Lili Krakowski on sun 26 aug 12
I think the business of asking artists to donate work started with good =
=3D
intentions. Artists supposedly have no money, so the people =3D
"collecting" for charity auctions accepted goods. Fine.
At these things I often see gift certificates from beauty parlors, =3D
restaurants, mechanics (free lube, oil change) and like that...donating =3D
goods or services instead of cash.
BUT, as a friend has said: when do we see a gift certificate for a legal =
=3D
consultation, root canal, chest x-ray or like that? "We" are classed =3D
with the blue-collar workers...the white collars are asked for money.
Not the worst arrangement. =3D20
The hard part is saying: "NO!" to those whose "cause" is not remotely =3D
mine.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
KATHI LESUEUR on sun 26 aug 12
On Aug 26, 2012, at 7:34 AM, Lili Krakowski wrote:
> I think the business of asking artists to donate work started with =3D
good intentions. Artists supposedly have no money, so the people =3D
"collecting" for charity auctions accepted goods. Fine.
>=3D20
> At these things I often see gift certificates from beauty parlors, =3D
restaurants, mechanics (free lube, oil change) and like that...donating =3D
goods or services instead of cash.
>=3D20
> BUT, as a friend has said: when do we see a gift certificate for a =3D
legal consultation, root canal, chest x-ray or like that? "We" are =3D
classed with the blue-collar workers...the white collars are asked for =3D
money.
>=3D20
> Not the worst arrangement. >>=3D20
>=3D20
On the surface a good argument. Underneath, I'm not so sure. Artists, =3D
and those others you cite, are asked to donate and do so for a "good" =3D
cause. Those who donate the money are also donating to a "good" cause. =3D
Often the retail value of the item an artist donates is equivalent to =3D
the cash donation of others. Their donation is tax deductible. Ours is =3D
not. Can the auto shop deduct the full cost of the tune up or just the =3D
materials to perform it?
But, while artists get nothing in return, those donating money often do. =
=3D
There is usually a party connected to these auctions. Usually a black =3D
tie affair. Catered with great food and wine and entertainment (often =3D
also donated). Those who donate money are at the party. Those who donate =
=3D
goods rarely are. Those who go to the party meet others with money to =3D
donate. They mingle, smooze, make business contacts that can bring in =3D
money for them far in excess of the donation for the cause. They can, =3D
and do, reap huge benefits from donating and attending. We gain =3D
nothing. =3D20
KATHI LESUEUR
http://www.lesueurclaywork.com
Dale Neese on sun 26 aug 12
I've seen and heard it all with donations. I lost count on how many request=
s
I've gotten this year to send some of my work in for this event or that
cause. If I have in the past I never hear anything else from them until the
next season. I do donate my time with the Potter's Guild for our large Empt=
y
Bowls project as co-chair this year. Even we have a silent auction. Rarely
does my work bring the price I have it valued. The public is looking for a
bargain and rarely will not bid over the suggested value. Those of you that
do craft fairs know how many times you get asked at a fair for a "discount"=
.
Hey, Wal-Mart gives those, I don't.
I am also a member of the Cactus Society here. I love cactus and grow
Adeniums. At the member sale usually with professional grower members
selling truckloads of cacti the society requires an "agricultural permit"=
.
They will not let me sell plants in my planters without a permit. Wouldn't
be cost effective for me to buy a permit for $500 a year since this is the
only "plant' sale I do. But I am required to donate to the silent auction i=
f
I am in the member sale. So I donate my stoneware planters usually with a
Desert Rose I have grown from seed planted in it. What happens is the
general public bidding will not pay the price I have it valued looking for =
a
bargain. Another member knows this. He bids, wins the high bid on my
planter, takes it back to his booth, puts a higher price tag on and sells i=
t
as his. I've discussed this issue to the show chair but they said they
didn't want to cause a problem with the larger plant vendors that pay
upwards of $600 a booth fee to the club. We are still at odds over the
minimum space they require for a booth. I was able to negotiate a lower
booth fee for two years now. I don't need a $600 booth space (6 tables) for
my planters. But now with a new show chairperson they are pushing the
minimum booth size at me again. This may have been my last cactus sale.
Donations are a thing of the past with me too.
Dale Tex
"across the Alley from The Alamo"
Helotes, Texas USA
www.daleneese.com
John Hesselberth on sun 26 aug 12
On Aug 26, 2012, at 11:12 AM, KATHI LESUEUR =3D
wrote:
> But, while artists get nothing in return, those donating money often =3D
do.
Hi Kathi,
This is a common misconception artist have, but if you examine it =3D
carefully I think you will find we are treated the same.=3D20
The cash that a person donates must first be declared as income--then =3D
they can deduct the amount of the gift from their income.
For the artist we get no deduction (except the materials which we have =3D
already deducted as a business expense) but we also do not have to =3D
declare the value of the piece as income.
So it is a wash between us and the cash donor.
And it is the same for an attorney (or anyone else who donates time and =3D
talent) who donates pro bono time as it is for the artist. They cannot =3D
deduct the value of that time because they didn't declare it as income.
Regards,
John
John Hesselberth
jhesselberth@me.com
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep =3D
moving." Albert Einstein
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