Cashflow, huh? What’s That?
(6 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)
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So, about 6 months ago I had to get a regular job again, and leave behind the full time artist gig temporarily. As with all things, I only learn stuff the hard way. Hopefully what I didn’t know will be helpful for someone, so here it is.
Being a very German planning-sort of a babe, my strategy went like this: get on the web, make a blog, promote the blog, paint small things people can afford, build a following, get a gallery, LAUNCH MASSIVE ART CAREER! BOOM!
I can tell you this now only because I’m in the Acceptance phase of my grief over here. :-) But what I failed to understand was what it would take, and what would change when I got what I wanted. Looking back, I mean, Duh! Come on!
When you paint for yourself or do the daily painting thing, you paint fast, small and simple. You set really low prices and get paid superfast (often 1-7 days), without framing usually. The goal is to have no inventory.
When you paint for a gallery, you paint much slower, larger, and more complex. The prices can be higher - probably much higher than you could get on your own (the main draw). Often you pay for elaborate framing and shipping (both ways). You might send 6-8 paintings and the gallery might have them for quite a while, and even when they sell, you might be paid 30 days later. So instead of getting paid for your efforts in a week, now you’re looking at 3-12 months. Whoops!
So, if I could do it over again, here’s what I would do differently:
- For me the daily painting thing was really important, but I should have taken 2-3 of the standout paintings every month and set them aside.
- I’d sell to the _right_ buyer instead of the _first_ buyer.
- I’d have a year of living expenses saved up, no joke.
- I’d have 6-10 medium/large paintings as well as 15-20 small paintings in my secret stash, for the moment when the gallery fairy tapped me on the shoulder, because when they say “What else do you have available,” it’s good to say, “Voila!”
- My secret stash would be coherent and look like a show.
- I’d make friends with a framer.
Having a job again is a drag, and a disappointment, but it’s almost like having a fellowship!
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Whatever you do don’t give up. But the experiential advice is good advice. Keep posting your new work that is a highlight for me personally. We have only one choice in the art world and that is to be great. It’s time to make the art world chase the artist. The artist has no time for this. Four pieces of wood around a canvas should not cost more than the canvas any more than a ring should cost more than the diamond it holds.
Remember, Vermeer did about thirty paintings total. For him that was about one or two a year. Maybe not everyone can get to that level of perfection but why be in it if we’re not striving for it. I know that you can.
The daily painting movement has cheapened the artist. The way fast food has cheapened a fine restaurant. The world wants everything faster better cheaper. Artists should starve the art world. Let them starve a little. Make them earn our wares. I believe there are more paintings than wall space so if that is true an artists’ work must be great.
Dont stop believing in yourself. You have alot to offer as an artist. If there is anyone I know that can do it it’s you.
I have chosen to pursue greatness and if I fail miserably I’ll go further Than I ever thought I could on a lesser goal.
With sincere gratitude and admiration,
Greg
Very good advice Lisa, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I went through a similar situation in 1984, and perhaps the worst thing was doing some commercial type of work like sign painting. Another piece I did was to copy a religious card and make a larger painting of it for a client that a commercial artist passed on to me. This was the type of work that I would never do.
In 1987 I lucked into a good job which gave me a pension I could live on, and I am now retired and there is no pressure to make a living from art which helps quite a bit.
Could you go into more detail on point #2, Selling to the right buyer instead of the first buyer? I would like to know your thoughts on who the right buyer is for you.
Best of luck, I hope you can get back to art full time sooner than later.
Regards
Terry
Thanks Greg! I remain optimistic, as ever.
Terry, thanks for your kind words. What I mean about the _right_ buyer is that as a daily painter, you need to sell fast. As a result, I sold quite a few really good paintings to the first fellow who came along with a Paypal account, when I should have valued them higher and waited for Mr. Right. (How many times do I need to learn that lesson?)
Don’t be a painter of easy virtue - hold out! (hahahahaha)
You raise some points about which I have been pondering for some time. I am an architect by trade, but would like to make a living as an artist. One of my main dilemmas is, should I paint more small simple paintings that would sell cheaper and, supposedly, easier or do what I really love, which takes longer, has to go for a higher price because it takes so much longer to complete, and in these times I guess it would be difficult to sell, especially for an unknown painter….
I hope you persist, you are very talented and young, I think things should look up when the market revives - we all hope that will not take too long.
Hi Lisa , I think that all you did last year was right, the art business is a slow business, that is way in the beginning you need an extra job to keep going, but selling cheap and putting your work in people’s walls is very important, I am sure that more than one hundred people knows your work thanks to all the effort you did last year in the internet with your videos an your hi spirit. You want to get results fast, but remember that the accumulation of small successes will give you a big success, take your time and about small paintings or big painting or big production of work, in art what is important is quality not quantity. And in business the right person is the first person, they get a deal, you get famous
I really appreciate your honesty in this post, Lisa. I subscribe to your blog because I really like your art, and your demos have taught me so much. Great motivation too! I struggle with the same issue, and Greg’s reply was a timely reminder of what’s important about being an artist.
I had my own gallery for 5 years, and allowed my ’success’ to get out of hand in that suddenly I didn’t feel like an artist anymore because I was so busy being an entrepreneur. I walked away in 2005, and went travelling - ended up in the US, starting from scratch again. I’ve tried the daily painting thing, some galleries and outdoor shows, but I’m hardly setting the world on fire. I consider giving up more often than I used to.
I finally found a job which doesn’t suck the art out of me though, and now I’m in a place where I’ve allowed myself breathing space to learn new skills and try to develop a show-worthy collection. I think the key for me is just that - I have a job but it doesn’t suck the art out of me. I work from home and make my own hours. I hate the fact that I’m not making a living from art any more - and that’s my ego talking to an extent - but I’ve accepted that right now, it’s the best thing for me, and I hold out hope that one day I’ll get back to selling like I used to.
“Having a job again is a drag, and a disappointment, but it’s almost like having a fellowship!”
I couldn’t agree more.
Hi Lisa,
Long time reader, 1st time ? responder…..
Hang in there!!! Remember, this is just one step over to the side (not back) between those two steps forward. I hope you don’t see this as the end of your art journey.
I agree with what has already been said, esp a lot of what Greg wrote. (Thanks Greg!) I’ve never made my full living from being an artist, and have always supported myself w/ other work. I can’t agree more w/ Shelley in that for me, the other work needs to be something not draining the creative spirit out of you. When I was a teacher (even an art teacher), it just sucked any creative ounce out of me so I would not come home and paint.
Things are never as easy as we expect them, and if they were then everybody would be doing it. Understand that this blog has made so many connections for all of us; I hope it does for you too so you continue.
Find things to take away from this little bump in the art road, and know you’ve got a fan base!
(I, too, am still a little vague about your #2 unless you lowered your price for the gushing buyer.)
Hi Lisa,
I appreciate you sharing your challenges with us along with how you would do things differently if you could start all over again.
Along with working on your regular job, why not produce just a few paintings per year? Create a “limited edition” of work which defies current trends, make people wait for your work. Since you have steady income you are better situated to wait for “Mr. Right”.
This is just a bend in the river of your life, you are young and will produce many beautiful works in the future. Don’t let this “delay of the ideal” rob you of joy.
Many Blessings from an admirer,
Lee Ekland