SOMETIMES IT ISN'T WORTH THE PRICE! A DISCUSSION ON COMMISSIONS...

"Three Acorns"

12" x 10" mixed media on gallery wrap canvas

$180 includes shipping in the US

We all have those frustrating stories about commissions gone awry...and today is mine.  I got a call from a client wanting to purchase my acorns.  She fell in love with "Acorn Duo" and wanted me to paint another one just like it only a different size...and on stretched canvas if it was less expensive than the cradles I make (MY FIRST MISTAKE TO QUOTE HER A LESSER PRICE FOR THE DIFFERENT SUPPORT) remember they are paying for our expertise, not the support...so our prices should reflect the same for size...in reality I should have charged more for the larger support...sigh...(insert "Acorn Duo) for a reminder...So...that necessitated a conversation with her about composition and when we change something that is 6" wide to 10" wide the same view of the subject will not look as good compositionally. She kept saying..."I'm not an artist"...BUT...and after a few minutes she began to understand what I was saying about composition...I told her I could do something similar, but that would work within the scope of the support size.  I also told her I would send her a photo of the background to see if she was happy with that...as she had talked about the colors matching her walls and towels (a bathroom piece)...SO, I did a close rendition of the background you see here in Acorn Duo.  I sent it over and got a response by phone at 9 p.m.  It began like this..."I'm not an artist, BUT" and then she proceeded to tell me she didn't like the green on the left side and the color of the background wasn't the same as the photo on my business card which just so happened to be Acorn Duo. I explained to her that colors translate differently in different media...even on computer monitors...but, to make her happy I told her I'd replicate the color in the background of the photo on the business card. SO, I mixed colors and RE-PAINTED THE BACKGROUND without the green (I was sad that went away) and closer to the color on my business card.  That action necessitated a conversation with her about how the leaf stamps (made by me :)) will look differently with the more solid background...she kept saying "I'm not an artist, BUT"...and finally when I explained that with the blue and green being analogous colors the contrast wouldn't be as strong as if the stamp color I used was orange, so she MIGHT be ok with it showing up more...sigh...after that she just said "I'm not an artist, SO...just paint it like you know best...make sure you have more leaves or acorns to make up the difference for the wider support"...whew...I know you all know that I already knew that...sigh...So, we signed off and I finished the painting...

I sent over to her the photo you see at top and these others to make SURE she was happy with the end result... She replied that she LOVED it and wanted to know if I could meet her at a mall that is on the east side of 

town from me for delivery...ANOTHER mistake on my part...DO NOT DO THAT...if they are that strapped for cash, then maybe they should wait to purchase something...sigh...again...SO, I get there...she sees the painting and says she loves it, pays me the balance and we go our separate ways...

A few minutes later she tracks me down in the mall and says she really doesn't like the stamping and could I either paint her another one or take out all the stamping!  Sheesh...I am a little taken aback and I explain to her that the stamping is part of my signature work, and the color for the background was a mixture that will take some time to replicate.  

Well, long story short...I decided on the way home with my painting in tow that to do all those changes OR paint another one would not be cost effective...PLUS...I came to the very clear conclusion that she wanted a more traditional artist, and I didn't WANT to change my piece like she wanted for a few dollars...It would no longer be my work...so, I decided to send her check back and explain she was probably looking for a different artist...which is what I will do...LESSON LEARNED...AGAIN!

The moral of this story is...don't undersell yourself, stay true to what you are as an artist...don't change your price for a commission...be upfront in the beginning and say, after a painting has been approved IF they do not want it they forfeit their deposit (which should be half up front) and that is that...FOR ME...I'm not sure I'm cut out for commission work...I love what I do, the way I do it too much to devalue my work in that way...I admit I've had many successful commission jobs...but for me they have been very willing to take the piece after we've discussed it the way I paint it...so...I am not totally giving up...but, for awhile I am...just until this lesson doesn't burn quite as much!  SO, as I do...I'm already on the next assignment, with gusto and a smile!!

HAPPY CREATING!!

"ORCHIDS" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ORCHIDS © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Orchids"

8x6" on cradled mdf panel

Commission

As you can see from the photos I used yesterday I ended up going with the composition (for the most part) of the 1st pic I posted...I didn't consciously do that, but in the end it suited my purposes for this requested painting.  However, I used the light and dark idea from the photo with the sun streaming behind (wanted those lights and darks) ...so, I guess it's a mix.  I left out one flower for composition purposes as my paper stream seemed to fill in for the 5th flower...but...it is finished.

No matter how many different ways I photographed this one it was a challenge to get the colors to read properly...and, as you all know each monitor is going to read this differently...sigh...but this seems close...on my monitor that is...lol

This is my first orchid to paint.  I found it interesting...delicate...fun!  Now I have to paint for an upcoming show...on PAPER...and...get ready for a demo in wax collage for Mountainside Art Guild...busy days...

HAPPY CREATING!

THE NEXT THING, AND THE NEXT THING...lalalalala

As it should be...art moves on...we go from one painting to the next...My next assignment is a painting of purple and white orchids for someone I dearly love...SO, not being one to paint from other photos that I haven't taken or gotten permission for I went and bought an orchid and did a little photo session...One of these will be THE one for this assignment...FUN!  I'm sharing several of the photos...and, when I'm finished see if you can figure out which pic I used!

It snowed again...yep...it's winter...as I was driving up to look at orchids I snapped this pic...brrrrrrr...

While up the mountain I visited my friend Cynthia's shop called "LUNA'S MANDALA" where I show some of my work...she's one of the best people I know and has some beautiful things...and is good to the local artists nearby...IF you are ever in Conifer you have to visit her wonderful store!

some of my work amongst the other treasures...

So, off to work I go...HAPPY CREATING!!

REALLY FINISHED THIS TIME...WITH NEW NAME! "AMONG THE TREES" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA PAINTING OF ASPEN AND ELK © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Among the Trees"

2'x2' mixed media on cradled MDF

$800 (plus $50 for shipping)

So, after a little tweaking here and there I am satisfied with the finished product; plus I found a more suitable name for this piece...You STILL have to look for the surprise elk, but once you find it...that is the focal point. Here is the yesterday version...see if you can find the little bit of leaf correction in both composition and toned down.  I added a few to enhance the comp, and I put green and the turquoise over some of the yellow to tone it down a bit...and...I added a bit of the background color in highlights on the elk to help it be more a part of the whole...See if you can see the subtle, but important changes!  I had fun with this...SO glad I added a bit and worried less about color...I will be entering this in a show in the next few days and should know if it gets in by December 1.  After that I will release it for sale if it ends up staying home for the holidays!

HAPPY CREATING!!

"ASPEN HOME" ORIGINAL MIXED MEDIA ASPEN/WILDLIFE PAINTING © SAUNDRA LANE GALLOWAY

"Aspen Home" (working title)

2' x 2' mixed media on MDF with cradle

$800.00 available in March unless it is rejected :)
"I'm going to enter it in a show at the Madden Museum"

I ALMOST waited to post this "finished" painting until tomorrow, BUT tomorrow is going to be even darker than it was today, so for my followers I'm posting this all but completed painting...I will wait until the light is better before I try to take photos for the website, so for now just accept this as the best capture I could do today with rainy dark clouds...It's pretty close...

As I've been saying I was getting a little weary of working with my aspen...so I played with a little unrealistic color (the turquoise in the aspen leaves) and I added a little focal point...can you see it?  Look closely...Click on the pic to make it bigger...it's there...someone who lives among the trees...:)  

In case you missed it...here is a detail that the light grabbed as it is still a wet oil...but you get the drift...:)

This elk was actually from a pic that I mirrored for the composition of this piece...but was actually on my driveway a year ago...I enjoyed photographing and painting this big guy last year, so decided to slip him into this aspen piece...I rather like the way it came out...he's just hanging out...amidst his trees.  It seems to be a secondary focus until you see him, and then it IS the focal point...I rather like that too...FUN.

I'm playing around with names...not sure this will be "it" yet...and I may add a very few other leaves here and there...but, not until I wake up tomorrow and glance at it again...But, for now...let's call it finished!

Announcing that I will have three pieces in the annual Echter's art show sponsored by Mountainside and Arvada Art Guilds next month...I was honored to have one of my earlier paintings chosen for the invite...If you are in the area I invite you to stop by and take a look!! Echter's Nursery and Garden center is located at

52nd Ave and Garrison St. in Arvada, CO

HAPPY CREATING!