Before I tell you about all the positive feedback I got ( especially on the bespoke)... and great Sales from the Living North Christmas fair.... not to mention all the lovely new people I met and some old friends and work colleagues who also came to see me, I thought that I would just mention a single incident which really irritated and later upset me.I hardly ever "rant and rave in public".... but I just wanted to get this off my chest.
Late on Saturday, on my stall at the fair I was just in the middle of a Sales transaction when a young girl approached me totally oblivious to my customer. She expressed an interest in my "Ashes of Roses" picture (the one on photo) I thanked her and continued. The girl then obviously wanted my undivided attention because she than fired me with one question after another about the picture, quite aggressive in her delivery. Then she continued to inform me that my price was cheap and this painting could be put into repeat, which by this stage I realised that she was a designer. After informing her that the sale of the picture in no way also transfers the copyright and that my prices were my business..... she then fired me questions about my status, work experience and training........ By this stage I was furious and had to contain myself due to the fact that I had a customer (who by this stage was waiting for her products) ... After promptly shooting her down in flames she backtracked a little and proceeded to tell me that she qualified as a surface pattern designer a few years ago but found no work and has since been doing bar work overseas...... I felt sorry for her as I know how hard it is for young designers but it is also hard for the rest of us and her behavior was definitely not going to earn her brownie points... never mind a job.
I am trying very hard not to be a middle age ranter who complains about "Young People" as I know that the girl represents, hopefully a small percentage of young... "me, me, me , want it now, because I am worth it!.. brigade...... but later when I got home I was really stewing ... and feeling very suspicious about her intentions...............
So Rant over!...... feel better now.... and next blog post will be full of positive things and news of my future developments!
This seems to be a familiar story these days. I am not sure what they teach at art school these days, but it's certainly not good business practice as approaching another designer in this way is very bad. I had a similar thing happen in the last exhibition I was in, in London. A young artist, straight out of school, behaved like everyone should be bowing down to him because he had won some accolade for drawing (or something). He complained about the space he was in at the show, and after one night decided he was too good for it and took his work down leaving a bare space. Now bearing in mind he was in a group show, selected by a well known curator and other artists who were established and 'known', I don't think it was his best career move! Let's hope for better.
ReplyDeleteThankfully on Sunday another design graduate came along and was lovely........ she was polite and enthusiastic and was grateful for any advice on the industry!.........
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