I have sold more work in these categories (Places on this website) than any others during my life and I’ve just been looking back that those pictures, which I hope are reasonably well painted, in my stock that remain unsold. I’ve shown below four of those which have been publicly exhibited or shown in an online gallery but never been bought and I can’t quite figure out why this is so. Is it because they are overpriced, poor quality, too traditional, not properly promoted, the wrong size, too sterile with no atmosphere? I simply don’t know. It’s not a question of ” art is what you can get away with” in my case as my prices cover the actual cost of materials and framing, where appropriate, an hourly rate of about £25 an hour plus Gallery commission percentages whether shown online or in public exhibition.
Pricing a painting is always a difficult dilemma for an artist and I constantly look at the work of other artists to see the kind of prices they want. Sometimes I am frankly horrified at what I see and don’t understand how they can justify what they are asking as I know from my own experience roughly how long the work takes to do! Deep canvases require no frame and postage and packaging are fairly easy to estimate particularly if they are for UK delivery. Copyright is another issue and in my opinion some works should not be protected at all as there is little evidence of skill or technique, originality or any degree of genuine labour. Some are just straight rip- offs unless the artist clearly states that it is a copy or refers to someone else’s creation. All I will say about the above unsold work is that the View from the Thames is the most expensive at £1,500 because it is the largest, the most detailed, took more time than the others, allows for commission, takes up gallery storage space in London, would cost most for packing, postage and delivery and was done under pressure to complete on time for an exhibition! I am currently making arrangements to sell all of them for worthy causes.
Apart form the above I’m working on two paintings at the moment for some friends who have been been very good to us over the years but as usual I’m agonising about getting them right. Here’s a first effort at one which may just remain a preparatory effort or could be persevered with! Time will tell.
The intended recipients don’t yet know of this so there’s no title in mind yet!