Ask an Artist: Listeners Questions II
Episode 52: Listeners Questions II
Laura and Peter have another rummage in the post bag in this episode to answer some of the listener questions we have received. Today we have questions on working for friends, dealing with 'site specific' artworks and whether it is a good idea to work in multiple media.
If you have a question that you would like to submit to us then please send them here.
Questions and Answers. In what will become a regular feature, Laura and Peter answer three listener’s questions directly:
Should I stick to one kind of medium or is it OK to work in lots of different ways?
Laura and Peter say: “It is important as an artist to have your own individual voice: the thing that identifies you and makes your work recognisably your own. It doesn’t matter whether you work with one technique or five if you can be sure your skills in each are equally strong and your individual style is always apparent.
Problems come if you spread yourself too thin by trying lots of techniques and mastering none or, just the opposite, become repetitive and predictable because you feel restricted by one technique. Work on having enough variety to constantly challenge yourself and to keep work fresh, but balance that by enough time to really learn the skills needed for the medium. Lastly, do bear in mind it can be trickier to establish yourself with art buyers and galleries if you have multiple techniques, as opposed to an easily identifiable few.”
My art is site specific, does that make a difference?
Laura and Peter say: “Site specific work will always resonate most with people that have a direct connection to the place you depict. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing and many artists forge careers on local scenes, some becoming successful to the point where people happily embrace the location as just a part and parcel of the artist’s identity. That said, it pays to take stock and to think about your likely market. Are there good opportunities to show and sell where the work is based? Is it an area that attracts visitors and tourists as well as local art buyers, does it have historic or other significance that will appeal? The more connections you can access, the better sales are likely to be.
If you want to broaden your appeal a little, tweaking your titles to something non-site specific can make a surprising difference. Laura’s landscapes rarely have titles that credit the location for this very reason. She also widens the focus of her prints from locality to include more universal themes of weather, light and season. Broadening both the scope of the subject and its title will give you a bit of extra ‘wiggle room’ when it comes selling and could provide you with an interesting new twist for working in your familiar location.”
A friend wants me to make the table decorations for her wedding and has offered to pay. I’m excited to make them, but I feel really awkward about charging. What should I do?
Laura and Peter say: “Artists are often handed jobs like this by loved ones and it is greatly to this bride’s credit that she has offered to pay. There are two ways you could go with this and we suggest that you present both to the bride and let her choose which route she prefers. The first option is to give the decorations to her as your wedding gift and the second is to treat them as a paid job. Explain that if they are to be a gift, you will be guided by her colour scheme and the general theme of the wedding, but she will have to trust you and let you create whatever loveliness you feel best celebrates your friendship and her special day. On the other hand, you can work together as client and artist with her paying for the table decorations as she will the flowers and photographer. If she chooses this option, she gets to call all the shots and your job is to accommodate her wishes and come up with the table decorations of her dreams, not yours. Of course you’ll also be giving her a proper present that has nothing to do with the table decorations! By giving her the two options, you’ll avoid the awkward half ground where you could find yourself trapped with a demanding client while charging pathetically low ‘mates rates.”
The Takeaway: Please send your questions to us through this website and we may well feature it in a future episode.
This Podcast is sponsored by Michael Harding Colours. For more information about Michael’s colour range or to find a retailer near you, please visit www.michaelharding.co.uk
