Happy times here again?

Robert – 99% of artists would be very happy to sell a painting every day at $200 and with a few other sales to go with it, that would make most of us happy. Specially if the $200 painting took about an hour to paint. In reality only a handful of artists sell constistently every day – I can almost name them all!

Lao Tzu was a very wise man, indeed. Dedicated painters will always paint, no matter the circumstances. There will always be enthusiastic art aficionados. A sputtering economy negatively affects 99% of everyone. Buyers have less to spend; sellers generally have to adjust accordingly.

Perhaps there are signs of improvement in the economy but I still think the vast majority of bricks and mortar galleries are struggling, with the exception of blue chip galleries representing blue chip artists. At that level, and at auction, money and art is being exchanged by the very wealthy. But for most artists, I think the economy is hurting them badly. Artists are turning more and more to the internet. Prices are still low, but I think this will change as collectors age, because they will be more savvy and confident in purchasing just about anything online. Older collectors, as they die off and stop buying, from bricks and mortar galleries, will eventually be replaced with a younger breed of collector. Artists have to rise to this challenge. They need to develop skills using the internet; they have to start thinking about the internet in the same way they think of bricks and mortar galleries. And they have to present their work accordingly. Just posting a photo of a painting is not going to be enough. In the meantime, most artists are struggling.

Oh, my goodness, Robert, I don’t think I have ever read a more offensive email from you. I have been a subscriber of yours for years and love your work – but you managed to say something offensive about almost everything with this post.

In economies where people are having a difficult time making ends meet, discretionary spending is practically non-existent. With that said, the poor don’t buy art, the middle income group look for cheap sofa art and the upper middle class may purchase art from established artists. The wealthy can afford to buy any art they like without batting an eye. There will always be a market for the Masters and well established contemporary artists. For the rest of us who want to make a living selling our art we have to establish our credentials. Win national competitions, put on four day workshops, live in or near a big city where a lot of people can see your work, self promote your work, etc. you have to be in demand in order to succeed in the art world.

Full time self supported artists must sell their work. “The market” is the great overwhelming specter that hangs over them. I’ve mentioned before that a day job (or other income) is not a bad thing for an artist. If you’re in a situation the need to sell takes a back seat to creating the best work you can, eventually the art will triumph. Sure, the day job and life in general can drain you – been there. But you will find out how much you love your art if you can still find the time and will to do it. A few observations: I approached a gallery in July who told me they reviewed thirty artists’ work every ninety days as policy. They signed none, because they didn’t have the room. The funny part? She ended our discussion saying, “It doesn’t matter how wonderful you are. We’ve only taken on two new artists in a year. That’s our quota.” Too many galleries state emphatically on their websites they are not accepting any new artists, so good luck with that. The only thing I got out of Etsy was scam proposals. Ebay is an impossible herd, plus you must also deal with the evil PayPal nonsense. I know one artist who visited her gallery to find her work moved to the back hallway. Galleries promote higher ticket artists because they make more and have little incentive to push an emerging one. Many worthy artists have turned to the Internet as a viable option when other doors were slammed shut. Art fairs, booths at trade shows, etc., demand a high investment in money and time with little return. So, we’re back to the day job. I worked hard in my earlier years to get me “here.” I sell enough for validation but not a living, and I’m okay with that. That frees me to concentrate on what matters, and that is to be a better artist. And it is quite liberating.

Undermines whose authority?

Funny how some people find straight, plain truth and reality “offensive”. Had to read your letter a second time to find the offensive parts and couldn’t find any.

Etsy is far from a Garage Sale. You should open a shop and see for yourself. Regrettably however, not only will you need artistic ability you are also going to have to have some knowledge about selling online. You speak of your “target audience” being the young BMW owner who is looking for a trophy purchase. How insulting to your customers. With respect to selling your art let me remind you that it is often your peers, through word-of-mouth who promote and help sell your art. Insulting an etsian is a very bad thing – just go visit their forum board and you’ll see a topic about your slander. I know of several talented Canadians who sell on Etsy. Considering many purchases are being made online nowadays, you should perhaps reconsider your “target audience”. good luck to you.

I am glad that you are seeing signs of recovery – I wish I was. In fact, my sales have dried up this year. Its scary. It has made me wonder if art sales are ever going to recover. There are so many artists trying to make a career of it now – and so many outlets for them that I think prices and individual sales may continue to be low. I worry about the new collectors too. Is there a golden age for buying art? I’m in my mid 40s and my friends are far more interested in the latest tech toys than in collecting or even buying a single piece of original art. Prints and giclees are available at every big box store and used simply as decoration to match the furniture. Who is educating the new collectors? I think galleries have been those to educate traditionally, but I think younger people and those on budgets are disinclined to go into galleries. To many, they equate galleries as snobby, elitist, or just too expensive. I think galleries (and artists) need to really consider new ways to market. Using the internet as well as traditional shows, but they need to shake it up. Sitting and waiting for a buyer to walk in just won’t cut it. I love Amazon’s idea… teaming with galleries to market original art at honest prices to a large audience. We shall see how it works out. I think many artists ARE doing a huge disservice to themselves and others by selling so low. The “daily painting” you mention was fun for awhile, but that market is glutted and its created buyers who want cheap art – but it hasn’t created collectors. Artists have dropped their prices to make sales – and yes, we need to eat, but we also have to promote our industry. Original art is relevant, important and artists deserve support.

What’s insulting in “BMW”, “young” and “trophy”? Most of us will go for each of those! It’s hilarious to read those anonymous threats and sales advises to Bob! Wise ones learn about selling from those who sell well…

I don’t recall seeing more feisty comments here! I think the ‘garage sale’ epithet was bit low; perhaps a better analogy would be ‘elementary school’ sales on Etsy, for beginners, who might graduate to restaurants or other alternative venues in high school or college, and as the work and experiences improves, move on to a Masters in art shows or Ph.D. in gallery sales. Just like in education, desire, motivation, and hard work winnow the field as it progresses. Obviously touched a nerve here, though – several, apparently. Trophy hunters are always welcome in my studio – a buyer is a buyer and it’s not my role to judge.

It’s hard to not feel slighted by this post and some of the comments. I sell my work on etsy, because it is an open door. Not all of us can find a gallery willing to take on new artists, or can afford the rising cost and uncertain outcome of participating in art fairs. It’s a lot of work to learn the ropes of selling online, and takes patience and faith in yourself as sales slowly grow over time. Setting prices is up to the artist, but low prices are certainly common because buyers are generally not wealthy collectors. But they can and do appreciate original art: affordable art that is not mass-reproduced and sold in big box stores, art that speaks to their individual interests and appreciation of style or beauty. If all this makes me a garage-sale artist, or an ‘elementary school’ seller, so be it, but I see no shame in having found an open door to the art world when other avenues are so firmly shut, or in providing original art to someone living on a teacher’s or office admin’s salary. Perhaps it’s just too easy to look down on others when you have reached the heights of gallery success, and see hopeful artists with our little online shops as just a nuisance that interferes with gallery sales of established “real” artists to those savvy collectors.

Many people have become quite insulted by your suggestion that Etsy is no more than a “garage sale”. Many people actually make their entire income off of the website and live tidily. Also, a garage sale, by most people’s definition, is where one sells old posessions they no longer want or have a use for. On Etsy, people strive to cultivate quality vintage materials as well as lovingly handcrafted items. This is far from the image of selling your old junk to your neighbours. If I were to use an term to describe Etsy, I’d have to call it a community. Etsy is a communal ground where artists of all mediums, from crafters to seamstresses to painters to collectors, can gather for support, learn things from one another, and share their work and findings. There are many paintings on Etsy that climb far higher than $200 or even $500, so I would kindly suggest, Mr. Genn, that you watch where you’re walking before putting your foot in your mouth.

Yes, I do see sales improving a little. House portraits aren’t as popular as they once were, I think because people are re-prioritizing or because they are moving to condos in droves.

Thank you for good information about the art market. It’s always great to read about that, but I am not sure how much it helps. I can’t shake the feeling that most of us artists come from the great unwashed masses with naive and uninformed ideas about who and why buys art. We discuss this and listen to advices from the similar kind of people as we are, develop theories and strategies, sometimes we get a piece of the pie, but fundamentally we don’t get it. In my view, the world of the art connoisseur is in another dimension and I am not privy to it. I do try, I collect some art here and there when I can afford it, but I just simply don’t have the passion for it. I can’t fathom the drive that some people get to create those amazing collections that get passed to future generations, and sometimes even form entire museums. There are famous collectors who started doing this with very limited budgets, so I don’t think it’s just about wealth. This just isn’t in my DNA, but I know people who have this and I am really hoping that I will always be able to work with someone like that. But, the great news is that we make art, and for me that is the most privileged position in this story. It’s a privilege that often doesn’t make for bread and butter, but that’s hardly a news. I suspect that artists of the future will be able to make good art a bit faster than artists of the past, simply due to the conveniences of ready available training, materials and logistics. This will enable them to dedicate part of their time to earning living in some other way. I wonder if a full time breed of artists will survive the natural selection process.

I never much liked dealing with art galleries, so I opened my own and have never looked back. I highly recommend it, but you must really believe in your self in order to make it happen. Fortune favors the bold.

I am so sorry to see the comments on Etsys forum about your referring to Etsy as “garage sale.” I have enjoyed your letters for many years and found it to be a highlight in my week. Thanks for that. People should understand that you may be comparing low priced art to what fine artist like yourself can demand. I show my pottery and paintings on Etsy and I personally am not offended.

$200. A day is ok????? Many of us are living on very much less than that, with spouses and houses. You did come from a very privileged generation in a country with a nice health care system. You have no idea how many of the folks who enjoy your letter are getting by down here.

Oh dear. I read the article with interest, had no time to comment, but naively went about my business at one of my two part-time jobs getting excited about the possibilities. Twenty good years of sales coming up? Woo-hoo! All I’ve been able to think about lately is what would it take for me to be able to eliminate most of the hours I spend working other people’s timetables, doing work that is utterly noncreative, and that doesn’t pay me enough to get anywhere; and instead get paid to do what I seem to be best at? Of course there’s the internal battle. There are beautiful sunflowers out now; plums, peaches, gardens full of produce and flowers, and OMG I don’t know how to set it up, and I’m a slow painter, and I don’t have galleries and the cats and I will starve and lose the house and WHO DO I THINK I AM………. And then I think, Oh shut up and paint. Photograph it, frame it, put it out someplace. Repeat as many times as necessary.

Yup, I agree. I am not sure what was so offensive. I’m not offended anyway. :)

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and perspective with us. I’m so happy things are going well with you. I have been using Daily Paintworks and let me tell you, a $200 sale would be a windfall! I like the sense of community that it offers, but do have the sense that I probably will never launch a career this way. It hasn’t paid for itself yet. But, I do really like the idea of online galleries and selling my artwork myself. So my question to you is this: what would you consider to be reputable online galleries? Also, how would you recommend getting started with your career in the first place?

Robert I have enjoyed your letters for many years. Some are fantastic and some seem a little tongue-in-cheek! This one showed how a wonderful artist commanding high prices for his work can no longer understand the feeling of us down in the trenches. And my trench was a wonderful selling trench a few years ago. It has dried up … this year is the worst ever. I have been and am still in a gallery (and it is a very good gallery in our area). There were about four at a time previously in my State, and one across the Country that was wonderful. But over the last few years, five previous galleries have closed due to the hard times. I can relate to those above that said the comments are “we are not taking on any new artists” or “we only take two per year.” My work has won awards, been accepted into International and National shows, been to France, Ireland and New York… to mention some. I have been in magazines…so … what do I do? I keep painting, providing work for my one gallery and a wonderful art association. I am setting up ways to sell on-line … Etsy, Daily Paintworks, Facebook, Pinterest, Fineartamerica. Now, do I feel some work is being sold bargain basement? Yes. But, those of us not able to command thousands, heck even hundreds at this time, must figure out a way to continue to purchase art supplies and create. Another job? Not at this time in my life… and not to mention the inability to even find jobs. Robert, I enjoy your letters, but I think this one you actually showed how privileged you are and can’t equate to the middle or lower level artists trying to keep it together.

And so it appears that art is created not for the enjoyment of the artist and the viewers but rather for the pursuit of the almighty buck. Could be why so much art out there lacks passion and refinement.

As someone who reads a great deal of economic and financial info I can assure you the economy is not in recovery. You can expect more of what we now have, inflation, rising prices and a dwindling middle class. This will pass but you must understand it will not pass quickly. Best of luck to all of you.

In my day, when we learned to paint on the walls of our caves, the worst thing to say about a work, was that it was “decorative.” In those days there were scant examples of work we could derive inspiration from.

Marsha Hamby Savage, thank you for putting this so succinctly: This one (letter) showed how a wonderful artist commanding high prices for his work can no longer understand the feeling of us down in the trenches. I’ve long felt that Robert has achieved a level of success (and good for him by the way) and has arrived at a place where he no longer understands or sees what the reality is for upcoming painters today.

Thank you Suzette… and I feel the same as you. I am glad he has done well. I cheer for those that are making it. But, I fear he has lost the understanding he might have once had about how it feels to be trying to make it! It is a very fine line to walk, when talking about one’s own success, and not sound like you are in some ways bragging. I wish Robert much continued success. But, I no longer hurry to read his letters like I once did.

As a recent subscriber to Robert’s newsletter I have no context to judge this post in relation to previous ones, however as a stand alone post I see nothing offensive or off-putting. For any professional working in a developed economy, $200 a day is an OK wage, but that’s about all. I’m an artist and I consider myself to be good. It’s not my profession though. I can’t earn enough because I’m not able to sell at the prices I want let alone need. It takes me around 100 hours to produce a painting and for that I want to earn at least £3000 (I’m in the UK); and why shouldn’t I? Many professionals in the UK earn £30 an hour minimum and that is a reasonable aspiration. To earn at that level as an artist I need to create a market for my work amongst those who have the desire and money to pay. That market does exist and there are artists selling into it. I don’t see paintings sell on eBay or Etsy for anything near what I want as recompense for my work – I think that is all the post is pointing out – these places will never present our work to buyers who can and do pay realistic prices our hard work. I choose not to compete in the market where there are tens of thousands of artists all trying to extract money from people who, on the whole, do not have the financial resource to pay (and/or appreciation of art) and therefore have to be persuaded to part with even the smallest amounts. I may sound ‘snobbish’ but it is a personal career choice, and I think it healthy and does our profession no harm to have someone like Robert pointing out that we should aspire to earn at least an average living wage. All things said, on the whole, we all choose to be artists in full knowledge of the financial challenges. Some artists are content to earn a relatively low wage because it allows them to follow their passion. I am not in that category; I wish I was because I am passionate about my art despite how this may read. Many artists though are forced to sell low because they need to eat and pay the rent, and that is all the market will pay. My aspiration is to die with a paintbrush and palette in my hand and not a keyboard and mouse. There will come a time when my profession will change from software programmer to artist. I will paint full time but I won’t sell a painting unless I get what I want for it. Therefore, I may end up with a lot of unsold paintings because I won’t feed a market that can’t properly reward me. Then again, that may be one element of what is required to get oneself noticed.

By and large, as David says above, most who try to buy online are bottom feeders. The exception is when they know you, or know of your reputation. You don’t get a positive reputation on eBay, etc.

One of the main problems is that most artists think they are “pretty good” and while some of them are, many are not because they lack the discriminating eye to really introduce quality into their surfaces. These people look at work that is similar to theirs and only a bit better, and decide they too can go to market. The online venues await them. And there are buyers who lack the eye too.

Well expressed comments from David, UK software programmer. Why aim low? I would rather purchase a “great” piece of art which may only be 3″ X 3″ for $200 than a much larger “so-so” piece of art for the same price. Pride of ownership is also important.

Frankly, I believe Fine Art in the traditional sense (for those who ask what is traditional, look to Michelangelo, Rubens, Sargent, Sorolla, Mancini, et al) is gasping its last breath or nearly dead on arrival. True fine art made with traditional techniques and methods with the idea of uplifting an audience has seen its day. Nowadays, newbie painting is done on iPods, iPads, Kindles and such with fingers while a computer makes all the adjustments. They are not creating traditional art. Sadly, for those who have spent years learning to paint, this is the future. When the last baby boomer disappears, there will be no one of the current generation, learned, skill, or interested in how to do it “the old fashioned way”. And by that I mean with skill, and more importantly integrity. There are very skilled artists working today, some of whom I know personally, that can’t get arrested because they paint using traditional/modern methods. Their work rivals the masters and they get no public notice or gallery representation. It has become ALL about the money, the art created is secondary or worse just a commodity. Unfortunately, for me and the hundreds of others who refuse to come into the “modern” world. we will continue to work in obscurity, while creating art the world may never see. I don’t care what is popular and “in” and selling, art isn’t made in 37 strokes, and artists are not made in four years with an art degree.