The business end.
I’m at that point where the actual nerve-wracking part of having is show is kicking into gear. The part where I have to price my paintings. I really struggle with this. I want to price them so that they’re affordable, but I also want to make a decent wage for my months of work (even though I paint fast, this has consumed January and February, and part of December…). At my last show, after I priced my work, the gallery co-ordinater looked at my list and jacked all the prices up by around $100, because I’d priced them too low and there is such a thing as perceived value.
So, what I’m asking is how much would you spend on a painting in general? Small paintings? Medium paintings? Large paintings? Not necessarily my work, but on any paintings. How much of your hard-earned cash would you honestly be prepared or able to part with if you really wanted a painting? Be honest, please — it will help.
In other news…
Comments
Comment from alex
Time March 1, 2007 at 12:49 pm
By the way, why do the lines making the border around “lounge” end in little penis-heads? Is there a sexual masculine/feminine comment going on in your Alice series that I didn’t catch?
Comment from Sandee
Time March 1, 2007 at 1:20 pm
I just purchased some paintings from an artist friend. One of the pieces is an 11×14 painting that would sell for about $1600USD if sold by the gallery that represents him…the other painting is 8×8 and about $900USD. Hope that helps! Oh, coming out of lurkdom…I really like your stuff!
Comment from A
Time March 1, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Lounge is a fabulous venue. If I were in town during those dates, I’d totally check out your stuff.
As far as paying for paintings goes, it really does depend on the piece and how drawn to it I am. The fact I’m currently cash-strapped and wondering where my next car payment is coming from doesn’t exactly put me in the best position to buy anyone’s work, irrespective of how much I adore it.
I think your Alice work is amazing. If/when I come into some spare cash, I will totally buy a piece or two for my home.
Comment from Crumpet
Time March 1, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Thanks everyone — these comments help. I’ve pretty much worked out my prices (and for shows I do include room to move, so to speak, with the prices) — I just want to get some input before I make them final.
And LOL Alex! The Lounge wanted me to include their logo in the invite. 
Those are arrows — one pointing up and one pointing down, because The Lounge has both an upstairs and a downstairs venue.
Comment from Sarah
Time March 1, 2007 at 10:44 pm
I’m a cheapskate, as I just don’t have the disposable income to spend on art just yet. With my first ever paycheque though, I bought myself a small lithograph by a friend of mine for $180 (she gave me a discount to $160 but I paid the full amount). I would consider that pretty cheap but it’s all I can afford! She was selling larger works for $700 or so. $NZ but probably comparable dollar for dollar to Australia.
Comment from futuregirl
Time March 2, 2007 at 7:52 am
About 9 years ago I wandered into a gallery and fell in love with tiny 6″ x 6″ painting that was selling for $600. I didn’t have that kind of money at the time, but I would have bought it if I did.
Comment from alex
Time March 1, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Crump, I’m one of those awful people that will pay based on what the tag says. If the gallery says $1000 on a medium sized painting, I would offer $800 just to get them to go below. Your gallery owner probably added that $100 so that he could come down from that and not piss you off. I really have no gauge on what something artistic should cost because I’m not in the biz…I’m just a free-spending patron.