How does one grow thicker skin? - Page 2

Elizabeth Schott · 01-11-2005, 01:49 PM

October, first I love your painting! Don't get hung up on the auction thing, just remember your's might not have gone but the stool painted like a cow eating grass likely went for big bucks!

The getting over thin skin, well I might be wrong, but I don't think this is something you necessarily ever get over. I think it's a tool to keep yourself getting better; like the stage actress who gets nervous before every performance.

I really believe the old saying "the more I learn, the more I learn I do not know" really applies to this field of visual arts. The proof is hanging on the wall. I, to this day, feel a great sense of pride with every painting I finish - only to finish the next and wish I could go and get back the ones done before. I kick myself for even selling portraits "before my time"!

Taking workshops has helped me learn a lot of the elements of painting people, reading this forum keeps my enthusiasm up and actually picking up a brush affirms my love of painting.

I think your posted image is so refreshing and very different, I would keep hold of that and feel good about myself. It is a niche market and a very difficult one to crack. Read every bit of information Michelle R. posts about marketing through auctions, she is a wiz kid!

And... when you think you are bad, go to a smaller museum and look at some of the "lesser" works of well known artist. HA, then you'll smile!

October Reader · 01-11-2005, 08:58 PM

Beth, your stage fright metaphor definitely puts the matter into perspective. Thank you for your kind words.

To detach self-worth from how others perceive one's own creation calls for a levelheadedness that I guess many people, not just artists must learn to cultivate. Say an inventor or a shop keeper. It's really a necessary life tool I suppose. In that sense I hope time will be a friend.

It's rather comical at times to see famous successful people overreact to criticism or failure. Which goes to show nobody is immune from such human frailty.

Sharon Knettell · 01-12-2005, 09:43 AM

I offered to do a drawing as a part of a silent auction at a fund raiser. It was for a favorite charity and is one I still participate in. The auction took place at a dinner for a private state animal welfare organization. I knew many of the people there, quite a few of them were well heeled to say the least. I got NOT A SINGLE offer.

To say I slunk home was an understatement. This embarrassment happened only a few years ago.

Michele Rushworth · 01-12-2005, 10:14 AM

On the other hand, my biggest auction success was when I donated a portrait at a private school fundraiser a couple of years ago. The winning bidder was a Microsoft billionaire. I painted their oldest child (which involved an upgrade that brought me income) and I will also be painting each one of their five kids at full price, over time. Their friends and neighbors have a lot more money than my friends and neighbors so there may be additional referrals over time, too.

Another private school auction success was when a head and shoulders portrait I donated turned into two people, three quarter length with background (additonal income over what I donated). I later got a referral for another two person, three quarter length portrait with background from that, and more referrals may come from eventually, too.

Mary Sparrow · 01-12-2005, 10:43 AM

Sharon, I find that hard to believe!

I have had success with auctions. The first one I ever participated in was at the Heart Ball for the American Heart Association. Needless to say there were plenty of wealthy people, most of which were doctors. I remember sitting there frozen scared when the time came to auction of my portrait, I wanted to flee the room. To my surprise it brought in more money than any other object, I laughed to myself because it brought in more than double what I would have charged had they come directly to me.

I can't say that I know for sure that any of my commissions came directly from participating in an auction, but just having my art visible to many people was worth it. I do know that I got one portrait specifically commissioned THREE YEARS after the woman saw one hanging in a Designer House. She had kept my card until her daughter was the age she wanted to have her painted.

Linda Brandon · 01-12-2005, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mary Smith

I laughed to myself because it brought in more than double what I would have charged had they come directly to me.

Hooray Mary!

Sharon, I also find that really hard to believe! Guess you should have offered to paint some pets at that event. There are a lot of people out there that would rather have a pet portrait than a human on the wall.

Mike McCarty · 01-12-2005, 11:29 AM

In 2002 and 2003 I donated a charcoal portrait to my daughters annual school auction. Each year the portrait was purchased. Each year I could not, after many attempts, get the person to actually allow me to do the work. They paid the price so it was just a matter of giving me someone for thirty minutes so that I could take a few photos.

At some point you have to conclude that it's no just you that is being rejected, but art itself.

Sharon Knettell · 01-12-2005, 12:49 PM

If I had wanted to do pet portraits I would have been deluged.

Actually, I did have success at past charity auctions. The first one led to an upgrade to an executive portrait of one of the wealthiest men in the state. It in on my site, the gentleman leaning on a post with his fingers on his chin. He LOVED it then and ten years later loves it better.

A reminder that a person is not getting any more attractive as time passes, subtly indicated can be a nudge to get the portrait project off the ground. Do NOT say, "What! Waiting for plastic surgery", is NOT subtle.

A friend of mine called me one day to ask if I had a drawing for a charity auction for breast cancer. As my mother died from that I said yes. She drove up and grabbed the quick unframed study which went at the auction for $1800. A couple of months later the purchaser bought the finished painting "Dakini" which is on this site for considerably more.

Last summer at Trees' Place a very nice gallery on the Cape I overheard this conversation. The gallery owner was very upset that some of his artists were auctioning off their pieces in charity events for prices LESS than he was selling them for. He said this was happening quite often and was leading him to reevaluate these artists participation in his gallery. In some auctions, presumably these, the charity took a commission leaving the artist with the rest.

Kimberly Dow · 01-12-2005, 01:19 PM

I've only participated in one charity auction. I donated a head and shoulders and it brought in the most amount. The client hasn't had it done yet - she will this spring. She is upgrading to 3 people, full bodies I believe. She was waiting for her granddaughter to get a bit older. I was pleased with that.

I tried to get involved with a charity auction in Midland - which is a rich oil city close to where I moved last summer. We are here just a year - so my only requirement when looking into charities was to find one that was doing the auction asap - last Fall. I missed all of them - but could participate this spring. I am just not sure if it is worth it since we will be moving again. I know that travel within the state to do a portrait is possible, but I am wondering how many clients will realize this - or will it put them off if I move 5 hours away? All of my commissions have been close - no one has paid me to travel yet. I'd like a big commission in St Croix I think....

October Reader · 01-12-2005, 05:13 PM

I am so thrilled to read the wealth of information here on this thread offered from all verbatim. For sure there must be people out there who appreciate them as much as I do.

Sharon, thank you for sharing your humbling moment few years back. It's a relief and a lesson to hear what advanced level professionals go through along the path.