I read recently (on GlobeandMail.com, article by Josh Wingrove, June 9, 2008) that Vancouver and Montreal have been declared to be among the 25 most livable cities in the world. They were the only Canadian cities to make the list. Vancouver was 8th and Montreal 16th.

Various reasons were given why each city made the list. What interested me the most was that one of those reasons was their artistic life. Montreal was called "Canada’s cultural capital" with credit given for its strong arts community. The study did not look at high-profile cities such as London, Rome and New York, but rather at "smaller, user-friendly cities with vibrant arts scenes, plenty of parks and a friendly face."

It came as a big surprise to me that a strong arts community is an important factor in making a wonderful place to live. Although I totally agree, I always thought that, of all the subjects taught in schools, the arts were considered ’extras’, fun stuff to take but not really that educational, and not subjects that you help you find a job after graduation. At least, that’s how it was when I was going to school.

That leads me to ask ’what is the value of art in general, and in the evolution of the species, and in history?’. Does our art not reflect who we are, and will looking back at a people’s art not reveal who they were, what they valued and how they evolved?

But is art more than a historical record? Of course it is. Whether we’re talking about music, paintings, a beautiful sculpture, doesn’t matter. Art gives us joy, elevates our spirit, moves and inspires us and can take us out of every-day tediousness and allow us to soar, even if temporarily. Art also can make a social comment, build awareness, reach the subconscious.

This is what I think: art elevates us to a point where life is more than survival (working, eating, procreating, ...). Art brings beautiful emotions into our lives. It allows us to be lifted above survival, it allows us to feel, think, question. In short, it enriches our lives beyond the necessities.

"All art, whether it pleases us or not, helps to add color, excitement, joy or sadness, and most often, a sense of awe to our life’s experience." (Henry O. Dormann)

Comments always welcome.

Suzette

More Things to Think about in Pricing Your Art:

• Check what other artists are charging in your area, whose work is comparable to yours in style, subject matter, expertise, etc. and decide where you want your prices to be in relation to theirs.

• Test prices; start low and increase them over time, based on how sales are; if you start too high, it will be difficult to go back down and doing so will alienate your existing customers.

• Prices should be the same no matter where the work sells - consistency is important to previous buyers.

• Never adjust your price up or down because of the commission charged by a gallery or show organizer. Your price needs to be constant and must include such commissions. To do otherwise would be unfairly undercutting your galleries.

• Prices can go up over time, but should never go down - that would alienate your collectors.

• There are very good reasons to have a firm price structure, such as pricing by the square inch, or according to a sliding scale, and not according to how much you like the piece.

• Consider pricing according to size, on a sliding scale, and let that price be for unframed work; then, add the cost of framing or any other special costs. That will allow for differences in the cost of framing.

• Is it OK to add a premium to special paintings, ones that have turned out particularly well, or are different than your usual, or have won awards? Be prepared to justify any premiums added to the regular price.

• Do you know what to do when a buyer asks for a discount (and what are the consequences of agreeing to give a discount)?

• What people will pay is not necessarily related to what they can afford to pay; there are people who can afford to pay the high price but routinely ask for discounts; they don’t feel good about a purchase unless they think they got a ’deal’.

• Just because they ask for a discount doesn’t mean they are not willing to pay the full asking price, they’re just taking a chance that you might be willing to charge them less.

• There are probably circumstances where discounts might be appropriate, like repeat customers, or quantity purchases. Think about it in advance and formulate a policy.

• Be prepared to answer the question about the discount so that you are not taken by surprise and end up doing something you might regret later.

• Don’t be afraid of losing a sale because you refuse to give a discount; customers willing to pay full price often end up being your best, most loyal, customers.

• Act in a professional manner at all times; that is the best way to safeguard your reputation.

Comments always welcome.

Suzette

"The creative life requires a steady progression of experimentation and discovery."   (Robert Genn)

One of the things that I’ve always found difficult to do (and I know that many other artists feel the same way) is pricing your art for sale; it is definitely one of the trickier things an artist has to do. There are so many things to take into consideration. You want to recover the cost of your materials and have something left over for your time, but you also have to consider what the market will bear, in other words, what the buyers are willing to pay. You need to look at what other artists in your area, who are at the same stage of their careers and producing similar work, are charging. Then, you have to make a decision as to where you want your prices to be, either similar, lower or higher. There are valid reasons to be either lower or higher.

Here’s some food for thought on the subject.

Is the perception of value influenced by the price? By that I mean, do buyers think that a higher priced painting is WORTH more than a lower priced one? And if they do, does it matter to them? What about free items? If you give something away for free, is there not a perception that the item is not worth much to begin with?

I believe that many buyers think that higher priced items are worth more but that does not necessarily mean that they won’t buy the cheaper one anyway. It depends on their motivation for buying in the first place. Some buyers like to feel they got a bargain; they’re looking for the best price. Some like to feel they bought something valuable; they will be happy to pay a high price for something they like. And then there are those who will buy the one they love, no matter the price, because they are buying out of love.

Unfortunately, it really does not matter how many hours you laboured over a painting, how good you think it is, how much you love it; ultimately, it is worth only what someone will pay for it. That is what determines value, what the buyer is willing to pay.

So how do you price your art? You need to determine what’s important to you. Would you rather sell more at a lower price, or less at a higher price? Do you just want to paint because you enjoy it, and selling feels good and allows you to pay for supplies? Or do you want to build a serious career, be in galleries, museums? Then, perception of value is important and higher prices may serve your purposes better. Perhaps you goal is somewhere between the two; that will also help determine where your prices should be.

Next time, I’ll talk about other factors to think about when it comes to pricing art.

Share your thoughts on this by posting a comment.

Suzette

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."    (Seneca, 60 A.D.)