Got a Commission from the Charity Auction!

[Julie Deane]

HI Ngaire -

All they asked was a minimum bid amount and an artist statement to give to the winning bider.

I got my model for the auction picture by asking someone I knew if I could paint her daughter.

Julie

[Ngaire Winwood]

Thanks Julie

That seem's easier enough. Have you ever contacted a private school to cold call for commissions?

[Julie Deane]

Hi Ngaire -

Not yet, but hope to this year. My charity auction winner is the parent of a child at the local prestigious (read:money) private school for this area. Once I get that portrait done to my satisfaction and hopefully, hers, then I will be checking with them about contributing to an auction. As far as commissions via cold call- don't know how that would work. It seems that this business is word of mouth. One thing the local small business administration wants me to try is to give short talks for groups. Maybe a short demo plus oil portrait samples available for inspection (with original photo so they can see that there is a likeness) at a parent-teacher organization meeting, plus brochures to take home?

Originally Posted by Ngaire Winwood

Thanks Julie

That seem's easier enough. Have you ever contacted a private school to cold call for commissions?

[Kimberly Dow]

I have donated to charities, but usually in the form of designing a painting specific to their theme and auctioning it off. I did just donate my first portrait - I have not started it yet. From what I was told though the buyer wants to upgrade and add other people, so I am looking forward to it.

One thing that maybe sounds weird, but has helped me is joining the Chamber of Commerce. I get to leave brochures at their office and they send out mass faxes at anytime I want for advertising. The faxes cannot show photos, but it has gotten the business owners in the community to know I am there and contact numbers. It has been well-worth the $55 a year price. Plus, all the charities go through the Chamber so they call me often (too often) for donations. Plus, I actually had my membership paid for by one of the charities I did a poster for. They were a faith-based charity and I would not take payment so they did that instead.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

There is a lot of great information on this thread about charity auctions. Our church is having a big charity auction in the fall and I'm thinking about donating some kind of painting for that. I'm a little confused about the best way to go about it, seems some artists donate a certain dollar amount discount (say $200 off the price) towards the charity. If I understand correctly, some donate a percentage of the portrait, maybe 25% of the winning bid. I understand there may be upgrades later.

I want to be sure I donate enough, does anyone just donate the entire amount? This will be a nice auction with people donating dinner for 12 or a long weekend at their weekend home (which happens to be in another state!). In light of that, a small discount doesn't seem appropriate. Though, on the other hand, if I don't get the nerve up to donate a portrait, I'll do a small oil of the chapel and donate that painting, which might only bring $200 anyway. (Yikes, I hope.)

On a side note, I thought of this forum the other evening and the question often raised, "where are all the clients?". There was one in my living room! The other day I was visiting with my daughter's friend's mother and she told me she needs art! She just built a huge home and now she needs art but just doesn't have the time to go out and look. Every artists', not to mention art dealers' (!), dream. Naturally, I offered to paint something for her!!! Which reminds me, I need to call her while she's in the mood for buying art.

I look forward to hearing different views on donating to an auction,

Joan

[SB Wang]

Get an appraisal from N.Y. art auction firms, has anyone tried that?
This idea is from Joe King, who send me his autobiography "There is no rug in Beverly Hill".

Can't afford not to spend.
To spend is the key of Kennedy success.