Stone Carving Prices

["Oscar Bearinger" <oscarbear@zzzzzzzzzzzz>]

Hello everyone
Clive posted a very worthwhile email about pricing several years ago.  It
has been very useful to me since.  He spoke about three levels of
participation by an artist in the marketplace.  The initial, beginning level
has pieces at prices up to $3000.  After you become established as an artist
(through sales, and work produced and shown), the intermediate level is up
to $7000.  Later, as a "known, established producer/artist" and making
sales, you can set your own prices, depending of course on your clientele.
An established artist get $15,000 and can go much higher.

You made a good point, Clive,  in this discussion about "professional
practice" and the running of a (art) business.  That also involves
"housekeeping", ie keeping records, keeping track of costs, keeping track of
labour and what can be done in what time frame (job estimates).

I would add that it is a mistake to start out by setting prices from this
"business, housekeeping" end of things.  For example, in starting out a
clinical career as I did many years ago, I didn't start at the top.  Indeed,
I started by doing volunteer work for the experience, and started jobs at
entry level pay rates.  Similar in the art journey, one has to begin with
oneself, do the work, and gradually get out into the marketplace.  In the
early years of any business, all the initial money goes back into the
business, buying tools, buying materials, and gradually buying advertising.
It helps to have a working, supportive spouse :o)

Clive's earlier posting is probably in the Stone List archives and I would
recommend you look it up.
This is a good topic and always worth talking about again.

Happy sales to you,
Oscar