Art Crimes for Quick Cash???

[scrapartoz]

a gallery asked me to create some smaller stuff in a certain price range. The price range dictates the maximum time I can spend 'creating' Is this prostitution? Is this still Art ?

[cheesepaws]

Hey Scrap - normally I'd support this kind of thing. After all - more collectors means potentially more exposure. However, in your particular case, I am not sure your work (or rep) is well served by going small. There is tons of small scrap art/farm art things of this scale floating around. Sure - some of us can see your deft handiwork in the mini-pieces, but most won't.

What you do and the scale you are typically compelled to do it are amazing. These are cute and common. If your gallery wants some smaller options they can help you work with a photographer to sell limited edition prints of your large work. You could also put forth your drawings - which have their own whimsy if I remember correctly. Either - as flatties - would likely sell better anyways.

Good luck!

[Mack]

Hi Scrap,
Looks like you've got a gallery full already!...
Be nice rather than to just put them in on consignment to get some earnest cash up front. Say- 25% of retail...(give the gallery more incentive to work at selling them.)..not always possible though.
(I don't know about the "prostituiton" concern... you're not thinking of selling Yourself on the streets of New South Wales are you?)
Putting these small works together in a manner satisfactory and enjoyable to you and with the result that they will actually be bought by your collectors is a challenge that may or may not work. I say give it a shot- you're working in your medium and other things always come out of that... and good luck.
PS How would you finish them?... same as the large work?
(BTW, the pieces are great looking!)

[evaldart]

We all know the difference between art and...and all that other stuff we do for money. Make many of them fast as you can and sell them like hotcakes. It would not be different than selling photos of art, or pumping gas, or selling shoes. It is very agreeable when we can make our bucks without leaving the studio, without schlepping off to a j-o-b; because the studio is the best place to be. There is only trouble in other places.

[rika]

Go for it Scrap, but be vigilant in making sure they don't take over you, your art, your time. These crafty, whimsy things can become dangerous in that if they prove to be successful with galleries and collectors, there will be pressure to produce more and more of them-- and not the significant ones. If they stay side projects that support the happening of the main projects, why not? Good for you and good luck.

[Nelson]

Scrap, sometimes we gotta "work hard for the money" like "Bad Girls" lol. Prostitution ? better look at the bright side of it. Exposure, working on something you`re so good at... Unfortunately, traders grab a bite too. Nice if you could sell directly. What`d be the price for say the crab if you sold it directly?? I`d buy you the whole collection, but S&H it`s a killer been so far. Best luck.

[The Forge]

To me the question would be "can I find the parts that I would need on a smaller scale"? Working bigger is easy; but, miniaturization may prove to be a problem simply because it may not convey the feelings that you want at that size.

[GlennT]

The problem with your question is that the "is it art?" is coupled with the premise that the price range determines the maximum time you can spend on the work. These should be unrelated issues.

In such circumstances I would favor making sure it was art over limiting the time I spent on it based on price. Money comes and goes, but art and your name associated with it endures.

[Giotto]

No worries Scrap. Your special touch makes it all Art....what you do sings. Had I not taken a vow of poverty I would be a buyer...I especially liked the rabbit eared, dog, piggy creature.

Cheers,
G

[jOe~]

Is this prostitution? Is this still Art ?

Its not prostitution. Consider it commissioned yard art, the best damn yard art I've seen. When it comes to money, everyone has had to sell themselves. No one is "pure". So what ?

[scrapartoz]

Thanks all, for great feedback. for me personally I find doing "smalls" is much more difficult than larger pieces. finding a piece of scrap to match a particular shape in a small piece requires much more time in the searching and analysis phase. For the money i expect to recieve its not worth it.

cheez.........its funny you mentioned the photos . I was told of a tourist shop 600 miles away selling framed images of my horse for a tidy some and holding a competition to identify the parts.

mack .....thank you i will finish them all with fishoil then a red dustbath on day 2 before fully dry to create a matt finish.

Evald.......i agree after 6 months off . i dont want to work for anyone but me!!!!!

Rika....... I dont have enough scrap items to mass produce these pieces. I am in fact pissed off that this venture as depleted many intersting pieces that could have gone to a more high paying job.


Nelson......I need $ 500 plus for the crab in order to cover overheads. ( for comparison an auto elec shop charges $85 per hour)

Forge .......Yes I find this size very difficult. it i were to use small scrap items ( screws ,washers nuts) then their individuality would be lost in the shape of the object. although this stuff looks chunky , each piece contributes its individuality to the whole work. a consequence is the loss of anatomical detail


glennT.......the purpose of the excersise was to raise cash.So time over target is relevant. if i didnt need the dosh I would have spent more time. The economical consideration is that I must produce a living wage in the time it takes to make thw widget

Giotto......me thinks you may be 'taking the piss' . The " rabbit eared dog,piggy thing is a female kangaroo ( see pouch) in typical defensive posture
(yes you got me!)

jOe......Thanks for the vote of confidence ..we all gotta eat

[askesis]

Dear Mr. Scrappie,
here'd be some 'lectron spots on how to-in' in the art world. While there ain't no guarantees fer balloony achievement them's tips can be judijooisly applied.

How to location http://vimeo.com/32236867
How To orientation http://vimeo.com/32241925
How to Craft http://vimeo.com/32299693
How to Internet http://vimeo.com/32839686

[scrapartoz]

such truth, such wisdom, such envy and sadness .

[evaldart]

I would say that hoping for success in the "international art world" has NOTHING to do with the rigors of aesthetics and EVERYTHING to do with art world fashion (and those two things have NOTHING to do with each other). A's little video links, though funny, are just more pop-cult nothings (and it isnt easy to be "nothing", one must be so vehemently lazy and carried that it.......it hurts with comfort).

[Aaron Schroeder]

Scraps...these things are beautiful. I expect that you're more or less going to have to give them away.

What's important is that you made a document.

And you shared with the whole world.

Every part has it's place....at least for a little while. Doesn't matter what force puts it there.

Move on.....and get some more scraps.

[mobjack68]

If it don't hold soup??? It's ART!!

[scrapartoz]

BEAUTY FROM BOLTCUTTERS?

Evald---mmmmmm.....there seems to be a lot of truth in them little funny vids.

Aaron --Yes "giving them away" is pretty much correct

Mobjack --I like that definition of art .im sure everyone's is a little different.

here are 2 more crimes.
I am very happy with this female dancer, for such a simple trinket with so few parts.(including 2 boltcutters)

[fritchie]

I really like these small pieces, but I also appreciate your comments re both needing the pieces in larger work and the time these small ones consume.

Altogether, just keep doing what pleases you, as possible.

[Nelson]

Scrap with that lady dancer, you`ve subdued the bulkyness and roughness of scrap steel parts, into a beautiful, elegant sculpture. Congratulations, cause this is way over crabs, rabbits... Now, here speaking of prostituing art, you ought to keep that beauty, don`t sell your lady , lol.

[Mack]

It's something to get that feeling of gracefulness of the dancer using those parts...

[scrapartoz]

Fritchie..... I think you know my heart. (how do you do this so well ?)

Nelson...... I regret taking her to the gallery. Times are tough all round.


Mack ... I am so happy that someone else can see wot i am trying to display,
the gurl is very special to me.

[GarryRicketson]

Wow! Those are really neat, The main thing is if you like what you are doing, and it looks like you do, and probably have fun, doing it.
When I first came to Mexico, and people found out I could draw and paint, and enjoy it, I would get a lot of requests, the trouble is this is not a "wealthy" country, how ever, many restuarants , wanted murals painted, they bought the paint, and simply because I was hungry, I painted. Sometimes, they would give me a little money, "for cigarettes", but really, at the time, if I was painting, and my stomache was full, and also I had my "smokes", there really was not anything else I wanted or needed. Sometimes they gave me a room, to sleep in too.
Anyway, it got to be on reverse, instead of trying to paint it as fast as I could, I would take my time,the longer it took, the more meals I got!,...These are really neat sculpures, you show here, in the long run it will pay off, especially since they are being shared with the world.
form Garry

[Art-Deco]

Those are way too cool, I like em, ALL of em!

[Tlouis]

DELIGHTFUL! Each and everyone.

[scrapartoz]

Thank you:
TLois
Art -deco
and Gary Ricketson .
my apologies for not responding sooner (forgot about this thread.... oops)