[Baren]: The mailing list / discussion forum for woodblock printmaking. Baren Digest Monday, 14 September 1998 Volume 04 : Number 279 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gary Luedtke Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 09:58:30 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1649] Re: 'Business' forum Dave and others, Why Dave, you were one step ahead of us again as usual, with your Encyclopedia Business Section in waiting. Perhaps now all we need are some questions from the group about different aspects of marketing that they are curious about for our mentors to respond to. If we just wait for essays to start rolling in, we may wait and wait. But how about some topics to get things fired up? Here's a few off the top of my head. And they don't require essays, necessarily, just opinions. 1) Should prints be priced according to what time and materials went into them, or according to what you think they may sell for? 2) Should prints be sold matted or unmatted? Sometimes matting sets them off nicely, and can add a little security in shipping, but it's also extra time and material which may not be wanted by the customer. "Business-wise, what's the best way to go? 3) Advertising in Art related magazines may get a wide readership, but how do you guage ahead of time whether it will be worth the expense? 4) Is it helpful or harmful to have postcards, letterheads, reproduction prints, etc. made from your original art to widen its recognition, but perhaps also void sales of the originals because they already have the image from a less expensive source? 5) How can full advantage be taken of advertising on the web versus selling your art through middlemen like galleries or art shops which take percentages? Just a few suggestions to perhaps get the ball rolling. I'm sure other readers will have much better questions. Gary ------------------------------ From: DeArt1@aol.com Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:16:13 EDT Subject: [Baren 1650] Re: Barens Jeanne wrte: > I even used the wring Rives paper at first ...... What is this paper is it a typo or is it a Rives I don't know. I'm always looking for papers. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:16:13 EDT Subject: [Baren 1651] Message duplicated in error ------------------------------ From: "Haydee Landing" Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:20:50 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1652] Re: exchange update (commitments received to date) James: I was in the hospital for one month, August 13 to September 13. If is possible please include me. On August 5 sent you an e-mail were I express my interest in the portfolio. Now I'm reading my 389 e-mails and found your e-mail. Haydee ------------------------------ From: Ray Esposito Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 01:42:20 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1653] Re: 'Business' forum Gary wrote: >But how about some >topics to get things fired up? Here's a few off the top of my head. And >they don't require essays, necessarily, just opinions. Gary Excellent questions all. But I still do not know what has been decided about business discussions on Baren. From your post, it sounds like something has been set up. I must have missed a couple of posts for some reason. For that reason I will refrain from answering them on Baren but will talk to you privately. Concurrently, when I offered to mentor, I guess I was thinking differently. The question I have is, are Baren artists, or any artists for that matter, taking care of the basics? I believe very strongly that the basics must come first. Before you get to the point where you ask and answer the questions above, what about your accounting, taxes, basic PR, inventory, etc. etc. etc. Is the "drudge" part of running your business established? We all love the art part of what we do. I doubt any of us, me included, much like the business part. Yet, unless that is established, becoming successful as an artist is doubtful at best. What about hiring an agent? What about hiring a business manager, CPA, lawyer? When do you consider hiring these people, if at all? Are you paying sales taxes on your art supplies? Why? Do you know what IRS forms to file? What if you do not make a sale for a long time, will the IRS get you? Unless and until an artist begins to operate and run their business as a business, the above questions will only get them into trouble. Again, I believe the concensus is that Baren is not the place to ask or answer these questions. I will be happy to discuss these with interested parties privately or on some other forum if available. (Sorry if this is a little rambling, I just drive to and from Miami today and it is now 2am and I am a little groggy. Mostly, my backside is sore.) Cheers Ray Esposito ------------------------------ From: Daniel Kelly Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 18:58:38 +0000 Subject: [Baren 1654] Re: 'Business' forum Ray Esposito wrote: > Again, I believe the concensus is that Baren is not the place to ask or > answer these questions. I totally agree and hope the topics are uniquely related to the baren. Daniel ------------------------------ From: Gary Luedtke Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 07:28:12 -0400 Subject: [Baren 1655] Re: 'Business' forum Ray, Good subjects. I have yet to hear the Baren consensus so we'll have to wait a little to see. Dave, where do we stand on this from your point of view? Gary ------------------------------ End of Baren Digest V4 #279 ***************************