Elisabeth Maurland on sat 25 aug 12
I am at a show right now where they ask us to donate any given =3D
percentage of a particular piece if it sells. I chose one of my more =3D
expensive pieces to be "it", but decided to donate 10%. That works for =3D
me. And the customer knows their purchase goes towards something good, =3D
and maybe it helps them decide to buy it.=3D20
I also try to donate actual pieces locally. I am too poor and work too =3D
much to be able to contribute much in general to our local community, so =
=3D
donating to auctions for worthy causes here lets people know I (still) =3D
exist, that I am not a total shut-in and grouch, and it might help my =3D
business too.=3D20
Plus I throw bowls for the Empty Bowls benefit every year, as does my =3D
husband.
Elisabeth=3D20
www.elisabethmaurland.com
> =3D20
> =3D20
> =3D20
> =3D20
> --- On Sat, 8/25/12, Rimas VisGirda wrote:
>=3D20
>=3D20
> From: Rimas VisGirda
> Subject: Re: artist as the sucker
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Saturday, August 25, 2012, 12:51 PM
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Paul Lewing wrote:
>=3D20
> I have never in over 40 years of making a living selling art heard of
> a single person who ever got a sale because someone had seen their
> work at an auction. The people who run them think it happens. It
> doesn't.
>=3D20
> Ho Paul, mostly you are right. However, I used to donate to a =3D
prominent organization in an East Coast city who starts with P. A =3D
philanthropist who shall remain nameless happened to buy my piece and =3D
started a correspondence that led to more purchases of major works from =3D
me directly as well as other monetary opportunities... Another collector =
=3D
saw my work in a teapot exhibition and contacted me which led to tha =3D
sale of a major teapot from my studio. There have also been some minor =3D
sales from people that have seen my donated works...
>=3D20
> In the past 10 years or so I have stopped donating work unless I get =3D
50% return of the selling price, and I do this only for organizations =3D
that I personally feel do work that furthers the ceramic arts and =3D
artists. A few places that I feel are exceptional I will donate without =3D
a kickback... -Rimas
Susan Fox Hirschmann on sat 25 aug 12
An exception to the donation thing...when each of us can use our work to he=
=3D
lp those less fortunate.=3DA0 Three of my favorite donations=3DA0 are:
Life with Cancer---a non profit local organization that provides support, i=
=3D
nfo and progamming free to people going thru cancer treatment. All their cl=
=3D
asses are free and their silent auctions and donations help keep the afloat=
=3D
.They are run almost totally by volunteers.=3DA0They do wonderful work for =
ou=3D
r DC metro area...and I have, for the past 10 years given them nice pieces =
=3D
and this has brought me several rather nice sales, and at least one commiss=
=3D
ion as well as a magazine article on me and my work.=3DA0 The latter was qu=
it=3D
e an unexpected bonus, as I did it because I care about them and their work=
=3D
. (I also teach a few free classes for them, for people undergoing cancer t=
=3D
reatment..which gives me as much joy as it gives each of them.)
Our Daily Bread---feeds the homeless and hungry.=3DA0=3DA0 I usually make 1=
8 bo=3D
wls or more for their Empty bowls auction and suggest my students make bowl=
=3D
s to donate to them. One 12 yrs old boy,t hat has been a private student of=
=3D
mine for 4 yrs, creates for them and gets
community service pts at school (a requirement in Fairfax co. school system=
=3D
) and loves giving because he is doing what he loves, throwing pots (and he=
=3D
is getting quite good, I must say!)
Miriam's Kitchen--soup kitchen in DC that provides one hot meal a day to ho=
=3D
meless.=3DA0 They are supported by one big fundraiser a year, an auction of=
h=3D
andcrafted pottery, "1000 bowls of compassion."
=3DA0
So these are exceptions to my feelings about auctions and when I cannot wri=
=3D
te checks, I feel each of us, with our talents can give back in other ways.=
=3D
=3DA0 With the work of our hands.
I do value my work---I feel each of us should.
Each of us has unique talents, not to be underestimated.=3DA0 When I do sho=
ws=3D
, or people come here to my studio/gallery to buy my work, the prices are w=
=3D
hat they are.=3DA0Anyone that does not appreciate it, and asks for freebees=
(=3D
a rarity)....just lacks an understanding of who you are and what you do.=3D=
A0=3D
Rather than be offended,=3DA0 I respond by teaching them a bit of the crea=
ti=3D
ve process, so with understanding, they too will see the value of the work.
So there is the right kind of giving, I think....done for different reasons=
=3D
. And then there is the business person/artist that realizes that certain w=
=3D
ork is to be valued for what you and the work are worth.=3DA0 It is our job=
t=3D
o differentiate the two....while keeping our self worth as artists.=3DA0 ,,=
,A=3D
LWAYS valuing our selves and our work!
=3DA0
Susan
susan fox hirschmann
www.potteryart.biz
=3DA0
=3DA0
=3DA0
=3DA0
=3DA0
--- On Sat, 8/25/12, Rimas VisGirda wrote:
From: Rimas VisGirda
Subject: Re: artist as the sucker
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Saturday, August 25, 2012, 12:51 PM
Paul Lewing wrote:
I have never in over 40 years of making a living selling art heard of
a single person who ever got a sale because someone had seen their
work at an auction.=3DA0 The people who run them think it happens.=3DA0 It
doesn't.
Ho Paul, mostly you are right. However, I used to donate to a prominent org=
=3D
anization in an East Coast city who starts with P. A philanthropist who sha=
=3D
ll remain nameless happened to buy my piece and started a correspondence th=
=3D
at led to more purchases of major works from me directly as well as other m=
=3D
onetary opportunities... Another collector saw my work in a teapot exhibiti=
=3D
on and contacted me which led to tha sale of a major teapot from my studio.=
=3D
There have also been some minor sales from people that have seen my donate=
=3D
d works...
In the past 10 years or so I have stopped donating work unless I get 50% re=
=3D
turn of the selling price, and I do this only for organizations that I pers=
=3D
onally feel do work that furthers the ceramic arts and artists. A few place=
=3D
s that I feel are exceptional I will donate without a kickback... -Rimas
Susan Fox Hirschmann on sun 26 aug 12
I think more of us should consider these kind of donations.=3DA0 I cannot w=
ri=3D
te the checks...but it is as much for the feeling I get to give to the less=
=3D
fortunate, with my work,=3DA0 (When growing up I was maybe one step away f=
ro=3D
m being in a family struggling just to have enough food on the table!)...so=
=3D
perhaps I feel uniquely touched by being poor.=3DA0 If I piece that I crea=
te=3D
can somehow help a hungry family, in some way, I give it.
Life here is survival, on my teaching and selling my work.
Often those pieces that sell well are put aside for sales.=3DA0 The "old fr=
ie=3D
nds" (pieces that have been here for a while, but not sold) are perfect for=
=3D
donations to help worthy groups. No one knows they are "old friends"...but=
=3D
the are valuable in many ways:
They help in ways that others cannot, thru your talent and your work
They promote you as a kind and giving person and
May even work to create new customers in the future.
If you are a teacher, they may bring you new students
They may actually bring you publicity in ways you would not even imagine.(n=
=3D
ewspaper, magazine coverage promoting your work.)
Donating to the less fortunate....well...The feeling you get from giving, t=
=3D
he warmth in your heart cannot be duplicated.
Enough said.
Susan
susan fox hirschmann
www.potteryart.biz
--- On Sat, 8/25/12, Elisabeth Maurland w=
=3D
rote:
From: Elisabeth Maurland
Subject: Re: artist as the sucker--NOT!
To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Saturday, August 25, 2012, 11:56 PM
I am at a show right now where they ask us to donate any given percentage o=
=3D
f a particular piece if it sells. I chose one of my more expensive pieces t=
=3D
o be "it", but decided to donate 10%. That works for me. And the customer k=
=3D
nows their purchase goes towards something good, and maybe it helps them de=
=3D
cide to buy it.=3D20
I also try to donate actual pieces locally. I am too poor and work too much=
=3D
to be able to contribute much in general to our local community, so donati=
=3D
ng to auctions for worthy causes here lets people know I (still) exist, tha=
=3D
t I am not a total shut-in and grouch, and it might help my business too.=
=3D
=3D20
Plus I throw bowls for the Empty Bowls benefit every year, as does my husba=
=3D
nd.
Elisabeth=3D20
www.elisabethmaurland.com
>=3DA0=3D20
>=3DA0=3D20
>=3DA0=3D20
>=3DA0=3D20
> --- On Sat, 8/25/12, Rimas VisGirda wrote:
>=3D20
>=3D20
> From: Rimas VisGirda
> Subject: Re: artist as the sucker
> To: Clayart@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Saturday, August 25, 2012, 12:51 PM
>=3D20
>=3D20
> Paul Lewing wrote:
>=3D20
> I have never in over 40 years of making a living selling art heard of
> a single person who ever got a sale because someone had seen their
> work at an auction.=3DA0 The people who run them think it happens.=3DA0 I=
t
> doesn't.
>=3D20
> Ho Paul, mostly you are right. However, I used to donate to a prominent o=
=3D
rganization in an East Coast city who starts with P. A philanthropist who s=
=3D
hall remain nameless happened to buy my piece and started a correspondence =
=3D
that led to more purchases of major works from me directly as well as other=
=3D
monetary opportunities... Another collector saw my work in a teapot exhibi=
=3D
tion and contacted me which led to tha sale of a major teapot from my studi=
=3D
o. There have also been some minor sales from people that have seen my dona=
=3D
ted works...
>=3D20
> In the past 10 years or so I have stopped donating work unless I get 50% =
=3D
return of the selling price, and I do this only for organizations that I pe=
=3D
rsonally feel do work that furthers the ceramic arts and artists. A few pla=
=3D
ces that I feel are exceptional I will donate without a kickback... -Rimas
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