[Life and Art] One of my growing-to-be-a-pet-peeve(s) about art culture.

[moonvoice]

When you're an artist, people try and take advantage of you in ways they wouldn't if you had a conservative career (though whenever you're self-employed, people will generally try and take advantage of your skills).

They don't know they're doing it, because in a society that doesn't value art for the most part; it's normal not to value artists. And artists often don't know it's happening, because they're part of that society and the trend of devaluing their own work.

This came about because recently a complete stranger who I don't know from a bar of soap asked me if they could print out one of my pictures for free, and give it to a friend. I started composing a message to them along the lines of 'sure! fine! wow that's really sweet of you!' but something didn't feel right. It didn't feel right because I thought... I have a DeviantArt store to sell my prints, and I did that for a reason. So that I could survive.

This person doesn't know me. They're not a friend. They're a complete stranger asking for free art on behalf of someone else I also don't know very well.

And let me tell you now; this happens a lot.

Some family members have said things like 'I was wondering if Pia could do some art for me if she's got some spare time?' with absolutely no offers of remuneration. Nothing. I can assure you right now that if they approached other trades-people in the family, they would not be asking for free work without at least offering something in return. Even if they eventually got it for free, the offer of compensation of some kind would still be there.

These days, I'm much more conscious of what I lose when I sell things 'for cheap,' or worse, 'for free.' When I devalue my art, I teach other people that it's okay to devalue my art. If you had a family member who was a surgeon, I doubt you'd say to them 'hey, my birthday is coming up, will you give me surgery for free?' And bat your eyelashes. And I really doubt they'd then go 'oh sure! Free surgery, I do that all the time for friends and family! Free surgery is how I can afford to live!'

But if everyone treated the surgeon like they're obligated to do free surgery for all friends and family members, eventually the surgeon is going to go 'sure, I mean that week I could actually be making money to survive, but it's okay, I'll do your surgery for free. That's what surgeons do! I'll use my other job of flipping burgers to try and make up for the loss of me doing this highly skilled and uncommon service for you; though really I won't be able to make up for it through flipping burgers.'

That is the culture of art and artists in Western society. People on my friends list are guilty of it. People I meet and hardly know, and people I know very very well are guilty of it. I'M guilty of allowing it (though you can probably tell I'm getting reaaaaaally sick of it now). Friends of mine who are artists participate in this 'I will sell myself short because I'm an artist and you expect me to sell myself short' culture.

It's the expectation that bothers me. It's not like I don't freely give my art as gifts, occasional pro-bono book covers, or haven't sent pictures in the past. I do and have. I genuinely want to.

It's the expectation that because I'm an artist, I exist to do art for others, for free, or for nothing more than a 'gee, you're so talented' (I know that, that's why art costs money, because it's a rare and desirable skill that not everyone can do - even with training). It's the assumption that I am some bohemian who basically wants to spend her entire life sharing my creativity with others, but never making money off it - because bohemians live on tea and noodles and tuna and don't want for anything more than that if they have art in their lives. Right? Wrong. Or at least, certainly wrong in my case. Doctor's appointments, art supplies and a mortgage aint cheap.

I do a style of art which is uncommon, unique, and has taken me well over seven years of diligent application to get the technique to where it's at today. In that time, I've never seen anyone else do anything like it - until the past two years (and the people who do anything like it, know me, or know of my style of art).

My art style is my OWN. So much so, that I've had something like five art students through DeviantArt do essays on my work (complete with interviews) for their classes (both highschool and university level), and I've had other students (and accomplished artists) use techniques I've developed, in their own artwork, because they are aesthetically or symbolically pleasing or appropriate.

I am a skilled artist. Because I have been doing it for well over five years now - I am considered a professional by Australian standards even without a university degree. I still charge at amateur or sub-amateur rates. Some people still complain about my prices with the expectation that I should charge significantly less. Seriously.

Still, it's not all like this. There are some people who truly value my artwork, or if not, at least my career as an artist. My mentor, Jennifer Perry, is one of them (and a fucking fantastic artist in her own right). In fact she has been one of the best things to happen to me in regards to my attitudes towards my art, selling my art, and 'art as a career.'

There are repeat clients on my Flist who - despite not having much money - not only support my art, but support my career choice as an artist. I try and pay it forward by supporting artists when I can (like getting that Creatures From El sculpture, which was a hit to my savings account, but is an authentic one of a kind original, and absolutely worth it.)

But it shocks me how many people aren't like this. It shocks me regularly, and due to some events that occurred today; it's shocked me again.

So hence, this rant. And hence, no cut - because I actually think this is rather important.

If you agree with my message, please pimp it out to others.

Comments

[weishaupt.livejournal.com]

Pimped.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Hoorah!

[bodhifox.livejournal.com]

Bohemian artists traditionally get as much money as they can for art when it sells. And give some away too, as you do, when you choose.

Do NOT sell yourself short. You're amazing. I can't afford your art. Not yet, but I tell EVERYONE I can about it, hoping they might.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Bohemian artists traditionally get as much money as they can for art when it sells. And give some away too, as you do, when you choose.

I like this. :)

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Yes, this really is important. I'm glad to be able to support you when I can and I hope to be able to in the future as well.

[callistra.livejournal.com]

I'll be pimping but it won't go up until the 15th of Jan

Impositions

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

I'd love to become a patron of the arts. Help me win MegaBucks & I'll do it so hard for you ;)

(Of course, I actually have to walk into a casino & put money into a machine for that... so nevermind...)

I think many folk out there cannot tell the difference between someone who creates professionally and someone who does 'arts and crafts'.

People who do 'arts and crafts' are usually aunties or grandpas with big hearts and free time. Hobbyists, tinkerers, etc. who do what they do just to do it, and like to give what they make away as presents. Professional artists may enjoy what they do as much as a hobbyist, but they are making a living from their craft as well as living to do their craft. A professional artist's time is definitely not free, as much of it is spent hunting up contacts, networking, refining their craft... and selling themselves harder than a $50 whore on a $2 streetcorner.

Re: Impositions

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Help me win MegaBucks & I'll do it so hard for you ;)


Okay! :D

[amhrantine.livejournal.com]

I don't have much in-depth and interesting to say, but that I agree. And when you think about it, it's true. When you think about it a bit further, it's obviously ridiculous that it is true.
You could say the same for magic, too, which you may have run into yourself. People not appreciating the effort and money that goes into magic on their behalf.
Hmm.

[ebonhost.livejournal.com]

I -absolutely- agree with this, considering I mentioned in my last LJ post that I wasn't currently offering commissions on an LJ commission community because people would assume I'm overcharging if I want more than the $5-10 these other artists who have been indoctrinated to give their art away are charging. I also got pissed off recently at someone who decided they could just ask me for an Anubis icon with the expectation that it would be free after seeing that picture of Anubis I drew for someone's birthday (on my own initiative, I might add, this person did -not- ask me for free art and has commissioned me in the past).

What made me so aware of this is that I used to ask people for books/art supplies in exchange for my art (since I'd just have spent the money on that anyway) and while I was getting a decent exchange, it was fair since I was still developing my talent (my art is a -lot- better now than it was when I was regularly selling commissions). However, it was the person who paid me only $50 for an -original-, less than I was getting for a digital file (black and white ink work, but still worth more than that) which made me decide to be more proactive about what I want for my work.

Which reminds me, I thought I'd ask you something since you're a fellow DAist. Can you only set print prices as a paid member? (I want to begin selling prints, but I refuse to give them away.)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Which reminds me, I thought I'd ask you something since you're a fellow DAist. Can you only set print prices as a paid member? (I want to begin selling prints, but I refuse to give them away.)

I think so, yeah. I have a paid print account as well. So far it's paid itself off each year, with a bit of profit. DA takes a lot of the sale price for itself; but they're going to be changing this (and have already started) to make it more fair on the artist.

[welshwmn3.livejournal.com]

I have run into this a lot with the jewelry that I make.

Many many people sell their jewelry at a couple dollars over cost. They are just trying to get enough money to make more jewelry, replace their expenses. So they sell a necklace made with pearls, good quality semi-precious stones and 14kt gold plate for $30, when it cost them $25 to make.

Then, when I try to sell my jewelry (made with sterling silver or 14kt gold plate, pearls and good quality semi-precious stones) for $100+, people look at me like I'm crazy.

I've had a local jewelry designer (who's recieved awards for her designs, and who I collaberated with on designing Integration) tell me I'm charging too little, when I was was double what some other jewelry makers charge (ie, $70 for things they were charging $30-$35 for). She told me I should charge at least double for everything I made. So, I've increased all my prices, and my jewelry is still sitting there, gathering dust.

It's nice to be able to give to friends and relatives, but yeah, that whole expectation that you are an artist so you HAVE to give of your time, talent, and materials rankles.

*hugs* One of these days I will be buying your art. It is truly awesome and I can't wait til I not only have the money to buy it, but also the wall space to hang it!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I've noticed you charge more than what some people might for jewellery, but I also think your prices are *absolutely appropriate* for what you make and the extremely high quality of materials you use.

And honestly, not only are you not crazy, but you're saner than a lot of other jewellery makers who think in order to sell, they have to sell as cheaply as those who are making jewellery for slave labour in Africa and Asia. *shakes head*

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

I fully admit, I am underselling my work (Despite what people might think it's worth, it's worth more then they think). It's not that I WANT to, mind you. In my mind, if I could get it in a gallery, it's already worth at least 200 dollars.. although honestly I need to work bigger... but that's a conflict between Sci-Fi Shows and the Fine Art world, and that's a different topic...

However, I can't sell for that high on my own. Part of it is exactly the problem you rant about (And I would rant about it too, so badly), but the other half of the equation, really, is that I am still 'new', and there are days that I am just struggling to find a happy place between what I want to do, and what people want from me. I'm halfway in that place right now, getting ready for a show that I am going to sell paintings for the price of the frame, because I am convinced my audience won't pay for anything more. Darn it, I would like to make enough money off of these to at least buy some new clothes... but it's not going to happen. The culture doesn't understand or care.

If I could get a table and make commissions, maybe I'd get further... but outside of a handful or people, I don't think anyone knows I am alive, and given the last few months, I don't really blame them. This year has kind of been disheartening anyway. I'm really struggling to give a danm about my performance, but considering that I've missed every show I wanted to do this year, it's getting hard.

Maybe that's why I am punishing myself by doing this Inking shit. I'm doing something that I know I can defeat myself at simply.

Still, if I had any money, I'd be sending some down to have you do a medicine wheel kind of thing for me... but as it is, I'd just like to get paid for what I do more then I do.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Being new really influences prices, and it should, because a lot of art skills only become quicker to master over time; and otherwise a client is paying an awful lot of money for skills that could be rendered more quickly (like the difference, I guess, between paying someone the same amount for someone who can type 40 words per minute, and someone who can do 120; they both might be expending the same effort, but the skillset is different).

But yeah, that's sucky. When I was new, I gave a lot of my art away (wish I hadn't now), and sold it for between $10 - $40. Still, it was those few sales that helped me develop my skills and get me to the point I am now. In five years time I'll look back on this point and probably feel the same way about my current pricing.

Also, DeviantArt is the worst place ever to try and sell art. Don't use it!

[jamethiel]

Agreed. It isn't limited to artists, though. My Dad is a doctor, and the number of random-people-he-meets-at-a-party who will say "I've just got this thing, could you take a look at it?" is amazing.

You have to be firm. Dad's taken to saying to people "Do you want to ring the surgery and make an appointment?"

The trouble is, the line gets blurred with friends. And people assume that because you'll do something for a friend, you'll do something for them.

You are amazing. I love my piece of artwork. You deserve to be paid and you deserve to make a living off your artwork.

[sydneyrodriguez.livejournal.com]

Agreed. It isn't limited to artists, though.

Seconded. It's such a big issue in the web design/development world (particularly freelance/sole proprietorship), that there's whole articles and tools geared toward figuring out what's a fair and reasonable price and how to be firm about pricing without being a jerk about it.

Tech support is another one that's plagued with it. That one's often of the same nature as your example with your Dad, where some random person gets word that you're a tech and they're like, "my computer is doing such and such, what do you think it might be?" Hell, there's whole t-shirt lines with such things as "No, I will not fix your computer."

[starla80.livejournal.com]

I agree with what you've said here, and I am glad that you are beginning to place a higher monetary value on your work, because it's been hard earned and the finished product is definitely worth it.

It saddens me that I haven't yet been able to afford any of your work (as I'd love to be surrounded by it) but J has said he'd love to buy some of it when we're all moved in, and I'll soon have a bit more money to spend so I can start buying too!

I've been annoyed with myself lately for giving away all of my best work (in fact, pretty much ALL of my work) that I did as a teenager and in my early 20's - back then I actually saw my own work as 'clutter to be cleared', even though I'd spend hours on individual drawings. That said, I have always undervalued everything I am good at, as if it comes easily to me it can't be worth anything to anyone else. Or something. These issues are all tied in with my view of myself, so it can only be a good thing that I am finally seeing the error of my ways.

It's a common idea in marketing to make sure that you don't undervalue your product - our society measures value in monetary terms, and if you are selling something for less than it's worth it reflects badly on the product.

I think this is particularly pertinent to the art world, as people who spend money on art want it to be valuable, it's monetary value is part of it's overall value as an object. For this reason, I'd be an advocate of you charging more than you feel comfortable charging for certain special pieces, and seeing what happens. If you end up having to lower the prices slightly in the end to make a sale, the buyer will still have the original price in mind so it retains that 'luxurious' quality. Retail is all about making your customer feel good - and art is considered a luxury item, so make sure it's priced accordingly!

Heh, sorry - rant over! ;)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I've been annoyed with myself lately for giving away all of my best work

I gave away all my best graphite dragon pictures, and some of those were fucking awesome. I really regret it myself as well. Firstly, because I wish I had them to see how far I've come. Secondly because they were actually worth something. :/

And this sort of value stuff is definitely tied in with issues of self-esteem, unfortunately. Art is one of those arenas where you can be put down for your job choice. Not many people would put down a training doctor, nurse, teacher or engineer for having a less 'valid' job. But friends and family members have certainly let me know how 'valid' they think art is as a career.

And boy, does that influence how successful you can be, if you can't rise above it.

[bewylderbeast.livejournal.com]

I agree with this whole-heartedly, and shall be pimping it.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

[countessaleska.livejournal.com]

There are generations of art graduates who got NO training in the functional skills of running a business or being an employed or self employed artist. Its all gallery this and picasso that. They just don't get it. Others, who don't do it, think of it as a hobby for housewives who watch Bob Ross on weekends.

I guess long story short (too late) I have met many 'art' and 'craft' vendors. Some of them had amazing quality of art. But not all of them made it. Only the ones who were in touch with their art, their creativity, AND their business and common sense can make it as living.

You seem to have those-- so stick to them. Free art is like asking a doctor or accountant to give their services for free. ITs like taking merchandise off a shelf in a store and taking it home without paying-- stealing.

Its not a hobby to everyone, its a trained trade skill blending your creativity so well AND being able to make it pay its way.

Those are rare combination, so you know your worth well :)

[chasingtides.livejournal.com]

Even if it is a hobby (or a sideline) it doesn't mean it's free - or that it should be free.

[minus9.livejournal.com]

It actually does happen to all sorts of people, not just artists. You'd be surprised at the requests for help that other professionals get, with no view towards remuneration.

Your change in attitude towards your own worth will bring the biggest shift around you.

R

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do say in my first paragraph that I recognise that it's especially common when you're self-employed in absolutely any field.

Your change in attitude towards your own worth will bring the biggest shift around you.

While this is true to a degree; the fact remains that artists will still always be worth more when they're dead (unlike music, and most writing, and surgeon's skills, and so on).

An artist cannot make themselves worth as much as they will be once they're dead - though they can make themselves worth a LOT.

And that is largely where art culture is at - self-esteem means very little when your death is the most impressive thing you can contribute to the value of your art prices. ;)

[copperbeech.livejournal.com]

FB pimped.
{{you}}

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

[anrui-ichido.livejournal.com]

Guh. This is definitely one of my pet-peeves as well. The expectation. I've even had one or two people try to befriend me because they saw me drawing pictures of my close friends (for my own enjoyment as much as anything) and one of the first things out of their mouths is, "Man! Your drawings of people are so good. You should draw me sometime!"

People do it in regards to my graphic design often as well. They assume it's 'easy' for me and would take 'no time at all', since it's what I do. And believe me, I DO work pretty cheap in comparison to a lot of places, and I don't mind working cheaply for friends who I know can't afford much, because at least they offer SOMETHING.

Problem is, I'm also super bad at devaluing what I do, too. An interior designer I designed a business card for once told me not to undervalue my work because I do what I do very well.

And so do you! *hugs!*

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

"Man! Your drawings of people are so good. You should draw me sometime!"

Yeah. Or my favourite, requests that go like this 'Draw an X!' and when I write 'sorry, I have a backlog and I'm not taking requests right now,' the old adage; 'you're so MEAN!!!1!!!'

Some of these come from you know, middle-aged responsible full-time workers.

*ahem*

[apocalypsegrrl.livejournal.com]

Me and my housemate had this conversation just a few days ago. :P Not only is an artist's work not valued, but neither is our time or occupation. It totally bites. You keep reminding people that they don't give out their work for free to everyone who asks, they need to pay rent and eat- well, damnnit, so do you.

Also- can I spread this through my FaceBook page too?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Also- can I spread this through my FaceBook page too?

I am about to go to bed, but of course! :)

[chasingtides.livejournal.com]

I will be pimping this later.

I see this a lot in my knitting group. We all craft and do art and plenty of us do it as a sideline, or in a few cases, as a main career. And they just sell over cost.

I try my best not to. And it drives me nuts when people do exactly what you're talking about.

Thankfully, this is one thing my family doesn't do. My family will ask for something - a painting, a knitting job, etc - for a gift for a birthday or holiday. But it would be instead of spending a great deal of money on it and they fawn over the item like it's solid gold. My mother grew up with artists of a kind though - in high school, only her winter coat and uniform were store bought - and she saw both how the artisans themselves were treated and how much work went into each item.

When I started selling my work locally, my father actually sat me down with a business plan to help make sure people wouldn't take advantage of me. And when my future sister-in-law came to visit, she saw a painting of mine (ginger flowers against a mountain terrain) and said, "Can I have it?" I wish I could have taken a photo of my family's faces.

But yes. I do hate how artists are treated (like when I was acquaintance-friends with a guy who learned I knit - and asked, point blank, for a pair of socks, with no money/trade for me at all).

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Knitting and cross-stitch and all this stuff gets easily undervalued because it's assumed that the only people who do it are generous grannies who want to give things away as presents. And that assumption is wrong, and also uncool.

I'm glad your family value created objects and art. That is really really good.

like when I was acquaintance-friends with a guy who learned I knit - and asked, point blank, for a pair of socks, with no money/trade for me at all

I hope you punched him in the 'nads.

Hm... that wasn't very nice of me. I hope you politely corrected him. ;)

[rainsingingwolf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that goes for just about any kind of art.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*nods* It definitely does.

[dingo-yellowdog.livejournal.com]

So bringing this to work. :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Hoorah! :D

[foxfeather.livejournal.com]

I agree wholeheartedly. I think a big part of the problem is culture - people see 'art' for free in their face constantly, but it's mostly ad-based (billboards, box packaging, promo posters, etc.) Also, the internet has become the land of 'free clip art' for everyone to use. It's also a generational thing...
I had three young girls (maybe 12ish?) come to my table at a general show a few months ago and look at my print bin. Now, I have nice archival giclee prints but I also sell simple laser prints at $10 because I know a lot of people don't necessarily care about the quality when it comes down to the price tag, so I offer both options. One of their moms was there and told the girls they could each pick out one print and she would buy it for them. After some looking, two had picked out a print and the third was wavering between two. She asked me if I had a website then looked at the mom and said 'it's ok, I'll just go print them both online for free!' ...
I was quite horrified, but this is a really common occurrence. The girl was young and I'm sure she didn't mean anything nasty but I'm also sure she had NEVER sat down and thought about the career of an artist or art being anything other than something she was entitled to/could take for granted. You can't print out a pair of shoes, can't print out a new dress, etc. But art you can just take/steal/use to your heart's content. : / The new digital age people expect things to be free... it amazes me how many people I hear whinging about having to pay ANY fee (like $10 a month...) for online games. It takes TEAMS of people years to create those things and mucho manpower to run them. Server hosting, customer service, etc. etc. are NOT free. Why is it so bad to support someone/something that is offering you value/entertainment? You don't expect to go to a theatre to see a movie for free...
I know musicians are being hit even harder with this, in the digital age, than even us artists are. Imagine how hard of a career that has to be now... in some ways digital media is awesome because its made music more accessible for the non-big-names-selling-cds-through-giant-companies but it's also made music 'free' for sharing for everyone who wants it. A lot of people think music should be their right. I do use services like pandora radio and such, but if I like I a song I try to go buy it or some merchandise or something to support the band.
Don't get me started on tattoo design. ;) I've had so many images stolen (by people and shops) and I just can't imagine the horrible karma of using art like that and having it on you forever. Or people who ask me for quotes but they really want to spend $10-20 on a design and yet are willing to pay the tattoo artist $500+ for the inking. I do get a lot of great people who realize a lot of work goes into the design process and making them something unique, but I get a lot who are amazed they'd be required to pay at all for me getting the honor of making art for them to wear. :>
So, I hear you loud and clear. :)

[gishkishenh.livejournal.com]

Oh God your post is as amazing as moonvoice's.
Seriously, from your describing your table experience all the way to the tattoo design standpoint- all of those things have happened to me. And the other side? Nothing. No care. You almost pray that karma will step in and deal them a nasty blow. This entire ordeal is hair-pulling and obnoxious. From visual to audio musicians- it’s literally a layer of society that gets ripped off and downplayed the most. Just look at how Cemron was devaluating and spiting against animators... and he is IN the business himself!

We just cannot let up. We just have to stick by our guns and force people that we cannot be taken advantage of.

[thegreencall.livejournal.com]

Ugh. This happens to amature crafty people too. One of the online forums I participate on has a regular snark group this how idea.

Personally, I had one person try to "put in an order" for an items. Oh sure, I'd love to buy the materials and spend hours of my time uncompensated for you. Sign me up!

[chasingtides.livejournal.com]

What? They tried to tell you what to make?

(No, I shouldn't be surprised. I get this with knitting all the time - because yarn is free and I have oodles of time/energy.)

[gishkishenh.livejournal.com]

I think this is the second post I have read coming form you that overview a typical problem- a BIG one- in relation to the art community, and the society around it.

This is the SECOND time I have been in TOTAL 100%.
What you describe is not an uncommon occurrence. From both aspects of familial requests, and the requests of individuals outside the sphere of family.

It irritates me to NO END that people think they are entitled to everything and anything in this world- but more so when they seem to demand services with no compensation from individuals that are dedicating their time and effort into a craft. I have once ask an individual if they thought it was fair what they were asking, and the response was “It’s just art. You can make more... don‘t go all crazy”. After I countered them with “How would you feel if your parents were expected to work for free?” they just said “They don’t work for free”.

I am between a rock and a hard place. I need to promote myself- but that usually means doing things for cheap or free. Then when I do charge because I’m sick of not having income and a capability to sustain myself- people don’t buy because it’s easier to pay bottom dollar for mass produced items than something hand made or professional printed. What is worse is finding out that people are even willing to accept a horribly watermarked image over paying. This entire scenario is getting me increasingly upset and angry at people’s attitudes toward art and artist’s.

Here’s another example: I created a calendar for the New Year. Inside, I included 12 images that I specifically intended to be for the calendar ALONE. Do you know how many people actually said “oh, I’ll just get the images when you upload them online”? It was a BLANTANT slap in the face. What they were basically saying is- I’ll wait and get it for free. I don’t want to pay you. I want it for free.

What you said is true- the general consensus is thinking that we- as artists- are bohemian and want to toss our art to the wind and to all who want. The reality is that the people who created this concept of “Free information for all” and “No one has ownership rights to anything” are people who do not produce themselves- but are looking for a philosophy that will entitle them to get everything they ever want for free. Somehow, this bohemian concept was attached to us- the artists- by association: we are bohemian, pot smoking, dancing in the wind, and free spirits who must clearly also follow along this philosophy.

I too appreciate my patrons- those who value my art and have gone beyond themselves to honour my work by commissioning me, and even supporting me far beyond my quoted price. And I return the favour by maximizing my output and quality for them.
But these folk who think that we are expendable and cheep need some sort of strong realization that we are not here for their whimsical, selfish attitudes. What they need is for us as artists to stand up and refuse to work “for promotion” and “for the exposure”. We work for our livelihoods, and this means work for pay.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I think this is the second post I have read coming form you that overview a typical problem- a BIG one- in relation to the art community, and the society around it.The reality is that the people who created this concept of “Free information for all” and “No one has ownership rights to anything” are people who do not produce themselves- but are looking for a philosophy that will entitle them to get everything they ever want for free.

THIS.

And of course the producers and manufacturers who want to make a larger profit off the sale of something than the artist will. They definitely value the art. But couldn't give two shits about the artist.

[opalblack.livejournal.com]

Well said, and thank you for saying it. Artists live too often without health cover, cashflow security (and thus food and accommodation security), insurance, and all that other crap everyone else seems to take for granted.
It's shameful the way artists are treated. I say we need to be more uppity.

[opalblack.livejournal.com]

Also, thought you'd appreciate this:

http://www.ianlabs.com/2007/04/01/inherent-value-in-design/

[silverjackal.livejournal.com]

Some people still complain about my prices with the expectation that I should charge significantly less. Seriously.

*gapes* I wish you were joking. What you charge for your art is more than reasonable in my opinion, it's *cheap*. Yes, I realize that to a certain extent this is driven by market forces -- i.e. there is no point in charging more than people can pay, or things won't sell. There's a difference between "can" and "can't" pay, though, and I know some people who always expect that they shouldn't have to pay for anything because they're speshul. They can bloody well shove off. You have to live just like everyone else. Do they expect to not get paid for their labor and the expertise they bring to their job? I don't think so.

And on a lighter note, I do hope to own one of your originals when I can afford to do so (and there's something that speaks to me particularly). At the moment this isn't possible, but that will change.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*gapes* I wish you were joking.

I wish it had only happened once or twice.

I can really really understand complaining about prices. I complain about how much my internet costs. I complain about how much surgery costs. I complain about how much food costs.

But you know what I don't do? I don't go to the farmers and the surgeons and tell them to change their prices because of it. I accept that because I desire something, I will have to pay money for it. I accept sometimes that it will be a lot of money. My complaints are mostly about as meaningful as complaining about the weather.

But to then actually go up to someone and say 'hey, I want something from you, but I don't want to really value it like I should; so do something about that please?' Ugh.