I have always put it down to my lack of business brain that things like sales and marketing have sat so uncomfortably with me. While I have plenty of gifts and talents, they do not tend to lie in the areas of what seems to be obvious to others, streetwise common sense or numbers, all of which are useful and maybe essential if you’re going to sell your work. I find such things a strange combination of scary and boring.
I’m wondering though whether the error lies in my assumptions and beliefs about what’s required, rather than in my perceived capacity to do something well and with ease. Maybe, in this new age of intuition and connection, there are ways of doing business as yet uncovered, or rarely used, because they don’t lie in the realm of left brain logic and systems.
When we get stuck in beliefs about how things are or ought to be done, based on observation, history and experience, we are not allowing for the infinite possibilities and potentials available.
I do this frequently, in all sorts of areas, and a lot of it is unconscious because of the way I’ve always lived and the habits that have formed. Retreating in the way that I am ~ which allows for long periods of silence and opportunities to really look closely at how I do anything and everything ~ is slowly showing up the myriad ways in which I limit myself daily, and in places I never even considered.
In the realm of business ~ which in this case means selling my work ~ my way of doing things has always been ‘try to do what is taught/what everyone else does, and the discomfort just means you’re not used to it and it’s not one of your strengths so you need to work on it extra hard’. But I’ve also always been open to negotiation on each sale {which is, I realise, possibly something I should actually SAY somewhere on the website}.
I feel very strongly that if a piece of art speaks to you, then it’s meant for you. If you can’t stop looking at it, keep coming back, want to touch it or otherwise interact with it, there is something it gives you that expands your energy field. {That’s how I felt about the first piece of art I ever bought for myself, and I love it as much now as I did then.} It’s like it was made for you.
If someone feels like that about one of my paintings, I want them to have it. It’s more important to me that my paintings go where they bring the most joy than that they sit around gathering dust waiting for someone who can pay the ‘right’ price for them. I do price my work, but I consider these prices more guidelines than fixed amounts. Art comes from the infinite field and I absolutely don’t think it is just for those who can afford it, which is less and less people in these times.
In order to make my work available to everyone, my instinct was to say, if you love this, we can make it yours, and then negotiate on an individual basis. Like bartering, I guess, but with a deeper connection.
There are two main reasons I think why this hasn’t become a norm yet, at least round here. One is that I haven’t made it clear! The other is that people tend to feel uncomfortable about a swap or exchange, for fear of not offering enough, or of offering too much perhaps. There is concern about insulting the artist, or not feeling you have anything to give that would match its value. There is also the fact that while I don’t necessarily want my art to make me millions {ha}, I do want to be able to buy more materials. Even as I write this the can of worms opens wider and starts to spill everywhere.
Recently a friend and I have, without actually planning to, negotiated such an exchange, and the resulting feelings of satisfaction, connection, fulfilment and pleasure indicate to me how perfect this system is when it is in alignment with those creating the experience.
It actually wasn’t a painting exchange, but sprang from a desire in my friend to send me a little something simply because she feels inspired by what I do. {I know, wow, right?!} She wasn’t expecting anything in return, but the gesture was so surprising and touching that I wanted to respond in a way that showed gratitude without making her feel I felt obliged {I didn’t}, and that honoured what she’d given me without over compensating. In other words, completing the cycle of giving and receiving not only balances the energy but it feels amazing to do. It’s like bartering but with soul.
That ‘feeling amazing’ is what I believe should be a fundamental part of all transactions. I’m not trying to revolutionise the world here; I can only do what I can do, but I want what I do to be in integrity, because when I’m honouring my values everything falls into place and everyone concerned benefits, and usually in ways far greater than originally anticipated.
And of course, as is the way of the universe, I then found this post by Cynthia Lee of Spirit Uncaged, who not only operates in much the same way, but has actually given it a name and describes it here. Cynthia created an exchange with Deborah Weber, who wrote about her perspective on it here, and I realised that they were talking about what I have been heading towards and not yet quite articulated and brought into form.
I am not for a moment dismissing money; I find it pretty useful! But as I step more and more into a life where energy is a far more powerful expression than the limited nature of the physical world, ideas like this become both more appealing and more obvious as solutions.
There’s no denying that buying and selling goods for money is a tried and tested system. But maybe there are other ways, new territories, that offer an exchange that fulfils on every level, not just the physical.
To receive a painting you love, for example, and be able to give something you know is of equal value to the artist, whether it’s money, or time, a treatment of some kind or some other thing, gives a fullness, a completeness to the transaction that a straight swap for money, where one side or the other may feel they are losing out a little, that feels far better to body and soul. It’s like holistic shopping!
I’m aware that there are potential issues with this concept that are probably why it is not a common way of doing things. It is easy enough for me to exchange with my friend because we already have a connection and an understanding that goes beyond the need to find common ground. A stranger wanting one of my paintings initially lacks that connectedness that allows a genuine exchange to take place. There is too much room for fear and discomfort to make it work at its most fulfilling for all concerned. Perhaps I am just being idealistic and living in the realms of fantasy. {It’s always so much more fun there though isn’t it!}
So I have sat with this as I know that in the world of infinite possibility there are always solutions. Assuming the purchaser desires to enter into this kind of transaction, that already opens the door to connecting in such a way that there is a common goodwill and understanding. It opens the way to trust. This kind of exchange could not work without these kinds of feelings and values. And it may be that for many or most, a straight up goods for money swap is the easiest and most comfortable way to go. Which is totally fine by me, as art shops tend to like money for their goods! As Cynthia talks about, it’s about opening a dialogue and seeing where it takes you.
I’m not proclaiming to have all the answers. Although this way of doing things has been hovering around me for a while, I have not fully implemented it in such a way that I can offer a foolproof method for making it work. But I believe in it as one effective and joyful way to do business, and to that end I am now officially offering it as a way to sell my smaller work alongside the more traditional money-for-paintings set up. I haven’t yet found the place in me that’s comfortable with letting my much larger pieces go in this way yet, and that’s something I need to look at. But starting small will lay out the path.
So if there’s a painting of mine you have seen here on the blog {in this post or others}, or in my Etsy shop, that you would love to own, let’s make it yours! Let’s play with this concept of exchange. What do you say? There is nothing to be lost by opening a conversation; even if the idea doesn’t ultimately work out, time spent in connection and discussions about art is never wasted!
If you have opinions, thoughts or ideas about this; whether you think it could work, whether you are already doing it, whether you tried it and found it didn’t work so well, or whether you have ideas about how to make it something really user friendly, I would love it if you would share in the comments. The very basis of the idea is rooted in dialogue and connection, so please do share your thoughts and feelings.
{the art throughout this post is all examples of work I have done for which I’d be happy to negotiate an exchange, although of course there’s plenty more}
well, shit. the universe is most wise…
oh, how i’ve been noodling over this very concept for AGES!! i am wildly in agreement with alternate energy exchange as more/different/acceptable/equal to/transcending the simple cash exchange….i do believe this can work.
i actually believe that “barter” is a supremely superior, although admittedly not desirable to everyone, way of exchanging goods/services….and ought to at least be an option in any transaction.
i think the trouble lies, as you’ve said, in finding a level of comfort for all parties involved. and i think the root of discomfort in these circumstances stems from our unwillingness to talk about/accept our own worth…and therefore, the worth of our artistic product — which is, after all, imprinted with our soul as it passes through us from the Elsewhere. opening dialogue and nurturing a connection is a beautiful way to make everyone more comfy, i think.
i thought i’d “give away” my writing/stories via my digital newsletter….but was left feeling petulant/icky/resentful when i realized that only a couple of people who’d subscribed to the list actually clicked over and presumably read one of the stories. (oh, the magic of Mailchimp!)…so i haven’t done it since. why bother, if no-one was going to read? which rather defeated my initial idea…and a huge amount of myself goes into my writing and, whether it’s unevolved of me or not, i need to have some sort of *return* of my investment….and when it comes to my stories, having someone *read* them, is a very gratifying *return* for me. so there was a bit of a lesson there for me….that i need to sort out my Right People with whom a connection can be made..
anyway,i blather.
i think this is marvelous, what you’re doing…and now my brain is spinning and inspired…i’m off to read the posts you linked to…i’m re-encouraged…i’m glad i haven’t given up on this idea….
xoxoxo
You make an interesting point about self worth Mel ~ love that part about our work being ‘imprinted with our soul’! {There’s that way with words you have. :)} I also agree that resentment is a good indicator of not going in your right direction; it helps me price my work for one thing.
I applaud your honesty regarding desiring a response to your work, even simply in the form of reading it! I don’t think we ever want NO ONE to see what we do, however much we may struggle with being seen.
I think there’s still too much leeway for this idea to not work, but I also think that dialogue can start to move it in a positive direction, and I’m so glad you feel re-encouraged. 🙂
bartering exists in so many tiny communities, they sure do here in devon, uk. my daughter’s school has a pay-what-you-can for school-grown veg, as well as several bartering options for jobs needing doing (steiner school).
but it’s a tricky system these days (or perhaps always has been). there are the takers-and-never-givers of course. trust is a big part of it and it’s fine to say you trust but let’s face it, there is also greed in this world.
and then there is all you mention. also, i have an arist friend who expressed interest in one of my pieces, as i wasn’t enamored with the piece i was very glad to give it away to someone that found some beauty in it. well, all well and good. she felt an exchange was more fair, great. but as it happens, i don’t like her work! it was very awkward to be offered a choice from amongst her work. ugh very uncomfortable
in a similar vein, i have thought of offering my work in exchange. but could likewise be offered something i dislike or just not very bothered about owning. there’s a world of difference liking someone’s work to look at online and actually wanting to hang it up in my house. i mean, if i’m super happy for someone to have a piece of mine that’s different. but if we’re talking about fair exchange, then that’s where it’s tricky.
And it works both ways. i’ve considered sending small works to friends but don’t really know if they like them. i’d rather a piece go to someone that truly loves it.
i think for me pay-what-you-can seems simpler. for starters, many people actually prefer giving money and not worrying about what to give back. and as i’m on a tight budget, receiving money is preferable, to buy more materials.
but regardless, i’m a BIG fan of the bartering system.
Yes we have something like that here I think too, although from what I can gather it works on credits, so you end up with a system that seems to me to look very much like banking! I like the pay what you can idea, but again, I know some people {myself included} can find this a bit of a minefield. As you point out, there are those who are happy to take and not give in return, and I think you make an excellent and well observed note about what happens if what is offered is something you don’t want! There seem to be many areas for error within what could be a beautiful idea. As I was writing the post I was thinking about how specific I am about what I bring into my home, and I am EXTREMELY fussy about art, so swapping with another artist would have to be very carefully navigated. I’d love to know how you ended up approaching it in your situation?
This makes me think of the ‘pay it forward’ option as well; a way to give away what you make to people who will love it without needing to take on something you don’t want, knowing that the receiver will do something for someone else. Which of course does not solve the ‘how do I pay for materials/make a living’ problem!
Thanks so much for leaving your thoughts and experiences Monica. It seems there is some way to go yet before finding the foolproof solution!
This really is a lovely thoughtful post Tara. Between it and the comments offered by Mel and Monica I think many of the challenges are laid out clearly, which is perfect because they then can be addressed up front in any discussions. For myself I think it’s imperative that everyone value their work and worth before even considering operating this way. Because otherwise I see such great potential for setting up a paradigm that simply perpetuates subsistence rather than thriving, which has long been the problem with society valuing artists in the first place.
And this certainly can’t be used a way to avoid that sometimes challenging on-going conversation with self about what your work is worth. While I do like the pay-what-you-choose option on many levels and do think it’s viable, I’ve also seen people use it as an assessment of the value of their work. As in, I’m not sure what this is worth – you decide, and then I’ll based my value on your perception. Which isn’t a very sovereign way to operate.
With all these possible ways to operate, I also think that having a veto this-doesn’t-feel-delicious-to-me option available at all stages is important. If that’s one of the initial rules set up, and everyone enters with the willingness to accept that for simply what it is, then I think that can go a long way.
There’s such great opportunity to carve out new ways to operate that feel good and are win-win for everyone involved so I hope the experiments and the refinements continue.
Deborah, thank you so much for coming over and leaving your thoughts about this. I love what you say about valuing our own work and the potential pitfalls of not doing so when operating in this way. And even more your point about having a veto in place from the start, so that everyone knows where they are; it offers some kind of cushion if it doesn’t work out without anyone needing to be hurt or offended. A set up like this does seem to require that both parties are equally conscious about it, and not investing their self worth in along with the transaction! I do believe discussion, and as you say, experimenting and refining, can lead to some potentially fantastic places. If I come across this idea elsewhere I will link to it here. It could be a useful resource!
A beautiful post Tara–both in message and in art. Though I’m happy to share my art with friends that express an appreciation for a certain piece (two are currently sitting on my shelf all wrapped up and ready to mail) I’ve never considered a barter. More because my own personal work is in recognizing that what I have to offer has value. Will keep working on that one! Thanks for the thoughts to ponder.
If your work is admired by friends it has value to them, and it has value to you by nature of it being the way you express yourself. I agree recognizing our work’s value ~ and our own value ~ can be a work in progress!
It is a minefield. I love the concept and loved reading Cynthia and Deborah’s post. The comments raise all the Isdues I have. I would hesitate because I would hate someone to be disappointed with what they receive from me. I also understand that food and art supplies require money generally, and then there are the questions over your worth and value…a minefield.
The idea though excites me. It is all those other realities and practicalities that make me pause. And big doubts about my own value as well.
There is definitely a push/pull element to it isn’t there. I guess the place to begin would be with friends and loved ones, or fellow artists with whom there is mutual admiration.