What do you do when you need a back-up plan for income?

[Janel]

Artists seem to be vulnerable to the whims of a country's economic health, and to any other whim of any and all clients. What do we do when the sales are not there to support us, and the bills keep arriving in the mail every day?

 

I hope that the membership is willing to discuss this issue, it concerns me personally at this time, and it seems that others are also feeling the necessity to think creatively about how else to derive income.

 

Janel

[magnus homestead]

Hello Janel,

I think this is a good topic (seems we've touched on this a bit in the past but I'm not sure where)

I made the choice to learn goldsmithing many years ago and it has served my in good stead as one can make almost anything at a well appointed jewelers bench - I learned much about carving, forming, fabrication, casting, inlays, all while making some sort of a living(not at all the highest paid trade). I am adding Kayak building to my skills - presently putting together a shop at my son's home. I shall be taking blacksmithing classes in the spring as well. My wife and I live on 6 acres and so I have free spring water, trees, and a southern exposure suitable for good gardens and solar applications. I have remained fairly poor all my life, but have retained a sort of independence of spirit as well and when the real Fall of Empire hits(which I do think is in the cards) it will be those who have maintained community ties to a local economy that have the best chance. I am also developing my silver and bronze beads for a means of producing a product that can be afforded by modest incomed folks and can be used as a trading unit in themselves.

We artists will, I believe, be part of the web that holds the fabric of the human beings together if we as a species make it through to the next level of an equitable, sustainable, ecology of economics.

Keep breathing, pay attention and create.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE AMAZING FOLKS ON THIS FORUM THAT DEMONSTRATE THE BEAUTY OF ART AND THE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER!!

Blessings,

Magnus

[Mike Ruslander]

I'm like the Hollywood cab driver waiting for the breakout movie role that'll make me a star! I realized that I was destined to be am artist in Junior High. But as John Lennon so eloquently sang: "Life is what happens to you, when you're busy making other plans." I bought a house, had a child, got a divorce, got remarried to a wonderful woman, (I might add), and the bills never stopped, so I've had to stay in the "working world". Fortunately, I have a cool job working with plants, which I love as well, and get to be pretty much myself. I haven't sacrificed my self respect. I have gone through some artistic blocks, which would have resulted in forclosesure and starvation, but I get up each day and think of my responsibilities and go to work.

As I get older I wonder how viable I am as an artist. I care, and my core group cares, but it's a big cold world out there and times and tastes change quickly.

[Phil White]

An excellent topic!

 

Since I was little, I knew that I wanted to be an artist, and I began selling my work when I was in High School. After I finished school, I continued selling my work in local galleries, but realized that it would ba a tough way to make a living.

 

I decided that I should go to college, but wanted to do something that would hold my creative attention, so I applied to two colleges: one an art college that had a silversmithing program that I really wanted to attend, and another that offered a program in art conservation that had an excellent reputation.

 

Fate intervened, and letters from both colleges soon came back. I was accepted at the art college, with a note that the silversmithing program had been dropped from the first year. The second letter from the conservation program came notifying me that they only accept students every other year, and that I would have to wait. I chose the latter, thinking that a career in art conservation, hopefully at a large national museum, would offer better long term options, and that I could always work on my artistic development on the side. It turned out to be a good choice. I ended up landing a great job at a national museum, right out of college. 18 years later I was able to leave my museum career for an even better career as a sculptor.

 

If anything should happen, I will always have conservation to fall back on.

 

Phil

[Mark Strom]

Early in my career I made the choice to make a living from my creativity, I had dreamed of living this way as far back as I remember. Once that choice was made, doing anything else as a main occupation would result in insanity.

A dependable steady income is always a challenge. As for myself, diversity is the key. As I have said before, 99% of my income is from commission but I do keep other avenues open. Most of my marketing is done a year in advance and generally I am booked with commissions for 8 to 12 months in advance. Even so, I am always working on keeping that income steady as life has a way of throwing the unexpected your way, especially if you have kids.

 

Knowing that the economy here in the states was slowing and seeing my clients becoming more studied in their decisions, I pulled out my backup material. I do not like dealing with galleries and when I do it is with a couple of local gallery owners who I get along with. I currently have placed select pieces in a broad price range in these galleries, making sure that there are some attractive low priced items available. The rabbits posted in the New Work thread are some of those pieces. Most of this work is the experimental pieces or studies done through the year or years.

 

Winter is always a slow time and generally when I do my large pieces. It is also the time when I introduce my new ideas to stimulate my markets or to open up new markets. There are always new ideas which I develop over the year to keep things fresh and to push myself...slow times or slow markets bring these ideas to the front to generate interest.

 

During slow times I also call on and remind past clients with photos or newsletters of my presence and of new work. If there is something really nice that I am working on then a press packet full of photographs and information is sent out to get myself noticed.

 

Probably the best thing I have done is to make alliances with other artists and companies that can incorporate my work into theirs. I never know what kind of interesting work will come my way and they do bring me a good income.

 

In the end.....There is no inspiration like starvation.

 

Mark

[Guest ford hallam]

There is no inspiration like starvation

 

hmmm......I couldn't agree more, Mark. My plan ( and I have no back up ) has always been the same, "improve my game", dig deeper and trust that I have something worthwhile lurking within that I can give expression to.

 

An old saying states; " you cannot chase 2 rabbits at once", and I say; if you need to jump across a wide river you put your all into the jump...you don't save some energy just in case you fall in the water and need to swim back.

 

It seems as though things have been a little quiet around here of late , perhaps it's time to liven things up? Dance, anyone?

 

BIG Namaste to all,

 

Ford

[Fred E. Zweig]

Janel,

 

I have work with my hands for years and supported myself in the craft market doing metalwork in the 70's. I went to Alaska during a financial hard times here in Arizona and got chose to make money instead of handwork. I kept my hand in the art world by teaching and constantly working at my craft/art. The regular job supports me and so my metalwork is my avocation. I have mulled over the what-ifs and have decided to dwell on the what-nows.

 

Fred

[Guest ford hallam]

Dance, anyone?

 

hmmm..., so, no takers huh? Oh well...never thought I'd be a wallflower never mind.

 

cheers, Ford

[Fred E. Zweig]

Perhaps the Holiday season has everyone very busy. I am preparing for workshops that I will teach in March and June. Home improvements are taking some of my time as well.

 

Rhumba?

 

Fred

[Guest ford hallam]

Hi Fred,

 

I see...everyone inebriated and gorged on holiday fare huh? Rhumba...I'll wear something flowery then

 

Regards, Ford

[Phil White]

I agree, Ford. When jumping across a river, one should always put one's all into it, and not save anything. However, it is also a good idea to first learn how to swim, just in case the trajecrory doesn't work out as planned. That way you can always make it to the other side, just by another route.

 

Phil

[tsterling]

About the only "real" art training I can point to that I've had was an art marketing course. I'm impressed by Mark's approach to his art, which is very businesslike. In my experience, artists often have very poor business practices. Two things I learned in that marketing course were very scary: 1) in the US, only 1% (yes, one percent, or one out of one hundred) artists actually make a living at art, and the lion's share of those are teachers (including art teachers at public schools and colleges). 2) Successful art marketing is a full time job, leaving little time to create the art to market.

 

A backup plan seems to be mandatory, although I can't shed much light on what that might actually look like. In my experience, art purchases seem to be the first things to go when economies change, either for the better or worse. When you're trying to save money, art seems frivolous, and when the economy starts getting better, perhaps folks purchase some of the things they neglected during the bad. Art priorities can easily be shoved to the back during those times. I think Mark was correct when he alluded to increasing his marketing activities when sales slow down. One thing I did when the netsuke market slid into the ditch was to shift my work to a different field, that offered more lucrative sales - art knives. Turned out to be a good move, both financially and artistically.

 

As Sue Wraight once wrote (and I apologize for my lousy memory, so I paraphrase somewhat): "I've always thought artists had to have long suffering companions." I think I can agree to that, and must plead guilty to those companions of mine that have suffered for my artistic compulsion.

[Mark Strom]

Today I was driving and saw a young man standing behind his display of pottery...on a street corner in 30 degree weather with a smile on his face. I could not help but grin and laugh out loud. Why? Because this guy had a backup plan! He was doing what he had to do to make a living from his work. Was it professional, was it slick and commercial, was it comfortable for him or his "clients"? No, it was none of these things but he was determined and committed to his craft and what it took to survive from it. It also reminded me of my early YEARS! Yes years.

 

What I have learned since then is that making a living from art or craft is about the three P's. Passion, perseverance and patience. You have to really want it and have the patience to work on it. Most importantly you have to persevere. I do not think that I have ever had a real plan much less a backup plan. I have always done my work but if doing it one way or selling it one way did not work then I tried something else. All that really mattered was that I carved everyday and carved what I wanted how I wanted it. I continue to do this even with commission work. I do not carve things I do not want to or work for people I do not like, basically I still do what I want. Just like the early days but now I am making money.

 

The secret to this has been that I have learned the art of business. The art of selling to the client and the gallery. My belief is that creative people think that the business end distracts and infringes on the creative end. The truth is that the business end can free you and put you into a position to do exactly what you want. Good business practices eliminate worry and stress, give you the resources to to work with and increase the perceived validity of your work. Good salesmanship allows you to sell the client your ideas instead of carving his/hers. Of course this does take some discipline which admittedly is a hard thing to come by and a constant battle to hold on to.

 

Good business practices and marketing do not have to consume your time, especially in this age of technology. There are programs and free services everywhere to make the process fast and easy. A long way from the days of driving around with work making cold calls on galleries, hiring a photographer and sending slides out at $30 a packet. No more sitting around with pencil and paper trying to record business in books and forms.

 

The one thing that constantly amazes me is the failure of creative people to think creatively in business. There are sound business practices that are extremely simple to learn and find and extremely successful when applied creatively. You do not have to be a starving artist nor do you have to suffer to be an artist...but you probably will unless you learn the art of business.

 

I to must express my appreciation for those long suffering companions. My wife and three kids have endured a great deal. To this day my wife and kids (the youngest being 22) roll their eyes and groan at the mention of several commissions they suffered through. And to their credit they are all working together to help make it possible for me to take a commission that will keep me away from home for 5 weeks.

 

Which leads me to a final thought...I have never met a self-made man...we all have had help along the way.

 

Mark

[Ed Twilbeck]

My backup plan has been wood working with turning and carving .

I spent 35 years in the fire service, Retired in 2003, went to work with the Beau Rivage Casino & Resort.

My back up was desiging furniture, turning , custom built boxes , and then wood carving. All to add to my income as a Fire Fighter. Now I carve for the pleasure of carving, I work some local shows to get some extra spending money, for new tools and wood.

I think I backuped my plan different than most others here on the carving path.

[Andrew]

Sadly I don't carve for a living. It makes this a lot more fulfilling as I get to carve with passion rather than trying to pay bills. Frankly strict deadlines are a killer for my creative juices. So a steady job pays the bills and this pays the spirit.

[Leonid_g]

Russian artists in 19 century had a similar problem. They have solved it by association in community OF "ITINERANT ARTISTS" -"PEREDVIZHNIK". Everyone gave the works for an exhibition. Everyone organized an exhibition in one of cities of enormous Russian empire. Means acted in the general budget and were distributed proportionally to quantity of works. Commercial success was not questioned. The exhibition moved from city to city some seasons successively causing interest of spectators. They have reduced expenses for management and advertising. Artists have received the constant income. Their works have caused interest of collectors. But after a while association has broken up.

[Guest ford hallam]

I think Leonid has offered an interesting alternative to how we usually look at our survival. It does appear very socialist but perhaps there is something here we could learn from.

 

Do svidanye, Leonid

 

and best regards, Ford

[Mark Strom]

We have an organization called Tristate Sculptors based here in North Carolina. It says Tristate but covers quite a few southern states. Artist run, nonprofit, with a fairly large membership. There is an annual convention that is held in conjunction with an exhibit, usually at a museum or regional arts council gallery. There was also a traveling exhibition that went to various museums and galleries in several states. There was also an occasional outdoor exhibit. Works were for sale and the organization paid the fees. Membership fees are reasonable.

 

I served as the Slide Registrar years ago. The function was to collect slides of new members and keep track of the slides of the membership. These were available to interested parties to find a sculptor for commissions or exhibitions and for educational purposes. I know I got several commissions when I was a member. Not much different concept from what Lenoid speaks of.

 

I know they are still around but I doubt they use slides anymore!

 

Mark

[Janel]

It is now a year later since the previous post, and a year deeper into a global sense of economic concerns. It has been recommended by a member that this thread be revived in light of the current, real, economic problems that are affecting many continents and countries.

 

Personal experience drives home the gravity of this situation. I have never needed a backup plan, but now I may have needed to plan one. My own concerns are real, since there has been a serious drop off of clients for the non-essential work that I do. I can only imagine what everyone else is doing, or facing, during this time. It is very scary.

 

How are you all surviving? Are you doing anything different or extra to see this time through?

 

Janel

[fkvesic]

It's a real problem, Janel. Even established artist friends of mine in the UK are having trouble selling their work. Only the really big and wealthy collectors are buying, it seems. I'm saved from the worst effects because I have daytime work, but there's a slight downturn in clients even there. At home, we've become more conscious of savings on main commodities in order to compensate.

 

Just a suggestion, but have any of you really experienced carvers thought of putting on workshops and workgroups for those who'd be willing to pay for a short course run by a professional? It all depends on whether or not you like teaching, I suppose, though.

[Mike Ruslander]

I originally replied on this subject (post #3 above). My suggestion for you professional carvers with established credentials is to apply for grants. Many are available through the federal / state government(s) or the liberal art colleges and even state supported art museums.

http://www.business.gov/finance/financing/

I farm out my knifemaking skills and shop time to a client (who prefers to remain anonymous) to finish and assemble his production knives. Unfortunately this takes a lot of my time and energies away from my own creations, but it adds a few thousand dollars to my yearly income. I work when I want to and bill him for materials. It's just something that I was lucky enough to be able to provide. Also,something that many of us often resort to doing is to craft lots of "production" or commodity pieces that can sell for an affordable price that can be unique, quick, and sellable, while providing income to tide you over between "grander" pieces. Similar to making a bare bones hunting or skinning knife to buy the bread, in between the high art pieces that bring in the big bucks. The little sculptures I make are just an example of that idea. "Magic" wands are something that I can crank out in no time at all. During the Harry Potter craze, my daughter wanted a magic wand to act out with. I turned out a few simple ones in minutes and people that saw them wanted one too. Is this selling out? Of course. But it provides liquidity and it's a little bit of me, so it's ok.

[Janel]

fkvesic, I have forgotten your real name, sorry... and Mike,

 

Thanks for the responses. In the moments when I must dwell on what is and what could be possible, I think about the options you both have mentioned. In light of the following description of the Bush Foundation's Enduring Vision Award, which seems to be a newer interpretation than when I first learned of it, I feel "charged" with the responsibility to consider what more I could do, other than learning and creating.

 

"The Enduring Vision Awards (EVA) provides fellowship funding to three mature artists each year designed to propel their artistic investigations and to encourage their continued influence on present and future generations of artists, audiences and their own fields of work.  The first group of EVA recipients was awarded in June 2008."

This year I am reworking a PowerPoint Presentation several times, with different audiences in mind, and also for time/length considerations. I have already been a presenter for a high school art class, a Parent Talent Night (shorter version) at the same school, our state's art high school where our son is attending. This week I am preparing a more lengthy presentation for a woodcarving group that is about three hours from my home for next weekend. In March, I will speak at an Adult Ed class... and we will see what follows.

 

I am not so sure about holding a class for folks interested in carving. I feel that I am not qualified to teach beginners. If I met with a group of carvers who have some experience with tools, having tools of their own and a desire to learn, that might be the sort of group that could help me find out if I have the potential to be a teacher. There is so much that I need to learn yet, I feel like a student, often!

 

Applying for grants is something that I have experience with. It takes a huge amount of time, and the outcome is not guaranteed to receive a grant. After nine application processes (over about a 15 year period), I received a Bush award. That amount of preparation and response activity, when the time is quantified, could take up about a year's worth of effort (for all nine processes combined). The reward for all of the times as a non-recipient, has been what comes from examining my past work, and imagining what I will be aiming for in the future. It has helped me to move forward, to continue to learn and grow.

 

Grant writing is time consuming, and requires that one has knowledge of photography, or access to someone who will provide the service, most often for a fee. One must have a resume, updated and thoroughly detailed to show your history and serious commitment. One must also have a plan. Etcetera. Grants are possible, regional arts boards are a small grant potential, state arts board grants can be larger, if the states still have funding for it. Our state is facing the deletion of such programs if the Governor has his way. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) does not serve individuals any longer, only through organizations. International grant funding is not something that I am familiar with, nor am I familiar with what other USA national organizations provide funding. There is much to learn there as well.

 

For now, the new addition to my skills and tools with woodturning I hope will be what the real world may call "re-training", to help me to create new work. Whether by approach to providing a different shape for carving upon, or for the by-products of turning practice becoming affordable works from my hands, making what I do accessible to a broader market and not at the price at which the complex carved pieces have grown into. Am I flexible enough to retain the integrity of my vision and ability with a new direction that by necessity needs to take less time to create, to make it more affordable? Am I willing to do such a thing?

 

These are such difficult questions. I have wanted to learn to use a lathe for quite some time, and I also still want to have experience with precious metal alloy carving. These desires preceded the current global economic situation, but at the time of my being able to acquire the skills, I must also consider what my experiences have been in the past decades, and how everything must drive me forward.

 

This may be too much information to be writing about to you all, but such self-examination is something that so many artists must face. I have been fortunate to have been 100% self-employed my entire adult life. It has been a challenge throughout the decades to survive financially while pursuing goals of growth, and while raising a family. Am I otherwise employable at this age? Would my all-or-nothing decision upon graduation from college finally drive me away from a career in art if I must seek "a real job"?

 

Though this is perhaps too much sharing, it is an example of how I begin writing a grant. The review of the past works, the present new works, and from the influences of the time, all that is considered helps to produce a plan for using grant funding. The great thing about it is, that there is a plan, and without funding after finding there will not be a grant, some of the plan is still possible, just without the major capital expenditure potential. The work will grow, and that is the one, main goal. I guess that this mode of thinking will continue to press on me the need to produce a plan that will help my life as a self-employed artist to endure, while learning, growing, and adapting.

 

This is so difficult!

 

Janel

[Wendy]

I had thought of myself as an artist since I was a little girl. I took advantage of all the art classes available. Was at virtual war with my elementry school art teacher because I was a little pig headed on how I wanted to accomplish the task, even though the results were what we both wanted. When I got into high school, the same art teacher was there. When she saw my name she thought oh no here we go! But I turned out to be her best student, with her encouragement, I ended up going to collage and got my BFA, then to cranbrook. Although I had always wanted to beable to make a living doing my art... I couldn't see how I could make a living off art, given the dumb decisions I made.. getting married to a less than supportive man... I chose to work in construction and learned alot of valuable things.... then this market went soft, and I ended up joining the corporate world. (oh yeah, wised up, divorced, and now had a mortage to pay) I started on the ground floor, worked up to the position I wanted (in facility maintenance)... and then after 12 yrs..this company was bought out.. I lost that job in restructuring...I moved on to work in big box retail...(not something I would recommend) and had to find other work again (cause I hated it). But, with all the experiences I had gained, I landed a job that I love. I'm really enjoying the job and feel lucky to have it............. will it last? Who knows, in today's market even my job is at risk, and what kind of "back up plan" can you have loosing a "normal" job?

 

Basically, I really wish I could have made a living doing what you guys get to do. But we all suffer the same dilema.... maybe my plan should be to do art.... LOL! Since you'll be finding other work, maybe there'll be an artist shortage!

 

I hope that some day, when I don't have to work (if that will ever be possible) that maybe I'll be able to make some funds doing some art work. Until then, it's nose to the grind stone with a smile !

 

Best of luck to all of you.

[Janel]

Hi Wendy,

 

Thanks for the reality check. It is good to hear a different but similar story on how the changes have influenced your life. We are not alone with all of this, is the reminder here. I do hope that you will someday have time to explore the creative side of your life that seems to be still with you.

 

Janel

[Mark Strom]

Thanks Janel and Wendy for the insights.

 

The commitment required to pursue self employment, much less in the art or craft world, is a huge endeavor. It takes a great deal of courage. Doing such a thing without close support to me is unimaginable. My first wife could not take the art/craft lifestyle or could not take the artist, I have always wondered which took the biggest toll. I have often told people that there is a point in the process with creativity where a decision is made and from that point on there is no turning back. It is either all or nothing from that point on. I think it is a mental commitment to the work, the process and to yourself that has to be made.

 

I have recently (several times over the past couple of years) looked at the world of "real" jobs and have realized it is impossible. After being self employed 95% of my life, I am greatly unsuited both mentally and spiritually for "real" employment. The self awareness and fearlessness that is required in the art/craft world dooms me in the field of normal employment. Normal employment in this context is not art education, professors, or professions with formal training pertaining to the arts/crafts. I am talking about going from full time creative work to real normal jobs. It is easier to re-invent myself and my work to go in another direction which hopefully leads to income.

 

The idea of grant writing and plans brings forth a basic concept...true honest examination. I recently wrote a business plan and it took 3 months of work. For it to work it required an honest examination of what I do, why I do it and how it is sold. That exercise changed everything for me and I wished I had done it years ago. It forced me to examine every aspect of what I do, like peeling back the layers of an onion. Nothing like being brutally honest with yourself. Needless to say my business and my work changed direction radically afterwords. This also helped me prepare for the future as it highlighted my weaknesses in both my work and my business.

 

The current economy is not my first recession (the first 10 years of my career were a state of constant recession) and fortunately my wife and I plan for tight times. Business totally stopped for about 5 months but there was work on the books that carried me awhile and now things are trickling in again. I took the time to carve experimental work which is time consuming and expensive. It will sell eventually, I learned a great deal and it relieved the stress of waiting for work to come. It also gave me new/different work to present to my established clients and this same freshness to perk up my presentations to new prospects. I admit that I am lucky to have been prepared to some extent .

 

What I do is an act of faith. I go out the door everyday not really knowing how work comes to me, not knowing if the work will sell, and not knowing if I can carve what the client needs or wants. What I do know is that no one needs wood carving, few people appreciate it and even fewer can afford it. Most importantly, I know that I have to have faith in myself, faith in my work and the belief that the work will come. Doubt is deadly. If it was easy...everyone would be doing it... besides, there is no inspiration like starvation!

 

Mark