Let’s look at art as a business.  Seldom done by actual artists themselves.  If you are an artist and think you would like to start selling your work, what defines your price tags?

Well lets look at things objectively in terms of what your target market and buying environment is.  I’m going to go with what I’m used to, which is the average suburban environment.  Looking at things as a whole, your target market is obviously home owners with expendable income.  Given the economy, this is a current rarity.  So given that information you need to bring prices down to a level where the artistically uneducated can find inherent value in spending money on something with no function.  They of course could just as easily go to the mall for pre-framed paintings….

You and I offer something distinct, original.  It offers a story to the home owners rather just something in the background.  It becomes a conversation piece and not another piece of background noise in the interior decoration.  Most know this. 

Assuming people have seen your work (which is a stretch, considering the laws of art) what should you answer when an interested party says “how much?”.  As you think of prices the first thing you think about is what the maximum amount you can get out of a buyer without them questioning the transaction.  Considering lack of attention art gets in suburbia, price should be lower than in a city.  Especially considering the horrid economy.  Low and behold I could not find a coherent formula to price your artwork, but lucky you, I have spent quite a long time coming up with a formula (mostly when procrastinating lecture preperation).

There will of course be controversy behind this formula, but I feel it is an accurate way for people to price their work (though ultimately it should be your personal choice).  It is of course a business model if anything, and trust me, I realize that art and math don’t mix:

A = Area of Painting (inches)
B = Time Spent Creating Work (in working weeks)(<1 = 1)
C = Age Of Work (5 Year Increments) (<1 = 1)
X = X Factor, Market value of artist, opinion based ranging from .10 -10). 10 being the most valuable for marketable potential.  Most artists will fall between .10-3.

This may seem abstract, but that’s how I paint anyways.  Actually I found it to be a coherent way to price art work.  Here is an example of one of my paintings:

A = 24″x48″ = 1152
B = <1 Week = 1
C = <1 Year = 1
X = .75, my guess

Which puts the price tag at about $350.  I’ve been told that $350 is low for a large painting, but I feel that from a business standpoint it makes the most sense for now.  Once I become more popular, that price will go up with the X Factor.  The X Factor can also go beyond 10 for famous and well-known artists.  Try it out on some of your work and see what you get.  Again, it is only a default way of thinking about what you are putting in, and what you are getting back.

If you don’t care about calculations… good because you shouldn’t.  Your art is unique and so is your pricing.  I hope this may help as a better understanding of those who are just jumping into the market.  Enjoy!

 

Check out the new work on the hompage!

 

So things are beginning to click.  I used to create art which lacked a certain level of boldness.  This is say, back in college.  It hadn’t occured to me that I was capable of producing work that carried with it a level of depth and loud color.  It was said early in my collegiate academic career that I see tremendous depth and complexity in two dimensional art forms.  Of course following that information, it was said that I did not understand three dimensional art forms as well, damn.

I tend to agree.  Though my mind takes a 2D medium and breaks apart the different levels to create a 3D art-form in my head.  That may sound like child’s play, but it has been interesting to see my level of spatial understanding grow as my artwork evolves.  As an architect I was taught to be good with space.  The first three years of classes were all about space.  Taking that into account, how does space affect a piece of abstract art?

The truth of course is that figure/ground and composition play a major role in the overall genetics of a piece of art.  However, as any painter knows, works have several layers of composition, no matter what the genre is.  Being able to break apart these layers mentally is an ability that most artists share.  I am just beginning to realize the complexity by which elements are contributed to a piece of art. 

Actually, to be fair, I personally think that knowing when to stop is the biggest skill an abstract artist can attain.  I often wonder how Jackson Pollock or de Knooning knew when to stop. My guess is that they had a certain aesthetic that they tried to adhere to as a final product.  From there, they visualize the different layers and then apply that 3D mapping in their heads to a canvas.

My artwork is definitely evolving.  I am learning patience and depth.  You will begin to see layers emerge in a new way.  I think its fairly certain that you may begin to see the one color background get phased out in pursuit of something more complex and eye intriguing.  I guess you could say that my goal is have my art perform just as well up close as it does from a distance… not an easy task for all artists. 

All work on the waiting list has been completed.  I am now continuing work that will be put up for the upcoming shows.  There is a art collaboration in Hartford that I got invited to (un+art).  I would really like to do it, but I am unsure if I will have any work available.  I will need to work efficiently over the next couple weeks, but if the inspiration is not there it could be trouble.

 

I will be creating a mailing list.  If you want updates, gallery openings, new work, nude photos then please send a blank email to Contact@TedMikulski.com. All buyers will automatically be on the list.

The nude photos was a lie, sorry.

Also, there is a small waiting list on per diem work. I am in the process of getting those complete.

So what catagorizes a good artist?  The age old question.  If you look at it from your standpoint, which you are, it is whatever your mind is open to.  It could be a piece of paper, a chair or it could only be a traditional painting that you consider to be art.  However, if you look at it from a market standpoint, your opinion has nothing to do with it.

All artitsts are visual people.  They adapt their senses to contributing to whatever expression their mind is suited for.  For example, I cannot write music nor easily learn a foreign language, but I see everything as space and color hence why painting and architecture is perfectly suited for me.  This is a fairly nice talent to have but what most artists lack is a sense of business. 

Let’s say that 5% of the americas population is considered to be artistic with some sort of talent or developed skill. I’m willing to bet that only small fraction of those 5% has any business sense as it pertains to their art.  Which is why there are countless artists but only a handful of marketable artists (most of whom are dead). 

Art is an aestetic with zero functionality.  Hence why it caters to wealthy.  The wealthy see it as both decoration and as a status symbol.  Likewise, others that may not be well off see it as an investment.  Either way, that is the target market.  I used to play poker for about 5 hours a day in college.  I started a year before the poker boom and the population acceptance only fueled my addiction.  I play it sparatically now, but I learn a great deal about physcology (self taught).  In order to apply this knowledge to other things, I had to start thinking in the macro of things… Sociology.  Good thing for me is that my father is a Sociology professor. 

Moving on.  Without having this knowledge of sociology and physcology, I would have never been adapt to making myself a well-known artist.  It takes an incredible amount of hard-work and luck… just like anything else.   When you being to see things from a business standpoint, the art then comes easier, as you are now creating something sustainable and recognizable.

The art world is an enigma.  It is closely tied up with pop culture and with society as a whole, which makes sense.  Therefore, in order to adapt yourself with its gravitational pull, one needs to apply a fairly complex understanding of society both to their art and to their venues.  For all those who dream of becoming a famous artist, you will need to apply the same amount of time studying society and business, as you do creating the actual art.  Scary…

Switching it up a bit I do have some good news…  I will be displaying my work at Cafe Manhattan in Springfield, MA  beginning the first week of June and on through the summer.  It is a lounge with a rich aptmosphere. Looking forward to that.

Also, I do not have a time available yet when people can come see the library exhibit.  Stay tuned for that.

 

The previous rant I feel is right on.  HOWEVER, as Lisa points out in her comment, there is plently of good vibes in the art world today… and yes I would like some cocktails.   I am extremely otimistic… If I wasn’t I certainly would not have set up the website. 

I have been gorilla marketing myself to galleries in an attempt to gain someones charity to allow a new artist space on their walls.  I have been met with lots of resistence.  By resistence I mean that I get comments like “I sell only trtaditional works of art.  I have no customers for your works.”  Granted this is only one response, and I understand it…  Though I can’t help but be outraged by the term “traditional”. 

We all want to be up-scale, classy individuals.  Which is why it seems that most consumers would go straight to the Thomas Kinkade shop or buy prints of famous art.  How is this productive to a dynamic aestetic?  Well it’s not… It reminds me of people sitting around sipping tea on floral print couches talking about how there was a good sale at the local grocery store today.

WAKE UP! Art should not be something that puts you to sleep, nor should it be all prints.  Art buyers should be taking chances on amateur artists both as a solid investment and because they get an original… A luxury that few have in their homes.  The word “traditional”… it conjurs up so much of what is wrong with the social knowledge of art.  Most of who are not educated in art think that abstract works and modernism is too complicated or ithat it is a con of the art world.  It simply goes back to environment, surroundings that define opinion.   Forgive my arrogance, but landscape art is BORING.  Look outside.

Also, for all those buying traditional famous pieces… they are famous for a reason.  Most are brilliant but simply because they are numbered 1230/2500 does not mean you are special.  I heard the other day that Van Gogh’s Starry Night is the most signifigant painting in history (debatable or course).  That is the worst statement I have ever heard.  It is a nice painting but lets not forget that Van Gogh used to drink Absinth EVERYDAY and that eventually he saw everything with a yellow tint (hence why most of his work is yellow). 

So WAKE UP art lovers.  I realize it is opinion that drives art, and also that abstract art is accepted by some, but the masses need to open their eyes. Am I out of line?  Of course not, Man, I love this blog…

So I realize I am in a Connecticut suburb, which of course shapes and skews my view on well.. everything.  However I have recently been hanging out with wanna-be musicians.  That may sound harsh but lets be honest here, they drink and hang out every night jamming… which don’t get me wrong is a lot of fun…  But there are thousands upon thousands of musicians who do the same thing and whereas they may be personally satisfied with what they are doing, they will never achieve their goals by sitting around drinking and hanging out.  The best musicians worked and worked and with a little luck they were recognized.

This leads me into art.  I tend to think that at least in my benign location, I have enough drive and business sense to make a name for myself.  Now it occurs to me that since everything is perception, that the positives and attention of my work is really lost in the machine of mediocrity.  In other words, there may be 10 known artists in this town.  One town… in Connecticut.  What kind of blind arrogance do I have to think that as a whole, my work is any more special than someone else.

Also, one of these musicians could not stop talking about the work I had done previous to my abstract phase which is present. I mean the work that resembles something.  These are artistic people and they cannot see the inherent sensible aesthetic beauty in abstracting a canvas to create something meaningful.  Maybe it is because they have experienced the same perspective they always have.  The same people, the same opinions being influenced by the same people.  And trust me, I know it applies to me too.

So now what?  I recognize that I have too much ambition to stay in a small town forever living a mediocre life, having my suburban surroundings define my expression.  So logically why wouldn’t I go to a big city?  I may be ambitious but I have enough sense to recognize that without the right connections and venues, my work will be lost.  Many praise the 1960’s art scene as the birth of modernism…  Some amazing work came out of that movement.  Yet for every famous artist in SoHo there were 99 that drank themselves silly and never got anywhere.  In the birth of modernism!  So what chance do I have in an over-saturated market with 100 other “me’s” wanting to make it big as an artist.

Meanwhile the only peace I feel is when I am staring at a blank canvas.

So I am now teaching Grafitti at Tunxis Community College as a part of Art Appreciation.  It’s funny that once your mind gets wrapped up in the beauty of a specific art, the more your expressions lend themselves to it.  You will see that 3 of the new works are inspired loosely on grafitti.  They are hybirds, though resonate in the use of paint splatter.

My favorite out of the new batch is most certainly “Sideways” (the work with the red arrows). I was thinking that a strong symbol in grafitti and in society in general is the arrow.  The grafitti portion of the new work is secondary to the paint splatter.  This was done as a hierarchy of art forms. Not only in my mind, but as accepted by society in general both as public conscience and overall market value.   You will see several more grafitti inspired works soon enough.

Remember that my first show is May 27th at Enfield library!  Ok, so it’s only vaguely exciting.  It will be interesting to see if the suburbs accept my art, since it is contrary to the way the suburbs are (conservative and direct).  If anything it may just be a good way for people to see my art and judge for themselves.  Even though its not some famous studio, the library is said to be a place where artists sell the most work.  Also, it’s Enfield, which has quite a large population compared to many towns in CT.  Of course regardless of these generalities, it’s still the Enfield library.

My short-term goal is to be in an established studio by the end of the year.  Don’t think it will happen you say?  That’s not nice…

 

Got a plug from my cousin Lisa, thanks! http://artlook.typepad.com/a_look_at_art_design/2008/04/artist-ted-miku.html

So as a quick update, there will be 5 new paintings added to the website this weekend.

Getting into the real discussion here is my new theories on making it in the art world.  So that in and of itself is a big statement.  I live in Enfield, CT.. possibly the worst place ever for art.  Also, I only paint part time, not dedicating all my time to making it. 

The idea is to at least begin to build a client list.  This means selling work cheap and to those around me who know me and enjoy my work.  Then you give those individuals 5 business cards to go along with the painting, so that if friends of theirs say “o0oh, I love that, the client gives them a business card.

So theres one basic idea.  The other idea is internet saturation.  This is of course not ideal because the market is so fragmented, but it will give me solid feedback and global exposure. 

So those are some quick ideas.  I will be blogging here about the progress of my art marketing and how well I am accomplishing my goals.  I also am going to do 3 VERY large pieces soon.  It’s just a matter of what size and how to go about it.  Should be fun.

I have been completely a few new works in preparation for the library opening on the 27th (May).  I’m currently teaching graffiti in my Art Appreciation class and I forgot why I love it so much.  The raw form, free-flowing musicly inspired work is what adapted itself on my canvas.  I am currently doing an obscure painting that is a hybrid of graffiti and abstract moderism.

I will post new work on TedMikulski.com in fours.  Meaning that every 4 new paintings will be posted.  I plan on buying a couple of 60″x48″ canvases so I can do something on a massive scale. 

The new work will be posted shortly.  I hope I can keep this blog personal rather than business related.  I have had about 5 or 6 blogs in my life and all of them were either strictly school or strictly business.  I hope that this will be incredibly informal and allow me to express my ideas openly.  Plus, it beats using a pen.

So above is some of the earlier work I used to do. I did it at a different time in my life, and I no longer need to say “fuck you” via a paint brush.  It is part of my progression as an artist, and I think the style played a big part in my artistic movement.

So the date of the gallery opening is May 27th at the Enfield Public Library. 

I will have my work there until July 17th.  It is a great opportunity to have my work viewed by an impartial audience and possibly bring in more clients.  I have also purchased business cards so I will have something to hand out when I go to art gallery openings and when I sell a painting. 

There will be several new paintings posted on the website next week so stay tuned for that.

I also just viewed Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock movie.  It is very entertaining and is extremely captivating.  More or less it is about a woman who bought a painting from the then “starving artist” that was Jackson Pollock, and is now looking to sell it.  Of course she is asking $50M.  It is a wonderful play off of the art community, check it out if you get a chance.