14 Rules for Consigning Your Art

Cousin Charlie Rooster #2

is a greeting card on

consignment at

  The Art Shoppe at Midtown Global Market

Once you have decided to share your art beyond giving it as gifts to friends and family, you will look for venues to sell your work. Art sales options can be overwhelming: ETSY (your work), zazzle (your designs on their products), your own blog, any of the dozens of web-based group sales venues, art fairs, sales through the arts organizations that you have joined, and farmers' markets. 

Considering consignment

Eventually you may consider consignment, a nifty arrangement in which you put your work into either a brick-and-mortar or web-based store in which someone else handles the customer interactions (conversations and sales), and you keep ownership of the work until it sells. The benefits are wider exposure than you might create on your own and the expansion of your sales team to include the store owners and staff. For this, you pay a percentage of the sales price.

Consignment is a big step. Think through these points as you consider consignment:

1. Find the right venue #1. 

Talk to the owners or managers. They are in business to make money for themselves and for their artists. Make sure that you are comfortable with the people you will trust with your art.

Pandas from the 

Hidden Bamboo Forest of Saint Paul

are on consignment on a greeting card at 

Three Sisters Eclectic Arts in Saint Paul

2. Find the right venue #2.  

If a store has a mission (representing artists from under-served communities, artists with disabilities, artists from a specific geographic area), don’t press to be accepted if you are not a member of the group.  

3. Find the right venue #3.

Pay attention to stores’ price points. Don’t embarrass yourself by approaching a high-end-big-dollar gallery if the work that you want to sell is exactly what you sell on ETSY for under $30.

4. Find the right venue #4. 

Style matters. A gallery with a 20-year history of selling cutting-edge abstracts run by one of the Big Names in Abstract Art Criticism may not be interested in taking on even the most exquisite realistic botanical art. 

5. Find the right venue #5. 

Some stores require artists’ participation beyond dropping off work. Is there an hours-per-month requirement? If you are uncomfortable with a few hours a month at retail, are there other ways to fulfill a work requirement? Ask about the managers’ needs. Consider social media, marketing and merchandizing as ways to fulfill your obligation.

6. Follow the store’s protocols with your Inventory Integrity.  

You want to sell your art, and all stores have rules about pricing and presentation which -- if you want to get paid correctly --  you must follow to the letter. Although you will not be in the store every day, you must monitor your own inventory. Once accepted, you will submit inventory sheets with coding, prices, and product descriptions. Smart artists use consistent inventory coding and pricing across all inventory and across all platforms. Present legible inventory lists. Unless it is the policy, don’t expect the store managers to code and price your work.

7. Understand when and how you will be paid. 

Some stores have multiple levels for consignors. Make sure that you understand exactly how each store's compensation system works. Most stores collect and pay sales tax. You are responsible for paying your own income tax. Talk to an accountant or tax lawyer to make sure that you are tracking your sales and paying your income taxes correctly.

8. Setting prices #1. Pricing is hard. 

What is the magic number that will encourage someone to purchase your work without undercutting its value (and your profit)? How much is too much? How little is too little? Talk to the managers. Look at the stock and ask about price points and what sells best. Talk to your artist friends who sell on consignment, and ask for their advice.

9. Setting prices #2. 

Price your items consistently. If not now, then soon, you will be selling art in many outlets and across many platforms. Nothing will irritate store managers and customers more than inconsistent pricing should you have one price for your website, another price for ETSY, one price for this store, another for the shop across town, and yet another for your direct sales. This is part of your Inventory Integrity, and only you can manage it.

10. Packaging: People buy with their eyes

Always present clean, well-packaged work. Make sure that price tags and other tags are legible.

11. Ask to do a demo or to teach a class. 

Many consignment venues have space for teaching which generates traffic for the store and can generate income for you. Note that store owners and managers are your first, best audience. The more that they know you, how you make your art, and how you talk about it, the easier it is for them to talk about your work to customers when you are not in the store.

12.  Your artist statement.

Within the space limitations of the store, post an artist statement. Customers are curious about you and your art. How do you make it? What is/are your inspiration(s)? What materials do you use?

13.  Sales are not personal.  

Some of your work may fly off the shelves; other work may not sell at all. Consider re-packaging, re-framing, or re-purposing the work by cutting it up and making a mosaic out of it, spreading gesso over the canvas and making a new painting, or re-making the jewelry by using the components in new work. Every piece of work won’t be loved, but all of it can be re-purposed.

14.  Know the law. 

You will be asked to sign a contract. Read it. If you don’t understand some of its terms, ask the store owner, or, better yet, take it to your lawyer. You have a lawyer don’t you? Every artist should have a lawyer on retainer for no other reason than to have an expert eye to review anything to do with the sale of your art. Find a lawyer who represents creatives as small business owners.

More reading about consigning

Consignment selling regulations

http://www.ehow.com/info_8680035_consignment-selling-regulations.html

How to understand consignment rules

http://www.ehow.com/how_4872978_understand-consignment-rules.html

Starting a consignment business

http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/community-blogs/business-law-advisor/starting-consignment-business-0

Consigning your arts and crafts
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/consigning-arts-crafts-30281.html

Fingerprint dots to tiny triangles: work in progress

Blue Fingerprint Dots

Rotator Cuff Surgery & Painting

I had rotator cuff surgery in November 2013, and it had (and continues to have) a long recovery which included about 10 weeks away from painting with my right hand.

Multi Fingerprint Dots

Must paint. Must paint.

Undeterred, I painted a number of sheets of fingerprint dots with my left hand, knowing that I would cut them into tiny triangles and create paper mosaics. Like most good things, this is taking much longer than I imagined.

The Guillotine Paper Cutter

I didn't consider that The Guillotine Paper Cutter could not be part of early rotator cuff rehab and recovery. (I just started physical therapy "weight training" with a one-pound weight.) The first step in making tiny triangles from sheets of painted Arches Cold Pressed Grain Fin 140# paper requires a sound "thwack" with the paper cutter, and I am just now beginning to use it. More than a few "thwacks" is clearly a wrong thing for my shoulder.

The Tiny Triangles

Facing a growing stack of half-inch strips, I know that making tiny triangles will require scissors, patience, and more recovery.

Creatures of Whimsy at the SE Hennepin Library January - March

Opening reception: January 25, 2014.
1:30 to 4:30. 1222-4th St SE.

When the first of the whimsical creatures called small friends arrived in my studio in 2006, I had no idea that they were creating a path for their friends and families. More than 400 creatures have marched, swarmed, flown, hopped, or strolled through the doors and windows to have their portraits painted.

The SE Hennepin Library offered its walls to host 29 paintings, and Creatures of Whimsy will hang there until March 29. The opening reception is Saturday, January 25 from 1:30 to 4:30. All are welcome to see the paintings and to try out Judith Olney's Joy of Chocolate Pound Cake and one of my new favorites, Shoo Fly Cake.

This building was designed to house a credit union by the late Ralph Rapson. Its layout, with many short walls between offices, is a gift to artists with small works that benefit from close scrutiny.

Mycological Musings

Stained Glass Rooster

SAVE THE DATE (for kids!)

March 1 from 3-4 p.m.

Susan Gainen will read from The Small Friends' Chronicles and introduce Robert the Tap Dancing Rooster, the Frogs’ Square Dance Team, Mary Anna Musk Ox, Darren Dragon, the Lost Cave Paintings of Saint Paul, the Wild Parrots of Saint Paul, and Zavier Camo Zebra.

Bonus: Everyone will get to make a zebra postcard – with or without stripes!

              

Library Information
1222 4th Street Southeast
Minneapolis, MN
612.543.6725
Hours: Tuesday (9-5), Thursday (noon-8), Saturday (9-5)

Image-a-day 2014: Gratitude

Pencil Lines: Image-a-day #1

2013 Image-a-day ended abruptly.

After rotator cuff surgery in mid-November 2013, I was forbidden to use my right hand, which meant no typing, painting, or drawing. My approach to rehab was guided by Kathleen, a pal from Vine Arts Center and a massage therapist, who said: "Do your exercises or become my patient for life."

Exercise for rehab.

So I did my exercises. After coming out of anesthesia and two solid weeks of pain-med-morphine, my right hand shook uncontrollably. I did my exercises, harboring the fear that I would never be able to draw or paint tiny details, which are the hallmarks of much of my art. I kept quiet and continued with my exercises.

On Christmas Day, I picked up a pencil and began to make this drawing. Tiny lines. Straight lines. Lots of them. The tiny drawing was two inches long. I wasn't able to work on it every day until January 8. I'm now ready to commit to my fourth year of Image-a-day painting.

Gratitude.

Panda #2 In Progress
On a Black Gesso Ground

I have a long list of people to thank, and I may miss some because the first three weeks after surgery are still a blur: My beloved book group, the Mystery "Mavens" (we have another name, but I don't want to get caught in a spam filter) who made and delivered soup and snacks, drove me to grocery stores, and, once, to the ER (Becky, Martha, Kathryn, Julie, Connie, Pat); neighbor and fellow Whovian and Sherlockian, Mary, an all-around fabulous helper who was unafraid to note that Figs Poached in Diet Ginger Ale is disgusting. (It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I was taking morphine for pain, which makes you stupid.)

Also, my friend Susan who bought the innocent figs and the other yummy treats which I did not abuse; WARM Mentor Layl, who supported my left-handed artwork and made sure that I was able to buy Black Gesso during our outing; Pal Janet, who provided chocolate and cheer; Russ and Susan, who cheerfully schlepped me and my art to various places; Josie, the very best Occupational Therapist Ever; and, finally (last but certainly not least), my great friends Nancy and Jason, who drove me and fed me cheered me throughout this ordeal.

Next week.

Cataract surgery. I can't wait.

Give thanks for paint tubes and other innovations

In the very first post on this blog, I wrote about how lucky I am to be a 21st century painter because I could walk into an art store and buy a tube of Lapis watercolor paint. No need to dig it up. No need to grind it myself. No need to fret about consistency from batch to batch. No worries about preserving it.

John G. Rand: Innovator

In May 2013, Smithsonian Magazine had a short but very informative article about the introduction of tubes for paint by "a little-known" American portrait painter, John G. Rand. Should you be hungry for more information about this innovator, look no further than a helpful article from the North Carolina Museum of Art: A revolution in paint.

Philip Ball's "Bright Earth"

Philip Ball's brilliant Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color sparked the "I don't need to grind it" insight. It is still a favorite book, and it sits on my night table. Full of delights and exciting (to me) material such as "Color Technology in Antiquity" and the shocking introduction of "Synthetic Pigments and the Dawn of Color Chemistry," Bright Earth also answers pesky questions such as "Who was Hooker of Hooker's Green?"

When making art, we stand (or sit) on the shoulders of innovators. Thanks to all of them.

Read this: Never Underestimate the Power of a Paint Tube (Smithsonian)

The Suction Cup Spreading Whimsy and Hyperspace: Meet Susan Gainen | The Suction Cup

First Hummingbird in Hyperspace

Thank you, Kate Renee, for this blog post.

The Suction Cup Spreading Whimsy and Hyperspace: Meet Susan Gainen | The Suction Cup

Nanoscapes' magnets: for learning, for fun or for money?

In my third year of image-a-day painting, I use these daily exercises to explore new patterns and designs, new materials, and new techniques.

Gels and TerraSkin since June 2013

Since June 2013, I've been gleefully exploring Golden Brand Gel Mediums (glass bead gel, tar gel, self-leveling clear gel, mica gel, black mica gel, fiber paste, and molding paste). Combined with TerraSkin, the tree-free paper that opened the door to Hummingbirds (and Friends) in Hyperspace, I've been on a three-month wild art ride.

Hummingbird in Hyperspace
on TerraSkin

Next up: magnets

Armed with 2x2-inch primed aluminum squares (thank you Jason Najarak), round magnets from Michael's (thank you, Layl McDill), a glue stick, some leftover Mod Podge and Golden gels, I expected to whip up some magnets to sell at the Saint Paul Art Crawl.

Not so fast.

Every good thing has a learning curve.

Making the cuts

What I'd imagined to be a great use for leftover watercolors or cut-up greeting cards, turns out to be an exercise in painstakingly careful cutting to match the aluminum squares. Not just snip-snip-snip and done, but not-unpleasant-but-not-very-fast cutting and matching, reminiscent of quilting.

Finding the right glue.

As much as I love a good glue stick, even my favorite archival stick was not a good match for this project. Call in the acrylic team (Mod Podge and gels), spread the glue, match the corners, press the paper to remove the glue ooze. Wait for the glue to dry.

Glaze the top and sides

Luckily for me, one of my prime artist directives is Painstaking Exuberance, loosely defined as relishing work in tiny spaces with tiny tools. Even Self-Leveling Clear Gel can't be troweled onto a tiny square so I used wooden skewers as applicators. I had also hoped to put glass bead gel inside some of the tiny shapes, but that will add an extra step. Maybe someday.

Glue the magnet to the back

Separating the round magnets from one another isn't as easy as I thought it would be. That, of course, is the reason that they are called "Magnets." Use a skewer to spread the glue on the tiny magnet. Carefully remove the glue that oozes out. Wait. Wait some more.

For learning, for fun or for money?

I've only made three of these, and I can't put a "price-per-hour" on them at the moment. I've learned a lot, so perhaps I will charge myself my hourly art-teacher rate and imagine that I've taken a class.