Hi Amanda,
I just found this interesting thread. I'll just share my auction experience. Our church has a silent auction every year, I have donated a landscape every year for 4 years. That goes well. Last year I decided to donate a portrait, as you did, in exchange for "advertising". I painted a beautiful demo to hang of a 3/4 ballerina, one of my daughters' friends modelled for me. The bidding started at $1000 and I got a number of bidders, you could almost call it a bidding war, BUT, here is where the mistake was, I think the bid increment was $10 or $25. All that furious filling in the blanks and by the end of the 2 hour auction period the bid was only up to something like $1175. That was disappointing to me. Of course I was glad to raise the money for our church but disappointed it was only $1175.
My husband was sure that I would get lots of calls after the auction and after many people saw my portrait. Not a one! I just don't think that many people saw the painting and there was no light on it, next time I suppose I need to supply my own light.
And before anyone says . . .oh, it was a church group. . . .this is one of the wealthiest churches in Houston and the members give millions each year to the church. It's the same church where I had a show and almost sold out - but these were landscapes, still lifes and figuratives. Actually, I got 2 commissions from the show just because people saw my figuratives.
The good news about that silent auction last year was that I sold the my portrait sample (of the ballerina) to her parents for full price. But still . . .
So, I won't be donating a portrait commission again. In 2009 I am going to PAY dearly for a booth at some of the holiday shows at the best country clubs in town. I'll display 3 or 4 portrait sample (which I haven't painted yet
) just to get my name out there. We'll see how that goes.
I will comment on how commissions are going with respect to the economy. I just sold a gift certificate for a double portrait, it will be a Christmas gift for someone. Things are actually busier than they've been, but I'm fairly new at portraiture, only doing 3 or 4 a year, right now I have a waiting list of 7. Not sure how that compares to someone who paints portraits full time, but for me it's the busiest I've ever been. A lot of it is by word of mouth and it makes sense that each year I get more commission, but word of mouth does take time. I also sold more paintings (landscapes and figuratives) in this last year than I ever had.
Hope this is encouraging, it just takes time.
Joan