Pricing Policy and Practice- Art in Everyone's Life

It is very important to me as a community artist to keep original art affordable and accessible.
I do not do any reproductions of my work with the exception of 3 x 5 photos used to create greeting cards.
There are many reasons why I do not rely on reproductions for inventory.
1. Original art lives differently than reproductions. Once, someone came into my booth and asked why the watercolor painting she was viewing was wrinkled. I explained the paper had been soaked. Whistler's paintings in the museum are wrinkled. I realized how sterilized pieces become when all folks live with are reproductions. At least posters do not try to mimic original works. Pastel paintings which are more sculptures because of the layering, are flattened in copies.
2. If I rely on copies, I need not paint as much. If I do not paint I am not honing my skills and vision. I paint 8-10 hours a day. Like a musician practicing scales, painting and drawing constantly improves my work.

It saddens me to go to galleries and art fairs in which the paintings are thousands of dollars. Art should be for everyone.
Around 8 years ago, a young woman maybe 16 came into my booth. She looked at a small Asian Ink Painting costing $10. She left. She returned. She left. She returned and took out of her pocket 10 crinkled and wrinkled dollar bills. She said, "I really like that painting."
That sale, that connection meant so much to me.

During these unsettling times, I am exploring how to keep art accessible as I hope it provides a spiritual care, a sense of hope and a promise of what is good. Because I do not value myself, nor my work, by the price assigned it, I continuously reassess how to sell my work in order to meet my family's financial needs. Most often I use the formula materials plus time, paying myself $12 an hour. I am able to do this because my family has agreed to keep our wants to a minimum and I paint continuously maintaining a large inventory. The greater the inventory the less I need charge per painting.

In order to meet varying needs, I offer 3 other payment options.
1. Rent To Own- For this option we agree on monthly payments with the understanding if folks wish to keep the picture, monies paid go towards purchasing it.
2. Unframing the work- While I keep my framing costs to a minimum , this does add to the purchase price. Therefore, all pictures can be purchased without the frame.
3. Mark Down- When a piece has lived in the gallery for a year, it will then be listed with a price range. The minimum cost, which is basically covering cost and about $5 an hour, to original price. Folks can decide what cost they are able to afford.