Well, as expected, I sold no paintings at the exhibition at the weekend. And don’t think I’m being depressingly negative, and I’m certainly not defeatist, and never a pessimist….. You see, the majority of the paintings sold were at the lower end of the market, price wise, since it was a “village hall” exhibition. And I know my paintings aren’t cheap, but they are quality, and I rarely sell at that exhibition. Its the way it is! I’ve had endless conversations over the years as to the whys and wherefores of why people don’t buy a lot at little exhibitions, and there is no set reason for it. But there is a pattern, in a way. People who go to those sort of exhibitions are looking for “cheap art” – something pink and floral for the hall, something with a boat in it for the living room, some watercolour of a garden, or of cute children, or a still life, they aren’t looking for anything “specific” and they aren’t looking for a specific artist, they’re looking for a nice day out, a walk in the countryside, a quick look at the art exhibition, a cup of tea and a piece of cake, and to be entertained on a bank holiday weekend. They are not serious art buyers, they are just………………people. Nothing wrong with any of that, nothing at all. But I never seem to fill that category, somehow. I never have. I do fill part of that criteria, I can paint pretty pictures of still lifes (the shell painting I did last weekend, being a case in point!). But my prices are too expensive for village hall buyers, I think. I know if I put a price of below £60 on my art, I’d probably sell it, easily.
But I don’t want to.
I value my art too much for that.
And listening to other people, who comment on my art, they do too.
Because cheap art, in a way, demeans the other art that that artist does. And I don’t do cheap art. I don’t do very expensive art, either! 🙂 I think my prices are right for the place I am in, as an artist. For the commissions I do. And I would far rather paint a commission. And that is what makes me unusual for a lot of artists, as I LIKE painting commissions. I like people to ask me to paint a favourite subject in a certain way. Because they get just what they want, and I don’t paint “best guess” paintings for little exhibitions, put a lot of hours in in creating the work, setting up the exhibition, spend time stewarding it, and helping taking it down afterwards, for no sales.
But, I also know that that isn’t the main reason for exhibiting. It is, to state the bleeding obvious, an “exhibition” of paintings. It is a place to show other people what I can do. What I’m capable of. And that’s why, it looks like I might be getting a commission from it, for a dog portrait. If the chap contacts me, as per the received message from a third party. It sounded quite hopeful though! LOL
So, the exhibition wasn’t a waste of time. And it follows the pattern, as much as I’ve found, from previous exhibitions! 🙂
Sorry to hear that nothing came of the exhibition, so fingers crossed for the commission as at least that would be something.
It is certainly good that you don’t feel compelled to produce work simply to sell at the exhibition, although it must still be frustrating to put in all that work and to then sell nothing. Perhaps you should have gone for the erotic theme! You never know all those in the blue rinse brigade might have loved it! lol
I hope you were at least able to meet some interesting people and that you were still able to enjoy your weekend?
Fitzy – Thanks, yes I’m hoping that the commission comes in too.
Yes, its frustrating to produce work for an exhibition and then not sell it after all the hard work. But it wasn’t right to put the very erotic stuff there. There are children at that exhibition, as well as the old ladies. Although having said that last year I put an abstract nude painting in, and a mermaid, and I think mermaids can be very erotic!
Yes, I always meet interesting people at these exhibitions, and I did enjoy my weekend, too, thanks!
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