Do you find yourself getting defensive when you are asked questions about your art you don’t like? Engaging questions help to educate art viewers and, because they build knowledge and an increased level of comfort, go a long way to turning art viewers into art buyers.
Yes! We have winners!
As I say in the podcast, this topic grew from a Deep Thought Thursday contest I posted a couple of weeks ago. It asked how you respond to the question “How long did it take you to make that?” I selected two winners–those whose answers I felt were the best of the 69 responses at the time the contest ended.
The winners are Liz Crain and Quinn McDonald.
In her response to “How long did it take you to make that?” Liz Crain wrote:
Hard Time is the hands-on doing and it means manipulating and actively engaging myself with the creative and technical problems I have chosen to present to myself with the work at hand. It is usually what the questioner wants to hear about.
Soft Time is the time spent “receiving.” This is the lifetime of learning, the pondering, the waiting (for clarity, inspiration, for the clay to dry, the kiln to fire . . . ). It is usually the part that the questioner has not conceived of clearly, and quite often leads to the rest of the conversation.
Right after Liz’s post, Quinn McDonald noted:
You can read all responses to my contest in the original post.
I used to have snappy responses, which were satisfying, but not
business-friendly. So now I ask a question back, to start a
conversation–”Just this piece, or all the research and practice
pieces, too?” Most people don’t think of artists doing research, and
they will ask about that.
Or, “Do I get to include the classes in this technique, too?” HOW
it’s said–cheerfully and with a bit of curiosity, makes all the
difference.
Explanation from the Juror (me!)
I didn’t give Liz the prize outright because I liked the way that Quinn posed questions to the viewer (more on this in the podcast above) rather than just giving her answer. Liz may do this, too, but I couldn’t tell from her response.
And I didn’t declare Quinn the winner because I don’t agree with her first sentence. As I say in the podcast, I don’t think it’s necessarily a value question. I think it’s people trying hard to relate to the artist and most people have no idea how to talk about art.
I also toyed with giving the prize to Jo-Ann Sanborn who wrote this:
I loved Jo-Ann’s reasoning–especially her sensitivity to the viewer’s response to her question. But I wasn’t crazy about the question because it ultimately has a right or wrong answer and might make some viewers uncomfortable.
Incidentally, Jo-Ann’s response reminded me of watching auction house employees in action. I learned from the good folks at auction houses (and you can see it in action on Antiques Road Show) that the first question you always ask someone about their “prized possession” is “What can you tell me about this piece?”
Their response shows you how attached they are to it and helps you craft your responses to their expectations. You can do the same when talking with people about your art.