1. Haute Couture – Voici Paris!, 2. Upon this Ground I Walked 010, 3. black merz 2, 4. gelb merz, 5. Structural experiments ( Jane Austen), 6. Blue Swirls and Teal Twirls, 7. Rust, 8. comfort, 9. Destined, 10. ACEO 42, 11. . Over The Wall ., 12. . Autumn Story – The Liquid-Rust Ship ., 13. Rainbow Sun Wheel, 14. Uninterested, Portrait of a Boy, 15. February geranium leaf, 16. 5 ways to Spring, 17. 13 Moons (detail 6), 18. 13 Moons (detail 3), 19. so many dreams, 20. Poppyblossom
What are all those things I’ve said about self-acceptance and self-forgiveness?!! Would somebody please remind me right about now?!
I am meeting with a shop owner tomorrow (TOMORROW). She is coming here (HERE!!). She says she won’t even notice any mess (oh, really?!).
I should have already sorted through my inventory with a critical eye, asking — Can I bear to make more of these? Is this completely and totally a one-of-a-kind item (most of my stuff is), and if so, can I price it ‘wholesale’ and still live with what I’d make on the piece?
I was going to make a Kitchen Angel and finish a headless doll that I’m going to be proud of.
(To be fair, I ‘drew’ many faces for the doll and embroidered two, and none are right yet).
My first and only venture with shop selling was last year in a five-week holiday shop in Brookline. It was a bust. Some selling ventures are. I accept that. But here’s the thing, I spent TWO FULL MORNINGS preparing an inventory, working with the price tags (they were taking 40%, so I had to raise most of the prices at least a little), boxing my work and driving it there or picking it up. That’s roughly 8 hours. I sold six items (one small quilt, five pillows) and my take? $126.00. That is about enough to cover the work of prepping for the event. I forget what I paid to ‘enter’ my work into their jury.
That’s obviously not sustainable. In that case, the query, “Was it worth it?” was a resounding NO, even BEFORE I took into account labor and materials, which somehow or other, I OFTEN do not take into account (and that is just wrong).
So, while I’ve been busy with other things (lots of other things), and my ambivalence about the possible venture is getting in my way, I ought to have been further along than I am in prepping for this meeting.
So what am I doing sitting here? you ask.
Good question. Bye!
Enjoy the mosaic!!!
Don’t beat yourself up. Time doesn’t always get spent the way we plan, despite our best intentions. As for having work in shops, I’ve never had the best success either. The increase in selling price to cover the shop’s commission can be a killer. Good luck with your meeting and venture :0)
well I so wish you luck! I too have not had the best luck with retail experiances…But I look at it this way, it can be (and has been for me) a wonderful tool for exposure that continues over time as more and more people see your work in a retail setting…they may not buy in the moment or even next month, but they’ve had the chance to fall in love with your work and it’s very likley that they (or someone they rave to about your work) will purchase down the road!
that’s such a good point… it is ALWAYS good to get work out before people that are not friends, family, and friends of friends…
In the interim, I’ve had time to scare things up and out of storage and the fact is, I’m in pretty good shape.
thanks for the comment and best wishes.
And good luck from me too. I know what you mean about the whole time/shop/payments thing – but it’s usually worthwhile in one way or another. And thanks too for a great mosaic and for placing my moons therein 🙂
thanks, Kaye. we shall see on the shop. and your moons are oh, oh, so lovely (sounds a little dirty, doesn’t it?!!) just kidding. I watch too much Craig Ferguson.
Seems a good thing to do, indeed, to get the work out for people to see – it´s some kind of energy flow, too…
I think the more exposure the better! Your work is beautiful, how could they not love it??
I just went through the exact same thing with putting things in 2 shops recently. That 40% just kills the fun of it all. Think I’m done with that avenue. Hope you have better success with it.
Thanks Ger, Ginny and Robin, for comments.
They were very enthusiastic about my work, and it is more gallery than shop, so I’m perhaps more excited than I might have been… plus they give artists 60%, which is very unusual. PLUS, it’s possible I could teach a class or two, which would be good. So! upward and onward!