I create art, hand sculpted ornaments & boxes, little 4in x 4in paintings, huge wall murals, hand embellished cards & prints, baked goods for special occasions, face painting & balloon decor services and private commissions that run the gamut.
As a full-time artist and small business owner, I must regularly assess the worth of my work as expressed in $ Dollar Signs $ which is, for me, one of the most difficult responsibilities I face.
It hurts to constantly remind myself that the price I set must compete with an artificially low starting point created by the flood of products available care of mega-stores and online retailers.
Instead of brooding, I have resolved to put original art, made with loving care into the hands of whoever wants it to be theirs.
I quit my job as a Facilities Administrator making a very handsome salary in 2014 to venture into the world as not just an artist - but a FULL TIME Artist after running CREATEa on the side since 2009. In 2014, I also started painting seriously for the first time since High School 20+ years before.
In 2016, there was a show called "Forbidden Fruit" going up at UnchARTed Gallery in Lowell, Mass where I live. That prompted me to create a piece specifically for that show. Since the painting didn't sell while hung at the show, I hung it at Appleton Mills - MILLWorks Gallery where I live.
The gallery is in the main atrium of Appleton, meaning the residents see the art as they pass through day to day. One person who saw the painting was a single mother who had recently moved in, transitioning from homelessness. This piece spoke to her but when my fiance Jeff saw her admiring it and asked her if she wanted to buy it, she recoiled at question. She remarked yeah, she wanted to, but KNEW she couldn't afford it. That was when Jeff told her that I accept payment plans.
She didn't realize that some artists take payment plans which is THE main reason I'm retelling this story - MOST ARTISTS GLADLY ACCEPT PAYMENT PLANS, JUST ASK.
BOOM! "Acquiescently Yours" found it's forever home after a couple months of small payments. (The selling price was also much lower than she imagined.)
So the moral of the story? FINE ART IS ACCESSIBLE & FINE ARTISTS NEED COMMUNITY SUPPORT. You can likely afford a beautiful piece of LOCAL art by just forgoing a few takeout dinners. You will be so happy with the art and the artist will be that much closer to making rent.
And then we can all live happily ever after - THE END
P.S. - Check out the video that shows "Acquiescently Yours" come to life (PLEASE NOTE: This video contains painted nudity):
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