someone else deemed it to be a seminal example of leading-edge 21st century art-making. By definition, cutting edge art will never enjoy wide-spread appeal. Nevertheless many art show organizers like to have my wild maps displayed there to spice up their traditional offerings. Overall I’m very grateful for getting a small taste of what high-provenance artists regularly enjoy. Even if I never show or sell another one again, I know that I will enjoy creating my next piece as much as my last, and the one before, and my first. The Yin / Yang cycle of simultaneous success and failure will continue to roll along, as it always has for artists everywhere.

Steadily, with attention to personal passion and hard work, the provenance is built, brick by brick. Nothing unusual is needed but quality work, a level headed attitude and an unwavering belief in self-worth. It may take a lifetime. Bare baloney is less effective than one might think.

I’m often asked if the “prints” my friends have purchased, (photos of original paintings signed by the artists), are investment pieces of art. I’m never sure how to answer this question. I thought “prints” were pulled from a plate of some sort, made by the artist. These photo-reproductions seem like glorified posters to me. Someone please clarify this for me once and for all so I know how to answer this question.

How is it that survival of the artist him/herself ALONE- isn’t the most worthy cause? It is the artist having the vision and doing the work of manifesting the vision. Ain’t nobody else makin’ the stuff I’m a makin’…

At a recent juried show sponsored by a small town arts organization in NW Pennsylvania there were two sorts of obscene pricing. Several photographs– I suspect of being the work of students– were priced so low that they could have barely covered mounting costs and entrance fees. On the other hand, someone stacked empty quart paint cans (perhaps, 15 in number) on their sides– creating a pyramid of sorts, apparently held together with industrial adhesive, the bottoms of the cans being painted in common designer primary or secondary colors– and boasting a price almost 45 times that of the photographs. The effect of these two things on the show was, in my opinion jarring. (I’d certainly have never juried-in the stacks of cans, so I’m biased against these even before considering the outlandish pricing.) It was even more disconcerting to me when the cans turned up at the spring show in a larger nearby town.

Compulsive workers may need placement even more than green feedback. Destinations other than galleries might be considered. Sometimes deals can be cut for foyers of office buildings, apartments, hospitals, etc.

Personally, I think “chronic poor taste” is the biggest pothole—and there’s little you can do about that! Bad painters usually think their work is pretty good, because it meets their standards. Watch out for older women with doilies on their furniture! (I’m an “older” woman but have always hated doilies!)

Some good thoughts for Kaden. One important part of this is something I realized just on a whim. Some of my art wasn’t selling so I raised the price thinking it was appealing to people (because of the relatively low cost) to the lower income section of society. People who are not really ready to part with the hard earned money. After I raised my asking price all the paintings sold rather quickly. It’s just a weird part of our set up and this guy explains it pretty well.

That which costs little is less valued.” (Miguel De Cervantes) This is the sticking point. In a nutshell, I’ve been exhibiting in and out of galleries and at both ends of the monitory spectrum. One true axiom is if its prices cheaply it seems cheap. The problem is what to price a work that makes the public thinks it’s worth the price. Price is relative. I’ve had people tell me the price I had on a work was ridiculous only to have it sell later in the day to someone else. I’ve had work priced very low only to go home without a sale at the end of the day. On other days I’ve inflated the prices only to see many sales. So, what’s the answer? As odd as it seems people do know what they like and will buy it if they want it bad enough. I say paint the best work you can and exhibit such. Be brutal in deciding what is good. Don’t put ever work you’ve ever created on display. Put only your best work always. Set your price and wait. If after a good period of time has passed without sales, reevaluate. Try going up not down. Your work will sell only if it has what seems the ‘right price’ Also price and exhibit the same relative sizes. If they see many of a certain size the same price they believe the cost is more accurate.