Some years ago I had my own mortgage situation and it wasn’t pretty so I am sympathetic to every one of the honest people caught in the tsunami of forces and unintended consequences that has swept over just about everyone in one aspect or another in the last few years and artists in many cases much more that others. It has been bleak and that’s for sure.
When I had my own mortgage meltdown my only advisor who said anything that actually made sense was a thirty something alcoholic, chain smoking Buddhist who said "Abandon ship, she’s going down." I had a moment of clarity and understood. I put everything I owned up for sale. What did not sell was given away. I had a new couch, chair and love seat set. My Buddhist advisor got the chair for free. After all, his advice was worth it. I had purchased the chair as a part of a set and it had cost $1500 for just the chair. Everything was less that 6 months old. An ad was placed in the paper (remember when people did that?) The couch and love seat was listed for $1000 and that was a bargain in those days.
My first call after the ad listed in the Seattle Times went like this.
I want to know, how much for the couch only?
$1000
No, just for the couch. I just want the couch.
$1000
No, you don’t understand, just the couch!
$1000.
Ok put it this way how much for both?
$1000
See? How much for just the couch?
$1000.
After a few profanities they would hang up.
This was repeated for the first four calls and I could see it would be a long day but on the fifth call things changed.
How much did you pay? How long have you owned them. Where did you buy them? Do you have the receipts? Any way you would take a check? The questions went on in that manner until the caller said he would be over in 45 minutes with cash after he makes a stop at the bank. He walked in the door took one look and said " is anything else for sale?" By the time he left he had helped clean out most of what I thought I would give away. He bought everything he could afford including a dinning table and chairs, art works, end tables, two beds, lamps etc. Everything priced so there was no need to negotiate on my part. If you don’t want it somebody else would. This was not about making money this was about abandoning ship.
Move quickly or you will go down with it. That everything was being sold at bargain prices was self evident.
Years have passed and of course I know some things that for me make sense and one of them is be ready to abandon ship. Don’t own anything you would not give up in an instant if you needed to and you can set you own terms to fit whatever the situation you are in.
What I also understand is some people do not see a bargain when it
spits them in the eye. My art is not high priced art but I put a lot of time into the simplest paintings. I frame them in the way I like and think the frames adds something to the paintings and cost is usually a secondary consideration for me. By the time a painting sells I am working for minimum wage or less and I don’t care. I don’t have to because I am not wholly dependent on art for my living and I know if this person won’t buy it someone else will and I don’t have to do but the most basic artist hustle. So here I am and a customer has to have a certain painting but they must have it in the frame style they see on another painting. They absolutely must , and the conversation went like this.
I’ll take it but you will have to reframe it in this other frame. I like that one better.
Sorry can’t do that.
You have to do that or I can’t buy the painting.
Ok.
Ok you will do it?
No, ok you won’t buy the painting.
But I want the painting.
Ok.
Ok what? What is wrong with you? Every thing is negotiable! Don’t you know that?
I don’t bother to explain that the frame she wants is a custom order about $700 at my cost and it is on a painting that is not the same size. Close but not the same size The frame on the painting she wants is free. The painting is the same cost with a frame or without a frame. She could toss the frame out and get it framed anyway she wants but she wants a deal on top of a deal that already will be the best deal she will see this year and she wants it her way all at the same cost. I have had a lot of conversations like this before and the most common one goes like this.
I’ll take it without the frame. How much do you take off the price with no frame?
Nothing, the price is the same.
What?
The price is the same.
Why?
I don’t charge for the frames. They are free.
But I don’t want the frame.
Ok, I’ll remove it.
But then if you keep it you save money.
Yes, but the frame is yours just the same. Take it with you.
But I don’t want it!
Then you can leave it here.
But then you get a deal!
And on and on it goes.
They can’t understand how it could be the same cost with the frame or without the frame.
I don’t explain because of two things. It humors me and it’s true everything is negotiable but with me I will only negotiate if you will give me a better deal. If you offer me more money for a painting than what it is priced at we will have a deal. Promise.
Happy New Year to the readers who drop by this blog. I hope all of you have a prosperous year and will make or buy some great art, have some deep insights to your life and enjoy the ride.
