I’ve been following Emily Henderson (Stylist, Designer, TV Host) for a long time. I read her blog pretty much every day and love a lot of what she does. We are both Virgo’s and actually share the same Birthday, if we ever met I think we would become friends. She enjoys thrifting and discovered some artwork recently that she was interested in. Here is how she breaks down her thoughts on pricing.
“ The problem is that they were expensive, weighing in at $450 a piece. Now, I got a discount (I think 20% off) because I have a relationship and she knew I would post about it but I still think they are worth $450 because of the following reasons:”
Materials cost money, and even buying materials takes time.
Talent takes time to cultivate, sometimes over DECADES of learning, experimenting, teaching yourself not to mention any classes or art school that was attended.
Creating a very good color palette is not easy, thus more time experimenting and likely a lot of first drafts.
Actually painting the piece takes time. I don’t know how much but this looks like over 10 hours.
Having it framed is expensive and takes more time/effort.
The stress of putting your work out there, paying for the booth that you sell it in and then merchandising in a way that looks good takes more time (and money).
“You get it. If you can paint this yourself for less than $450, sure, go for it! If not, I think that an original painting for $450 is a great deal by a contemporary artist.”
Two of my paintings now available in my shop.
A few months ago while I was away on a girl’s trip my small business became the topic of discussion. My friends informed me that the pricing of my artwork needed revising. All of my pieces are originals and some of my prices were too low, similar to pricing on a print.
They gave me tips and told me things that I should start doing immediately as they are entrepreneurs themselves. The breakdown that Emily has shared above is something I think most makers understand. When I read these words I knew I wanted to share this with my audience here. Some collectors already have an appreciation for original artwork and know what goes into making a piece. Others may wonder why a painting is priced so high? I still think my prices are very affordable in comparison to the artists I admire.
It really is tough to put a price tag on something that is handmade. Over time I have learned that it may take a bit of time for the right person to connect with what I have created. All of these changes are helping me stay true to my brand and who I am. If you’ve been here since the beginning I thank you for going on this journey with me.