Dry Docked. High & Dry with No Cash in Sight. Or The Great One That Got Away.

Ever read "Blink- The power of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell? Well,

read the following and find out how my snap judgement resulted in lost opportunity.

A very long time ago, as part of an OCAD class with the terrific teacher Chin Kok Tan, I was plein air painting (ie. on location) on Toronto’s Ward Island. I sat alone on my little stool (picture one of those little blue and white striped Canadian Tire folding ones) painting a watercolour of a sail boat in dry dock, the CN Tower & Toronto skyline in the background.

Three men came up from behind, and one of them politely complimented me on the painting and asked its cost. As I replied “$50” , I twisted around to look up the man asking. His fair hair was backlit by the bright sun, and I could not see his face.

Meanwhile, another of the three, yakked loudly and addressed me as "sweetheart". He made me uncomfortable, and so I dismissively ascertained all three to be “jocks”, and I was an artiste (even though I was a runner, skier & generally liked physical activity).

The polite, potential customer, continued to compliment my painting, and pulled about $30 from his pockets, stating that was all the cash he had on him. I held firm to my price due my irritation and judgement of the louder man.

The three went off, the polite, potential buyer thanking me, even though he was empty handed.

A while later the three returned. Groan. They had searched for more money (at a nearby boat?) and had come up with $38. “You don’t even have to finish it” they laughed. I proudly held my ground. It was $50 or no sale.

The three men departed, and then, when about 50 feet away, the gentleman who wanted to buy the painting, ran back to me, put his hand on my shoulder, said “Keep up the good work, dear” , and then rejoined his friends.

Immediately, I was swarmed by my classmates who had watched from afar. “What did he say ? What did he want? “

I looked at them. I hadn’t a clue what they were referring to, although by now you may have guessed.

Yes, I had turned down selling my painting to Wayne Gretzky .

Well. Lessons learned.

• Snobbery does not equal professionalism.


• Always look a customer in the face.


• Treat every one with respect. Do not prejudge. Look after your customer. Appreciate when someone has actually taken their time to stop, look, and compliment.


• Be fair to your clients by being consistent in your prices, but sometimes, it pays to compromise. At the time I could have used that $38, although I have had more than $50 in fun in recounting this story.


• paint on location with a buddy (maybe a partner might have been more observant than I)
  

Epilogue: A year later I sold the painting at an outdoor art show at Corbyville, Ontario. By that time I had paid for a matte and shrink wrapped it. After the woman bought it I told her the Wayne Gretzky story. She was delighted as the painting was bought as a present for her husband and he was a huge Gretzky fan. Oh… and the price the watercolour sold for? $25!

And with the wisdom of age and hindsight (there's that word sight again) , I mean, how cute were these guys going back to search for change to try to get the $50? What was I thinking?

Both Sides of The Picture

At a show opening in which I had some work , I couldn’t help but notice two very nice women seemed very interested in one of my paintings. They looked at it for quite a while, singing its praises. It seemed a sale was about to occur! But suddenly they left the gallery. To my pleasant surprise, they reappeared in the gallery a couple of hours later and one of the women bought the work. In the time that had elapsed, they had sat in a local eaterie trying to decide how to justify this purchase (a medium sized painting just under $1000) to friends.

I understood completely. For most people I know the purchase of original art is low on the priority list. In fact it may be non existant. There is a practical side to buying the new couch, rug or TV. That extra $1000 dollars is needed for the kids hockey season, or the family vacation. To many 2D art is perceived as solely a decoration for the wall. Won't anything do?

I believe the woman who bought my painting had an aha! moment. The painting was more than decoration. It stirred strong memories and inspired dialogue. She experienced the art. The scene and the mood of the painting reminded her so much of where she had come from, she bravely made that step over the line from "visitor" to "collector". I very much appreciate that big step.

Here are a few other points to ponder:

• Although amongst the most educated group in Canada, artists are amongst the poorest.
• Looking at a landscape painting can help with SAD.
• When artists move into poorer urban communities, those areas often transform.
• Almost everything man-made has involved an artist at some-point.
• No other group is so open for criticism
• It is an artform usually viewed for free with no renumeration going to the artist
• Galleries take 40-50% commission
• artists must pay for expensive supplies, memberships, insurance, rent, self-promotion (business cards, websites, mailings- just to start)
• artists are life long learners

So bloggers, let me know what you would like to know, or insights you would like to share. Let’s talk art.