New Watercolours

I notice that it’s been a long time since I last wrote.  Life has been busy with various things going on, a few changes and some holidays. Sorry.

I have been working throughout this time. I have work up in The Stores cafe in Great Waltham, had an exhibition with the Great Dunmow Art Group (DAG), exhibited at the Great Waltham Art Show and have been working towards another exhibition happening the second weekend of June.

With all this going on its been an eye opener as to what people will pay towards work.  Living in London and going to shows and exhibitions, it seems the going rate for a small oil painting framed would be around £375.  This is definitely not the case in areas outside London – certainly not in Essex.  Pricing work is really hard and getting people to understand the price is even harder.  Having spoken to various local people about my prices for my work it appears they are far too expensive even though I have priced them way lower than London prices. It seems they don’t understand the time it takes to paint and then the cost of the materials on top.  I understand that many things these days have become cheap because of mass production but when you are trying to paint for a living you have to calculate the cost of your time.  Many people exhibiting with me at the DAG show are keen hobbyists and weren’t particularly interested in a good price for their work.  This makes things difficult for me.  I am trying to earn a living.  Sadly when you are stuck in a room with very different prices from yours, your sales suffer.

Understanding the amount people were willing to pay at the show made me think that it would be a good idea to perhaps try something else that was quicker to do and less expensive.  My crows were popular and so I have decided to enter completely different work for the exhibition on the 7th and 8th June.  Staying on an animal theme.  Tell me what you think.

White Tailed Bumblebee

Flamboyance

Lobster

A flight

These are smaller pieces of work and have been done with watercolour which is a much quicker and a cheaper way to work.  These will be priced from £80 – £125.

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