Baren Digest              Wednesday, 3 April 2002      Volume 19 : Number 1786


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From: FurryPressII@aol.com
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 09:40:23 EST
Subject: [Baren 17761] Re: canceling those beautiful blocks 

mostly i love the wood as much as the prints  sometimes even more   about 90% 
of the time is spent on cut the block     i like the feel of the wood i would 
not want to cover them withsomething.     maybe a right reading signiture 
would cancil the blocks with out defaceing the image.    Now i am hand 
carving my frames for a show i am haveing in May.

john   

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From: "Gillyin Gatto" <gillying@Maineline.net>
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 10:07:52 -0800
Subject: [Baren 17762] pour- on- resin 

 concerning the pour on resin of which you speak,Maria

i make monumental collages of my woodcuts on room dividing screens

i got the idea from looking at decoupage
and thinking  i could do that
 but i would be using my OWN prints
making a one of a kind piece

i have yet to use a better  varnish ,tho
- -was using clear acrylic

but this" pour on resin"
which piles up so high,
would solve the problem
i have had with the prints peeling up
after a year or so

i dont have the will to put  50 thin coats
of varnish
i dont make the time to do that either

so thanks for  sharing this piece of info
about selling the blocks

i agree
and have always thought the wood block itself
to be the treasure in the process

thank you
 for continuing great ideas and commentaries,Maria
Gillyin    machias maine usa

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From: marco@speedingbullet.com
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 07:23:41 -0800
Subject: [Baren 17763] Re: Baren Digest V18 #1785 

hey Maria,
what do you sell the blocks for? I am running out of space, you know how it
is in San Francisco.
Thanks,
Marco


> From: owner-baren@ml.asahi-net.or.jp
> Reply-To: baren@ml.asahi-net.or.jp
> Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 22:00:54 +0900
> To: <baren@ml.asahi-net.or.jp>
> Subject: Baren Digest V18 #1785
> 
> In addition to selling prints, it is worthy for the woodcut printmaker to
> know that the folks out there CRAVE those beautiful carved blocks; I have
> sold several "sight unseen". If the previous offends thee, pluck the rest of
> this message out!




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From: John and Jan Telfer <jtelfer@iinet.net.au>
Date: Wed, 3 Apr 02 00:14:08 -0000
Subject: [Baren 17764] Re: Thanks Dave 

thanks Dave,


>http://www.kandaboq.com/


The coloured messotints on this site were just as spectacular as ones I 
saw on exhibition when in Japan..they fascinated me then, and continue to 
do so.   The wonderful prints of Tadashi Nakayama... are also exquisite. 
We should all try to attain this level of perfection.

I can appreciate the Katunori (or Katsunori) Hamanishi prints too first 
hand as I have one of his seven plated messotints (3'x2') hanging on my 
wall.  Gallery East here in Fremantle, Western Australia had an 
exhibition of a few contempory printmakers and Katsunori was amongst 
them. I couldn't resist it. Fantastic techniques.

Thanks Dave,

Jan

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From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 08:19:54 -0800
Subject: [Baren 17765] RE: block pricing 


> hey Maria,
> what do you sell the blocks for? I am running out of space, you
> know how it
> is in San Francisco.
> Thanks,
> Marco


That's a tough one. I always think I overprice them but I think that's
because I'm used to selling multiples. Jewelers and painters think I'm under
pricing since these are "one-of-a-kind originals" (art festival lingo). The
way I see it, I get revenue from the prints already. If I sell an edition of
200 prints at $45 ea. (an engraving), that would be $9,000. Anything the
block brings is extra. I don't think this is terrible for 3 or 4 days work.
I'm happy with what I get and I think that is the most important factor in
pricing.
So far I have sold several smaller blocks (from 5" x 7" to 9" x 12") framed
in 16" x 20" frames for around $700, give or take. The Boy Scout commission
block was priced at $4,200 unframed, a 24" x 36" block. Two blocks that I
received a deposit on were around 20" x 22" and I charged $1,800 and $2,200
unframed (I required 1/2 deposit so I could buy the paper to finish the
edition).
I don't really have a price per inch formula, I just look at the block and
price it like a one of a kind original painting in the art festival market.
If tears well up in my eyes when thinking about selling it, then I price it
higher hoping it won't sell ever. But be ready to let go, because they will;
I would imagine they will do very well with galleries. And just displaying
them wherever your prints are sold will help sell the prints. As I do better
festivals, the prices get closer and closer to gallery pricing.

Gyllin, on the screens, yes that is a wonderful idea, I'm working on two
right now. The block goes in the middle panel and a print will be mounted on
each side panel, letting the light through. These are/will be around 4 to 5
foot tall 3-panel screens. I plan on pricing them around $5,000 and up. I
also have some ideas for some pretty convoluted wall-hangings/sculptures but
right now they are in the conception stage.

Anyhow, I hope this all helps a little.

Health to all,
Maria

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


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From: jimandkatemundie@juno.com
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 12:56:24 -0500
Subject: [Baren 17766] the carved block 

Maria wrote:


> In addition to selling prints, it is worthy for the woodcut 
> printmaker to know that the folks out there CRAVE those beautiful

carved blocks; I 

> have sold several "sight unseen".


Speaking of the wondrous mystery of the carved block: 

Kate and I were in Washington DC this past weekend to spend a day in the
National Gallery, as I am wont to do when in that neighborhood.  We went
initially to see the "Goya's Women" show, but  -- as so often happens, we
found an unexpected gem in the East Wing (well, a couple really).  First
we treated ourselves to the "Small French Paintings" on the ground level.
 After that, we trotted up to the mezzanine level and found a show called
"The Flowering of Florence: Botanical Art for the Medici" 
(http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/exhibits.htm#medici).  Whoa, Nelly!

The first gallery contained exquisite Renaissance altarpieces
incorporating interesting floral motifs; but right next to those were two
wee floral studies by a couple of guys you may have heard about --
Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Durer!  I nearly swooned.  But, wait, it
gets better...

The next gallery contained the most amazing gouache on paper paintings
(or drawings, depending on how you think of them) of botanical specimens
from the Medici gardens by Jacopo Ligozzi -- with a host of little
spiders, birds, and lizards and such cavorting about.  In the midst of
this room was a glass vitrine containing exquisite bound volumes
containing woodcuts by Aldrovaldi (sp?) and another fellow who based his
cuts on the paintings by Ligozzi -- beautiful rare birds among exotic
plants.

I took a moment to wipe the drool from my chin, and somewhat annoyed that
the press of the crowd was pushing me deeper into the galleries... I
discovered another treasure.  Under another vitrine was a huge book open
to a page of conifer specimens.  The illustrations were these incredibly
intricate woodcuts -- black ink and silver leaf on blue paper.  Sweet
merciful McGillicuddy, were these beautiful!  I stared and stared and
stared some more until some unpleasant woman who could not possibly
appreciate these as much as I did (oh, how tenacious we become in the
presence of a bit of art!) forced me to move along.  The very next moment
I was singing that very woman's praises (where did she shuffle away to?)
because at the back of that same case was one of the original blocks used
to print the book.  Gasp!

The block of pearwood was completely blackened with 500-year-old ink, and
bore a few worm holes.  The block was perhaps no more than 4 x 6 inches,
and the carving was wee and amazing.  Some long forgotten German
formscneider certainly went hunched and blind working in this project! 
Amazingly, the cutting still looked crisp, as if one could still pull a
clean sharp proof from its surface. A wonder to behold.  Hardly anyone
else noticed this little chunk of black wood because they were too busy
looking at giant paintings of lemons, so I had this little beauty to
myself for a few minutes before the next wave of tourists swept me on. 
And yes, the paintings of lemons and the odd little mosaics were neat,
too, but the woodcuts stole the show for me.

Unfortunately, the catalog for the exhibition was rather disappointing. 
The color in the reproductions was all wrong and there was only one tiny
photograph of a woodcut.  Philistines!

If you find yourself in DC before 27 May, don't fail to take in the
Medici show.  

~ James Mundie
http://missioncreep.com/mundie/index.htm
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From: Mobile101@aol.com
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 15:52:53 EST
Subject: [Baren 17767] Re: block pricing 

Dear Maria, 
I have been read all your insightful postings to the baren group and had a 
few personal questions.If you do not wish to answer I will understand. I am 
currently a stay home Mom and am looking to not have to go back to working 
for someone else so that  I may be able to decide my own hours and how much I 
need to work. First do you make your living solely on your print /art work? 
Second do you sell work primarily at Art shows or through the internet? How 
long have you been doing this? If someone (me ) were to ask you where to 
start selling how would you answer. I have a million more question but I 
don't want to take you away from your art work to long. Thanks Gilda  

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From: "Maria Arango" <maria@mariarango.com>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 15:16:45 -0800
Subject: [Baren 17768] RE: selling 

Dear Gilda, you have asked for a book! But I will give you the short answers
to everything:


>First do you make your living solely on your print
> /art work?
>How
> long have you been doing this?


Yes, but I define "a living" loosely. To be completely honest, if I had not
had a husband with a real job in the first two years I would have needed
about 12K "seed" money.
Other than that, to be perfectly honest again, my _gross_ income from art
(nobody in the business talks real money and that is VERY irritating to me,
so I'm starting a new trend):
- -first year $2K (gulp)
- -second year $17K (encouraging but not much after expenses)
- -third year $38K (zippy di doo da...)
- -this my fourth year $29K in March

Expenses after the first year have been a constant $14K, the first year
expense figure is too scary to cite here and I know we have members with
weak hearts. You have to be persistent, be willing to spend some money and
be willing to work harder than you ever thought possible.


> Second do you sell work primarily at Art shows or through the
> internet?


70% income through art festivals
15% income through internet sales
5% through wholesale
remaining 10% a combination of gallery sales, competition/exhibition sales,
commission work, etc.


>If someone (me ) were to ask you where to
> start selling how would you answer.


Everywhere and anywhere. Start by getting exposure, no, I take that
back--start by reading books on how to make money being an artist. Read half
a dozen or so, Bill Ritchie has one, don't you Bill? Then try at least 75%
of the strategies they suggest and you think you can swallow, and see what
works for you.
For example I would rather sit on a fire-ant hill before ever putting on
panty hose again and lunching with clients. I don't do coffee either. I have
a website instead that tells all about me and my art. A couple of
wholesalers (watch these guys, they want your soul), a print dealer, an
agent, and several galleries contacted me because I had my work on the web.
Then ask artists friends who are making money how they are making money and
make them cough up some real figures. Do what they do. There are a thousand
ways to make money with art, all of them require that you do some things you
won't want to do. I like the isolation and physical abuse of the art
festival scene but it is only one way and time will tell whether my body
will be able to take the beating. I know artists who sell exclusively
through the internet, keeping around 100 auctions going on several auction
sites at once. I know artists who get commissions all the time because they
do pretty southwest stuff, they work in their studio and everything they
make is pre-sold. I know artists who organize their own shows once or twice
a year in a suitable ritzy place and invite lots of big wallets and give
them wine and cheese. I know artists who are very happy never selling a
darned thing.
I started in art festivals because the gipsy adventurous life seemed more
attractive to me than gallery sitting at the local co-op. I send my slides
to competitions because I like the mystery and anticipation. I wholesale
because I love getting a faxed order, putting a bunch of prints in a tube
and getting checks in the mail.

Gosh, that's no longer a short version. Sorry. I will repeat the advice of a
painter whose words stuck in my brain after all that reading: "paint'em,
pack'em, and peddl'em".

I'm packing and off to Tempe.
Maria

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Maria Arango
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
http://www.1000woodcuts.com
maria@mariarango.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


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From: Dan Dew <ddew0001@tampabay.rr.com>
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 21:45:27 -0500
Subject: [Baren 17769] Current Fun 

Ever get stuck in a fun art rut?
When the theme was announced for #13, music, I jumped up and down with glee
(put a hole in the floor also :-P)
I have always had a fascination with Escher and never ending design concepts
(anyone who got my 2001 snake may remember), well, here was a chance to
combine some of that fun in an exchange.
So, my design is kinda Escher, sorta Dr. Suess with a little Disney and
Frank Lloyd Wright thrown in.
Proofed it last night and touched up a bit, but ready to print!
But now I'm stuck.
My last five or six attempts, when I pick up my pencil, all result in
another eloborate tounge-twister design ala Escher.
I wouldn't be so bummed out, but it's totally out of character for me.
I suppose time will tell.
Maria, I never can sell my blocks when I'm done because most folks can't
figure out what the &*^&*^ they are once my reduction fun is over, so there
goes another $2.50 opportunity (for me at least, mine aren't worth much).
Hey Julio, where's that Hanga only exchange?
Dave(s), thanks for all the help and the links, all wonderful and
educational.
Quiet lately, huh.

Oh yeah, just got confirmation that my first solo show in a
real-honest-to-goodness gallery is on for June!  It is going to be part of
the gallery hop (where they bus people all over town to see different
galleries), so they would like me to demo as well.  I'll take pictures.
I'm so nervous.
Oh, one more thing, the Fireman's Benefit show will be at the Jimmy B. Keeel
Library in June also.  We have invited the mayor, police chief and fire
chief to the opening and presenting them with a framed print.  All the news
media has agreed to cover the event.  The library director is friends with
all the big wigs so.....

Bye, bye


****************************
Daniel L. Dew
ddew0001@tampabay.rr.com
ddew@tampabay.rr.com
http://www.dandew.com
****************************



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End of Baren Digest V18 #1786
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