Got a Commission from the Charity Auction!

Julie Deane · 03-09-2004, 01:20 PM

It is so nice to hear all the success stories. (Congratulations, Mary!)
Hearing about the duds - doesn't sound that bad, compared to all the other commissions. I had never thought about private school auctions, but I will definitely check into that.

I'm getting so burnt out with school speech therapy that I am seriously considering going to part-time and supplementing with just enough private therapy to get by and leave time for more art. Your posts give me an extra incentive to consider taking this option.

Linda Brandon · 03-10-2004, 11:52 AM

Hi Julie,

Congratulations! Like Chris, Mary and Michele, I also have donated to charity auctions. I think it's a good way to get your name out there in the community.

I just wanted to add that it helps to have actual portrait samples to show clients when they are contemplating a portrait. (This means having them on display when your client comes to you, or bringing a painting or two when you visit the client.) Generally, people have a hard time visualizing what a real painting is like. You may have a portfolio of photographs of your work, too, but nothing beats the physical presence of real art. This is a good argument for spending one's free time painting family members and keeping them around for a while. (The paintings, not the family members.

)

Let us know how this commission goes. Have confidence that you can make your client look wonderful and you'll transmit this zeal to her at your meeting. You'll do fine!

Julie Deane · 03-10-2004, 02:22 PM

Thanks, Linda -

I wish I had more samples. I'm so new at this that I only have a few. I just got back into painting last year, and for a while I did still lifes until I felt more confident.

So I only have a few portrait samples and only one of a child, which they have seen. I don't really want to get on a website to show them others' work, more out of insecurity than anything else (what if they see something they like and want it cloned? I want some creative say in the process). So - I will show them what I have, and do an extensive interview to get an idea of what the mom wants. Whoops - this brings up up another matter - the grandparents are footing the bill. So - I guess it's their call, right? I sure hope this family can agree on what they want. I suppose I will need to know who gets the final say, but how do you diplomatically ask such a thing?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linda Brandon

Hi Julie,

Congratulations! Like Chris, Mary and Michele, I also have donated to charity auctions. I think it's a good way to get your name out there in the community.

I just wanted to add that it helps to have actual portrait samples to show clients when they are contemplating a portrait. (This means having them on display when your client comes to you, or bringing a painting or two when you visit the client.) Generally, people have a hard time visualizing what a real painting is like. You may have a portfolio of photographs of your work, too, but nothing beats the physical presence of real art. This is a good argument for spending one's free time painting family members and keeping them around for a while. (The paintings, not the family members.

)

Let us know how this commission goes. Have confidence that you can make your client look wonderful and you'll transmit this zeal to her at your meeting. You'll do fine!

Michele Rushworth · 03-10-2004, 06:02 PM

You should ask who is actually commissioning the painting and that you'd like to meet with anyone who will be involved in any decisions about the painting.

I've met with wives alone, only to find at the end of the process that the husbands had very strong opinions about what should have gone into the portrait (contrary to what the wives initially said.)

Ngaire Winwood · 03-10-2004, 07:29 PM

It is great to hear about your good news and about everyone's experiences.

What is the process you took to get involved with the auction? This is all new to me, I would like to know how to go about it here where there is a private school that I could maybe contact to get started. What are the best ways to go about it? It sounds as though it could kickstart my career also. What are things to steer away from? What would be the best approach? How could I contact the school to make initial contact for this to eventuate?

Julie Deane · 03-10-2004, 09:21 PM

Well, for me, it involved becoming a member of the local art museum - one of the perks is being able to donate to the yearly charity auction. They also have a yearly member show. I had an option of donating all or a portion of the proceeds, but if you donated all, your painting would be given priority, so I chose that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ngaire Winwood

It is great to hear about your good news and about everyone's experiences.

What is the process you took to get involved with the auction? This is all new to me, I would like to know how to go about it here where there is a private school that I could maybe contact to get started. What are the best ways to go about it? It sounds as though it could kickstart my career also. What are things to steer away from? What would be the best approach? How could I contact the school to make initial contact for this to eventuate?

Michele Rushworth · 03-10-2004, 11:24 PM

Pretty much anyone with a high quality item (like an oil portrait) can easily donate to these high-end fundraisers. Just phone up the most expensive private schools in the biggest city near you and ask if they have an auction. Let them know you might be interested in donating an item and they will be delighted. They'll let you know how the process goes from there.

Another place to look is fundraisers for a big hospital, art museums, etc. Be sure that you donate to a high end auction. You're looking for something where they have a sit down dinner, where people get dressed up and pay a hefty fee just to attend. One of the auctions in Seattle costs $400 a person just to attend the dinner. Donating your work to a low end auction will not expose you to people who can afford your work, and it will end up being a huge drain on your time creating a free portrait for someone who will not lead you to new business.

To get an idea what kind of auction the organization has, ask how much people pay to attend, the price of some of the other high end items that were donated last year, etc.

Search this forum under Auctions and check out other threads with Auction in the title. There's a lot of other information elsewhere on SOG on how to do this.