More Hidden Work

Well, it's been about a month since I have posted. Our art group had a Hanukkah fair last week. Why am I blogging about the hidden costs of being an artist? Because sometimes it's hard to hear customers (not usually mine!) complain that the art is so expensive. I'm not complaining...I just want to create a reality check. Most artists I know either have a "real" job or they're retired and collecting a pension or social security. As you read what follows, keep in mind that most artists do not sell full time...nor can they sell as well as some of our artists did. Take into account learning curves, developing your talents, shopping for supplies, the cost of materials, the space in which to create, AND the labor involved. I reiterate...this is not a rant....or as Friday used to say on Dragnet...."just the facts, M'am....just the facts!" Twelve of us set up shop in the lobby of our local Jewish Community Center. I chose to sell my current inventory left over from previous sales. I didn't do any new work. Sorting through my inventory only took about 30 minutes. With my husband's help, we loaded the bins of glass, wrapping materials,cart, glass cleaning supplies, table cloths, business cards, and display units. Another 20 minutes.

It's just a ten minute drive to the "J", but then we have to unload the car, stack everything onto the cart (two separate loads)... and then move and park the car...15 minutes. Passing through security and checking in brings me to my table. Set up shold only take 30 minutes, but I am also coordinating the show so other artists have needs and questions so it takes about an hour. At this point I have 2 hours 15 minutes into the sale....and we haven't yet opened up for business. The sale opens the next day and each of us is excpected to contribute 5 hours staffing the sale. I work a total of 8 hours. At closing, I pack up the remaining items that didn't sell, making sure each piece is safely padded against breakage.....20 min. Stack the bins back onto the cart. Some artists can't arrive on time because of their oaying jobs...so I remain on site to help clpse out the sale, pull tablecoths and cover up reaining art work until they can be picked up.The safe needs to be emptied and cash on hand counted and all receipts collected....35 minutes. Move and load the car...10 .total time inested not including the purchasing of glass, studio maintenance, packaging the glass? ......11hrs 5 minutes. Many of our artists had even more time invested. Some artists sold little or nothing. Other artists averaged $300-600 in sales....some less, some more. At first glance, it doesn't seem that bad.....Let's say you work 5 hours and take in $500 in sales. You make about $100 and hour....right? Well....... 10% of the money collected goes to the J for use of the space. 5% goes to our Art organzation to pay for related costs to stage the show, and about 2.5% goes to the credit card company for the privilege of using the card. And we haven't discussed the cost of materials or the labor that went into the making of the art! Let's do the math: $500 in sales - 10% commission $50 - 5% to organzation $25 2.5% credit card fee 12.50 ------------ $87.50 in fees 500 - 87.50 = $412.50 divided by 5 hours now brings your hourly pay to $82.59 an hour...Still sounds good? The materials and labor involved in the art you are selling accounts for 50-75% of your sales....and the amount you made is about $20.60 an hour or about $100 for 5 hours of sales time....not to mention drive time to and from the site each tie you came to the J. If you didn't sell at all....you are in the hole. ANd of course if you sold less, you are potentially in the hole. If you sold more....you are doing ok but.....we still haven't talked about income tax that we pay on whatever we earn.... If our art lands in a gallery the commission costs can run 40-60%...so artists have to raise their prices just to make ends meet.