Being An Artist Is Hard

So I overwhelmed myself again. Not with too much to do, but with the other usual concern, money matters. I'm not complaining, and I'm not doing badly either.

But there're no roadmaps for being an artist, a financially successful one. Especially since I'm largely avoiding the traditional gallery consignment route. In the course my dad gave me I'm supposed to write a business plan today, and formulate an ideal day. What are those for artists?

I dislike the commoditization of anything let alone art, and certainly time. This idea is sort of rubbing me the wrong way. Yes, there are certain things I could put into a routine. I think I'd benefit probably. So I'll give it a go, especially when money is tight and will get tighter with the birth of Abbey Grace.

I suppose the planning and organizing is just another thing which right now has a long-term payoff with short-term expenditures of time. I hope so, because as I was contacting Sir Paul McCartney's publicist yesterday, I looked at this post again, remembering my most important ultimate personal goal of creating Vinyl Art.

Peace.

What Cost: Memory, Love?

I love these 3 images and this one of John. When I realized I had 4 Beatles records without sleeves from various sources, all with the rainbow Capitol label, I got excited to try something I've wanted to for awhile. I'll show you next week when I finish.

But first I need to tell you that I'm going to stop offering my pieces unframed for only $100 shipped. The price will be good on commissions requested before the end of this month, but then that's it. I've struggled with this decision since I started offering the pieces unframed at all, over a year ago.

Pricing in general is a tough one for me, not the fact that I make money from my art, but setting them so my work is accessible to even starving college students with the right priorities. I know my work has value, but what that value is eludes me. I started out selling framed pieces locally for $55 (the price of that Johnny Cash at auction currently) and raised them only when I realized that I needed to do so if I ever was going to be able to support our family eventually with my art. Even then, I've had people pay me more than I've asked at least twice and many people give me confounded looks when I tell them how much.

The thing is though, I feel comfortable with the $175 plus shipping price point for framed pieces. It feels good when anybody says "yes, I'll buy one". I don't want to raise that price unless I have so much work and I've already been able to hire my wife as my assistant, meaning when she can quit her job. I'll offer special things, like what I'm going to do with these unframed Beatles, that'll be at different, higher prices, but the standard piece, framed in front of the album sleeve will hopefully stay the same. When I do have that much work, I think I'll increase the price only when someone wants time priority placed on their piece.

But I don't feel good about the $100 shipped for the unframed. I feel a bit bad, like I'm going to be telling people not to buy my work by raising the price, but I don't want to hesitate when someone says they want it unframed instead of framed.

So, they're going up to $150. I feel like the quality and consistency of my work is worth that. Hopefully you'll feel your wall space, or someone else's, is worth that as well.

I don't know how else to value my connection to music, to art, to memory, to family & friends, to humanity. Do you?

Peace.

Two Of Us

Everyday, I'm lucky to be married. My wife supports my life, plain and simple. I wouldn't be doing what I am now if it weren't for her. I might've someday as I knew I was an artist, but not with the gusto I have currently.

Someday we'll ultimately move to London. We were lucky enough to get to see Abbey Road, taking each other's picture in the re-painted but still famous crosswalk. I'm hopeful my art will take us there to live.

See, while my public goal with my Vinyl Art is to change the world by solving the problem of how to connect you with your music, your culture and with humanity in a way more personal and deep, my private goal is to change my wife's world. Plain and simple.

I feel bad for Paul, losing Linda. Makes me cry if I think about it too much.

Peace.

Paul McCartney 04/15/09

The Currency Of Fear

Money "Can't Buy Me Love", but how about fear?

Stephen Colbert came up with a great metaphor on "The Report" last night: the fear market, instead of the stock market. Since 9/11, fear has been increasing in value. At least that's what the government and media have been selling us. We kept trading it higher and higher, giving up freedoms and privacy. Then, the fear bubble burst, and we did it. We elected Obama.

What do we do with all this fear, all this currency, that's now suddenly worthless?

Make change. "And that's the word."

Peace.

Paul McCartney 11/06/08