Buying fame

Timothy C. Tyler · 01-21-2003, 02:47 PM

Through the years it has come to me that artists buy fame. I've seen overnight fame come from large awards like the Arts for the Parks awards. With a $150,000 advertisng budget anyone can become famous this year.

What I'm wondering now is how much fame can an artist keep up with? I think about many good established artists that I never see anymore. They clearly are past that stage in their careers where they need to spend the money. Awards, museum exposure, quality work and great galleries can also reduce the need to buy fame. Any thoughts?

Michael Georges · 01-22-2003, 11:42 PM

Well, I for one could use a little fame.

I think that the "real" art world is quite personal and artists who are "in" really get on without a lot of hullaballoo or tooting their own horns. Collectors, galleries, and brokers know them and their work and seek them out. It really makes sense because they know that they can depend on the artist to always come through with good quality work and it becomes a matter of a great business relationship developed and nurtured over time.

The rest of us toot away with the hope that we will get "in" someday too.

Quality and reliability are the key. My two cents worth.

Khaimraj Seepersad · 01-23-2003, 07:05 AM

Not fame, Tim.

Simply the ability to sell consistent quality on a continuous basis. A good rate of exchange also helps. Chuckle.

Jeff Fuchs · 01-23-2003, 09:29 AM

I have a friend who is an SOG artist, though he doesn't use the Forum. He "buys fame" by donating portraits to charity auctions, and the public TV fundraisers. The public TV thing gets him state-wide attention, since his name is mentioned on the promotional TV spots. His donated portraits are usually the smallest size, but people often opt to pay for an upgrade to a larger size. Once he's done this donation portrait, it often leads to a ripple effect, as people see this portrait and want one of their own. As far as I know, he doesn't do this very often, since he has a waiting list.

How much fame does a portrait artist seek? It seems that most of the pros have waiting lists... at least a couple commissions lined up at any given time. You can only paint so fast. Portrait artists don't have unsold paintings lying around. I've been to my friend's studio, and was surprised at the lack of artwork. It hadn't occurred to me until then, that portrait artists don't have the piles of paintings that other artists have. That's the advantage of portrait work.

I've been to other artists' studios and seen truckloads of art (not joking). They are sometimes nearly penniless, but have all this art that hasn't sold. They don't have the option of buying fame. They're more concerned with paying their rent.

Josef Sy · 01-23-2003, 09:38 AM

I once was a part of an art council in Oakville, Ontario that asked me to volunteer to do an auctioned portrait painting. I agreed and it got me two more commissions in return. It paid for 3 months rent for college.

Timothy C. Tyler · 01-23-2003, 01:15 PM

After you get to that point where you no longer need to announce yourself your reputation (and the quality of work that presumably got you there) will sustain you. Richard Schmid felt the need for more exposure when he entered the Arts for the Parks, the first one about 1986. He won and now has a Sargent Award from the ASOPA although I don't think he's done 12 actual portraits in his life.

Pino is another example. Seven years ago no one ever heard of him. Then he began buying 2 or 3 full page ads per month (paid for by himself by the way) and began to sell his work directly so well that the galleries came looking for him.

Timothy C. Tyler · 01-23-2003, 01:28 PM

Not that it was my point but no contests I know of, art or otherwise, always have good results. The lady that won the third Arts for the Parks said, "I'm so happy to win - this is only my third painting." It was as bad as you might suppose.