TERRANCE LAZAROFF on thu 25 jan 01
Mary Lou;
Just a word of encouragement. Statistics show that in my region, artists,
in 1991 earned an average of $16,800.00 per year and in 2000 they earned
$16,300.00 a year. a drop in revenue.
However gallery owners reported an average salary of $35,000.00 in 1991 and
in 2000 they reported an average of $41,000.00. So I would go forth in
confidence.
Nevertheless, don't forget where you came from and you will do well.
Terrance
Terrance Frank Lazaroff
St Hubert, Quebec
Canada
http://members.xoom.com/Zalt57/
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Jeremy McLeod on thu 25 jan 01
> Do you like going commission or the wholesale route?
I've come to appreciate both. Wholesale means that I get my money and don't have
as much risk.
Consignment has been a way to get into a venue with my work, "sharing the risk".
If sales
develop, then I urge wholesale. Ultimately I prefer to wholesale when I'm selling
something
I know I can produce in a reasonable amount of time for the money I get and have
reasonable
confidence that it's actually selling.
Jeremy
Mary Lou Zeek on thu 25 jan 01
Hi Everyone,
After being a potter for many years and selling my work in various
galleries (good and bad), I'm now crossing over to the other side. No,
I'm not facing death but I decided to open a small gallery. I will sell
my own work plus carry other potters work as well. I would like any
input from the clayart group concerning their own experiences selling in
different galleries. What do you look for in a good gallery? (of course
sales!) How often should the artist bring in new work if it isn't
selling? Do you like going commission or the wholesale route? What
format of record keeping is the best? Does anyone have the "perfect"
contract? (Or is that an oxymoron?)
I am excited about this new adventure and am hoping to start out in a
positive direction. Thanks, Mary Lou Zeek/Oregon
lela martens on fri 26 jan 01
Dear Mary Lou, That`s so exciting! You will be told to go to the archives,
but I`ve found that confusing in the past, not knowing a lot of cyberspace
lingo. I found (don`t know what the term is) what I thought were the
archives , kind of a rehash where one hopes what they need will come up. Had
a friend searching there all week. Perhaps this is "archives, whatever the
term it`s great. Whatever, go to www.potters.org/categories.htm .I`ve
bookmarked it. So easy to get around,look under business, there are reams of
great information.
Sorry, still can`t do the snip and paste thing, so I try to be concise.
Sometimes the more experienced presume others know what they know.
Good luck on your venture.
>From: Mary Lou Zeek
>Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Galleries and Consignments
>Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 16:36:27 -0800
>
>Hi Everyone,
>After being a potter for many years and selling my work in various
>galleries (good and bad), I'm now crossing over to the other side. No,
>I'm not facing death but I decided to open a small gallery. I will sell
>my own work plus carry other potters work as well. I would like any
>input from the clayart group concerning their own experiences selling in
>different galleries. What do you look for in a good gallery? (of course
>sales!) How often should the artist bring in new work if it isn't
>selling? Do you like going commission or the wholesale route? What
>format of record keeping is the best? Does anyone have the "perfect"
>contract? (Or is that an oxymoron?)
>I am excited about this new adventure and am hoping to start out in a
>positive direction. Thanks, Mary Lou Zeek/Oregon
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
>melpots@pclink.com.
_________________________________________________________________________
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Diane G. Echlin on fri 26 jan 01
Mary Lou,
I am having my first gallery experience, and so far it hasn't been
pleasant. Let me first take a little responsibilty for my own
situation: In my eagerness to have my work accepted I ignored all the
good advice I read here on Clayart about how I should conduct business.
Last October I approached the owner of a beautiful gallery and made an
appointment to bring my work in. When I arrived for my appointment the
woman had me unpack my pieces on a countertop on the selling floor,
which I found very disconcerting. Between making sales she looked at my
pieces and explained the consignment arrangement and then accepted 4 of
the 5 pieces I brought in. She then handed me some stickers and a pen
and told me to write the selling prices on them and then she wrote a
reciept for me, telling me to check back with her in a month. No
contract, no written agreement about payment, nothing. Because she was
extremely busy with customers I didn't press the issue (I wanted to
appear sensitive to her needs) and I left, jubilent that I now had my
work in a busy gallery in an urban center.
I checked back a couple times during the Christmas season to see how my
pieces were being displayed and see if any had sold, not really
expecting her to issue me a check for 2 that had sold because the place
was crammed with customers. I have now gone back in 4 times in hopes of
getting payment, but either she is too busy to see me, or she is not
there at all, and the sales staff is not authorized to make payments. I
have left my name and number so she could call me, but she hasn't. I'm
very frustrated.
I'm going to make one more attempt at payment, and if I don't recieve it
I'll take my work back. I feel she sees me as an annoyance even though
I've been patient and understanding, but I feel taken advantage of. I
guess it's not so imporatant to me now to have my work at THAT gallery,
and I've also learned that I shouldn't be so meek about my position.
It's not like she's doing me any favors. I have more confidence about
my work, and there are plenty of galleries around to choose from.
So, my advice to you is 1) insist on some sort of contract
2) don't act as if artists seeking payment in a timely manner are a
nuisance
3) don't display table-top items on the floor (!)
Older, wiser, frustrated Diane in CT
Mary Lou Zeek wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
> After being a potter for many years and selling my work in various
> galleries (good and bad), I'm now crossing over to the other side. No,
> I'm not facing death but I decided to open a small gallery. I will sell
> my own work plus carry other potters work as well. I would like any
> input from the clayart group concerning their own experiences selling in
> different galleries. What do you look for in a good gallery? (of course
> sales!) How often should the artist bring in new work if it isn't
> selling? Do you like going commission or the wholesale route? What
> format of record keeping is the best? Does anyone have the "perfect"
> contract? (Or is that an oxymoron?)
> I am excited about this new adventure and am hoping to start out in a
> positive direction. Thanks, Mary Lou Zeek/Oregon
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
Jean Cappadonna Nichols on fri 26 jan 01
Marylou,
This may sound like "Ned's First Reader" because it seems so obvious, but at
the risk of sounding foolish, here goes: the most important relationship a
gallery owner has is with the artists. If you and your artists can't acheive
a satisisfactory "eye-to-eye" then you have no product to sell. The most
important thing you can do to maintain an excellent rating with your artist's
is to pay timely. As soon as you are paid for that artist's piece, set the
artist's share aside and write out his/her check ASAP! Most artists live on a
shoestring and every penny counts. Most of us do this job because we love it,
but, unfortunately, there has to be a day of reckoning where we decide that
we must survive or take it up as a hobby. I have been reading this thread
with interest as I find myself in a similar situation of having had a piece
of sculpture sold, three months ago, still no check, no return phone calls,
no info to allay one's fears that the whole thing is rolling downhill faster
than a greased snowball. Because the gallery is out-of-state, I have no way
of physically stalking the owner, short of making a really long trip. She
also stiffed me on the shipping cost of my work. I shipped two (large)
sculptures at my expense after receiving assurance that she would pay half
the cost. One piece sold, the other has been crated and is supposed to be
shipped back to me. That is 3 month old information. Still no piece. To say
the least, that gallery will never see another of my pieces on their shelf.
I'm sure by now you have heard (or lived) all the horror stories. I have also
had wonderfully positive experiences with other galleries. These are the ones
that pay quickly, keep in touch (not often, but enough), and promote your
work. I wish you the best of luck, great success in your venture and mostly,
excellent relationships with your artists!
william schran on fri 26 jan 01
Owned gallery with my wife for 12 years. Started with consignment,
switched to buying wholesale. This way we could get what we wanted
and not what the artisans had leftover after their shows.
Bill
Cat Jarosz on fri 26 jan 01
HI Mary Lou.. congrats big time :o) hope everything goes great
for you.... I have found dealing with gallery owners that were or still
are potters to be the best situation ..... they really know what we
go thru and I actually try to do business with them over non potter
gallery owner if its possible... I do know that I've gotten to a point
that unless the gallery comes to get it , unless it was a high faulting
gallery I'd like my work to be shown in or for other reasons like they
would have to have begged and pleaded and stood on head for me to ship its
still doubtful I"d deal with them and not because I dot like them but
as you know its very very time consuming to pack an order for shipping....
can take days out of your schedule ( that you dot get paid for ) if the
order is large enough and I do take minimums... Also if you can do it
consignment great ... thetas good for you but do realize that there are
a lot of really good potters you wont get with - in a 100 miles of getting
their work if you dot offer wholesale...plus I really like the galleries
that pay up front every time its a bonus and incentive to sell to
them... Maybe you know all this as a potter but just a reminder about
it.... my guild does offer consignment and you get an extra 10% vs
wholesale but these people are meticulous in keeping records ...
(Southern Highlands Handicraft Guild in the blue ridge mnts headquartered
in Asheville NC) .. I have one potter friend
that actually does the consignment there and loves it... and its mainly
for high end art not for functional pottery... which I should mention
is what I am talking about here (functional pottery) so take that into
account please and not as a all encompassing rule of thumb.... Hope some
of this helps you as that was my aim .... kind of an insight into what
goes thru some of our minds when we deal with zillions of wholesalers ps
all of my potter friends are the same way about this issue.....
congratulations once again :o) and great good fortune to you in your
endeavor ........... Cat Jarosz
Karin Hurt on fri 26 jan 01
I can add one to "don't display my work on the floor". I had a big platter in
a gallery, and was informed via e-mail that we had a little problem with it,
the owner said "oops, I stumbled over it and a piece broke out, I can show
you how to fix it." My reply was: "you just bought yourself a platter, please
send me a check," supposedly it's in the mail, I'll wait and see.
Karin
Laughing Bear Pottery in Arizona
Eydie DeVincenzi on fri 26 jan 01
Diane:
It seems that you have been very courteous and patient. Sounds like
the Gallery owner may be deaf to such civility. I had a customer who
dodged and dodged - no good reason for not paying. After realizing that
this man was stealing my energy as well as my money, I finally had my corporate
lawyer write a simple non threatening request-for-payment letter. He
charged me $25 and I had him add the $25 to the amount owed. I received
full payment within 2 weeks. I believe that it was the stationary
that got his attention.
Since then, every invoice, bill and communication of mine has written
in clear English the penalty fee for late payment. IMHO, it is a
shame that we have to use such Big Hammers these days to communicate with
each other. And of course, the Big Hammer approach is a slippery
slope. Before we know it, ALL gallery owners will be suspect and we all
begin to assume that interacting with galleries is a ripoff and that we need to
have our lawyer in-tow wherever we go.
Seems to me, we could help each other avoid this unpleasantness by doing a
"Consumer Report" study on clayarters' experiences with galleries and then
publishing the names of each of the galleries with their ratings. This
could be kept in the archives, updated yearly, giving the galleries the
opportunity to alter their policies and behavior. We should reward
galleries that "see the light".
Who is the gallery? I'm sure your fellow clayarters will want to
avoid the gallery. This gallery owner is not very marketing smart if
he/she thinks this behavior will not boomerang someday.
Eydie
----- Original Message -----
From: Diane G. Echlin
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: 1/26/01 8:22:05 AM
Subject: Re: Galleries and
Consignments
Mary Lou,
I am having my first gallery experience, and so far it hasn't been
pleasant. Let me first take a little responsibility for my
own
situation: In my eagerness to have my work accepted I ignored all the
good advice I read here on Clayart about how I should conduct
business.
Last October I approached the owner of a beautiful gallery and made
an
appointment to bring my work in. When I arrived for my
appointment the
woman had me unpack my pieces on a countertop on the selling floor,
which I found very disconcerting. Between making sales she
looked at my
pieces and explained the consignment arrangement and then accepted 4
of
the 5 pieces I brought in. She then handed me some stickers and
a pen
and told me to write the selling prices on them and then she wrote a
receipt for me, telling me to check back with her in a
month. No
contract, no written agreement about payment, nothing. Because
she was
extremely busy with customers I didn't press the issue (I wanted to
appear sensitive to her needs) and I left, jubilent that I now had my
work in a busy gallery in an urban center.
I checked back a couple times during the Christmas season to see how
my
pieces were being displayed and see if any had sold, not really
expecting her to issue me a check for 2 that had sold because the
place
was crammed with customers. I have now gone back in 4 times in
hopes of
getting payment, but either she is too busy to see me, or she is not
there at all, and the sales staff is not authorized to make
payments. I
have left my name and number so she could call me, but she
hasn't. I'm
very frustrated.
I'm going to make one more attempt at payment, and if I don't recieve
it
I'll take my work back. I feel she sees me as an annoyance even
though
I've been patient and understanding, but I feel taken advantage
of. I
guess it's not so imporatant to me now to have my work at THAT
gallery,
and I've also learned that I shouldn't be so meek about my position.
It's not like she's doing me any favors. I have more confidence
about
my work, and there are plenty of galleries around to choose from.
So, my advice to you is 1) insist on some sort of contract
2) don't act as if artists seeking payment in a timely manner are a
nuisance
3) don't display table-top items on the floor (!)
Older, wiser, frustrated Diane in CT
Mary Lou Zeek wrote:
Hi Everyone,
After being a potter for many years and selling my work in
various
galleries (good and bad), I'm now crossing over to the other
side. No,
I'm not facing death but I decided to open a small gallery. I will
sell
my own work plus carry other potters work as well. I would
like any
input from the clayart group concerning their own experiences selling
in
different galleries. What do you look for in a good
gallery? (of course
sales!) How often should the artist bring in new work if it
isn't
selling? Do you like going commission or the wholesale
route? What
format of record keeping is the best? Does anyone have the
"perfect"
contract? (Or is that an oxymoron?)
I am excited about this new adventure and am hoping to start out in
a
positive direction. Thanks, Mary Lou Zeek/Oregon
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
______________________________________________________________________________
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
--- Eydie DeVincenzi
--- Please note new e-mail: edevincenzi@earthlink.net
tomsawyer on fri 26 jan 01
Diane,
I have a formal contract with one gallery a very loose informal one with
another which has been my best sales source and wonderful to deal with. For
another that was reluctant to get into formal contracts [especially since I
have a law degree], I have a digital camera and take pictures which I print
and save on my computer. I leave a blank for the sale price and consignment
percent and ask the agent/owner to date and sign. I will include a short
paragraph that I may request the return of my pottery or payment with 30 day
notice. The pictures also jog my memory in regards to what I left at the
gallery.
Tom Sawyer
Orlando, Fl
tsawyer@cfl.rr.com
SusanRaku@AOL.COM on tue 30 jan 01
I am just reading through the "galleries and consignment" communications and
hearing a few horror stories. Please let us know the names of galleries who
are so unresponsive to calls and reticent to pay the bill so that others
might avoid this situation.
Susan
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