Living

[Elaine <ehruby@zzzzzzz>]

Hi CR....
    The advice that you gave was helpful.  I work at a Public Art Gallery in
a  resort town.  We do have some people walk in, and for them, money is no
object....but the average tourist seems to want items under one hundred
dollars!  I have pieces in a better known  private gallery.  The owner wants
me to under charge for my work, "so that it will move".  I keep cost and
time sheets, so I know that  the time I put into the work is not being paid
for.  (As for the  peices that I have let go under priced, I feel that every
one got what they wanted, except for me.)  I would like to stay with this
gallery because it is close enough to keep an eye on and it gets more
traffic.  To hopefully resolve this problem,  I have decided to start
working with soap and alabaster, and make the work more cost effective. I am
taking my large marble pieces home.  The owner trys to rationalize the lower
prices, by saying that I don't have a name yet and I have to start some
where.  However, I do comparisons of prices regularly, I know what  fair
market value is. Another thing bothering me is: painting is less work,
expense et, and I get better paid for it!  (But stone is my medium!) The
general public just doesn't understand craftmanship!   O.K.....I got that
off my chest.  I think the topic of selling work, is worth going into
deeper.  Elle