Comments on: “I think you should just give me your art”

By: Alyson Stanfield

Alyson Stanfield — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:36:11 +0000

Jan & Karen B.: Excellent point about “students” phishing for personal details. I haven’t heard a lot about this, but sounds like it’s worth a blog post.

Barney: I love this! “I tell them my first lesson is free, which is to never give away something for nothing.”

Maria: Referring them to another lower-priced artist is a perfect idea. They will definitely be able to see the high value of your work when that happens.

Nancy: Love it! Did you ever hear back from him?

Lauren: Many galleries do a lot of work (and have high overhead expenses) for their artists, so I hope you’re not discounting all galleries.

By: Letter for responding to donation requests — Art Biz Blog

Letter for responding to donation requests — Art Biz Blog — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:59:18 +0000

[...] response to my post about how to respond to people who ask you for your art for free, Alicia Leeke was reminded of a newsletter I wrote about soliciting donations. After reading that [...]

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:35:59 +0000

Just recently I have been trying to work out why I am selling lots of art but not making any money…. I am underpricing my paintings, and I realised the gallery was making more money from the commission than I was getting from the sale after expenses. I’m the one one works the hardest and only the gallery and the buyers were benefiting from that. I realised that my art is truly valuable, my paintings will last you a life time and I realised living with my own paintings on my wall how often I see them and enjoy them and how much nicer the house looks with them up. Paintings are amazing things that take a long time to create, unfortunately they are also expensive items. So many people would dearly love to buy a painting (genuinely) but really can’t afford to.. so I guess that’s why so many people “beg” because they genuinely would love to buy it. Art so transends money on so many levels, it’s just a joy to own. It’s a shame that the majority of us can’t afford to purchase the art we love, but in order for us to keep creating we need to have some money for the work we do. I know that for me time spent working is often time spent away from my kids, is it fair to them to give away my work for free? No. I’m working to save for their future education.

Perhaps we do need things like greeting cards and small print options for those obvious heart felt art lovers who just can’t afford to own the original they love so much.

By: Nancy Eckels

Nancy Eckels — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:15:05 +0000

At a show recently, a “gentleman” came over to me after staring intently at one of my paintings. He said,”that painting really speaks to me, but I never get emotional about these things. I’ll bet you will take less for the painting”

When I told him I wasn’t sure what less meant, and that I only dealt in specifics, he went away only to reappear in my email box that evening.

He wanted 50% off and said that he purchases a lot of paintings and sculpture and doesn’t see why he shouldn’t get the gallery price. The temptation was too great to ignore him, so I wrote back that I would sell him the painting at 50% off if he could, 1. provide me with a brick and mortar place to hang several paintings in a place where the art-buying public would see them. 2. Do a reception for me and invite everyone he knows that would conceivably want to buy art. 3. Send promotional materials to his entire art-world email list. and 4. Send me an occasional (or more often) check from the ongoing sale of future paintings…..since that is what a gallery is supposed to do. What I really wanted to say was, “I purchase a lot of toilet paper, but I don’t feel entitled to a 50% discount”…..and Safeway would probably agree.

By: Maria Brophy

Maria Brophy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:43:53 +0000

Sometimes when we get a request for either a commissioned piece or design work, I’ll hear a disappointed “oh, I don’t have a budget for that much money!” after I’ve given the price quote.

The way I handle it: I offer to refer them to an artist that’s still in art school (I know dozens) or someone who is just starting out and will charge less.

As for the large number of artists e-mailing for advice on painting techniques, I send them a link to our DVD that they can buy. It answers all their questions. That’s why we made it – so that we wouldn’t have to answer 20 e-mails a day. (And earn a little $$$ too.)

By: Karen Winters

Karen Winters — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:17:13 +0000

Regarding requests for information and phishing … often the “students” try to find out your place of birth, pets, and other things that are commonly used in security questions.

Just on the outside chance that someone is sincere (if I answer at all) I answer in the vaguest terms. I was born in California. I am inspired by nature. I like to paint everything. If they can use that to steal my ID, they are damn clever.

I like this thread about people asking for freebies. I have donated four paintings to charities this year and when I turned down a fifth request from an artist group that I’m a member of, I got a rather chilly response.

I have offered time payments on several occasions to people who wanted a painting but couldn’t pay for it all up front. It’s worked out well on both occasions. Happy me to have sold to them, and happy collector. Twice I have given permission for people asking to use my design (for free) as personal tattoos (and I got to see pictures of the results.)

I’d hit delete for someone who just wanted my art for free “just because.”

By: Jan Blencowe

Jan Blencowe — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:20:02 +0000

Karen,

There are too many of these requests being sent to artists for me to believe that they are legitimate. At one artist forum I belong to (approximately 150 artist) these requests come practically daily and many of the members receive the same request from the same person on the same day….definitely phishing.

Students (real ones) usually don’t realize that they shouldn’t be copying the work of a living artist. I’ve heard many accounts from artists of people informing them that they are copying their work(as students) and then having those copies turn up in local art shows and galleries. Not good!

Artists are often very giving people and it is hard for us to be more business like to protect our work and ourselves. I think it’s something we must learn to be aware of and have strategies to deal with the situation as Alyson has pointed out.

By: Karen Thumm

Karen Thumm — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:05:06 +0000

Jan, this is the sort of thing I’ve wondered about. I’ve also wondered if this is a way to get us to agree to the use of an image so that they have “proof” if ever questioned.

This is a quandary for me because, as a horse crazy youngster, it would have meant the world to me to actually talk with a real equine artist. I hate to be a curmudgeon, but I agree that we have to employ a healthy degree of skepticism when viewing these sorts of requests.

By: Photography Links – October 9, 2009 « Photo Notes: Photography by Patty Hankins and Bill Lawrence

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:24:58 +0000

[...] Art Biz Blog has Responding to Someone Who Doesn’t Want to Pay for Your Art [...]

By: Jan Blencowe

Jan Blencowe — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:56:27 +0000

Artists please be CAUTIOUS many of those requests from “school children” doing reports about you and asking for personal information are nothing more than phishing scams.

If you feel you must reply please just send them to your bio and artists statement that is on your website. Do NOT give out more personal details.

Any adult teacher should know better than to ask students to contact someone over the internet and start asking personal questions.

It’s a sad fact that we have to be so skeptical but we do,