Art is an Investment
“OMG! I love your art! It’s so unique!”
This is the first statement I hear from a viewer. I’m happy and excited to see someone appreciate my art the way I do!
“How much is it?” This is the second statement from the viewer.
Then after telling them, you get the face…if you are a sister creative you know what I’m talking about. If you are the viewer, you may not know what I mean. Let me break it down…
The “Face” is when the potential client finds out the cost and it may have been a wee bit higher priced than expected. Artist price their artwork according to the worth; how much time was put into it, the love expressed through it, materials, the studio space used, location, shipping, sealing or framing, marketing and the list goes on. The price is reflected accordingly, sometimes it could be $50 and sometimes it could be in the hundreds or even thousands! I find out that a lot of viewers are not educated on the “Behind the Scenes” reason for the price.
Now the next step for the artist is to educate and tell their story, this will make the “sell” or it may not. That’s okay we’re going to go through the viewers who appreciate the work, but don’t buy and we will have those who appreciate it and are the potential client in the purchase. It’s a long road for us creatives getting in front of the right client.
What I want you to know is art is an investment. The artist has a skill that you may not possess, just like an electrician has a skill you may not possess. Maybe you find another artist who prices work cheaper, that’s great, if you really appreciate it!
When you hire a plumber, do you search through prices, reviews, if they have a license, how many years of experience? Do you choose the cheapest and then regret it, because you had one leaky pipe, but now you have 5?! Yeah, you GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR! Same thing with art!
Maybe you’re thinking, “But Katlyn, I’m not cheap or uneducated, I just don’t have the budget!” Trust me, I GET IT! That’s okay, you can still invest, buy asking if they do artwork that is in your budget. I bet 9 out of 10 they have something. If it’s still out of your ballpark, why not ask about getting a print? I myself create prints from most of my works that are cost friendly. I want my supporters to be able to enjoy my work too!
Support your local artist and invest!