Right prices for my wife’s paintings

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My wife’s an artist. Though she’s hearly 50, she hasn’t had a proper exhibition yet, but now some of her paintings are exhibited at The Walk Inn in Rhodes old town. People are asking about prices, and we really don’t know what to say. I know there are artists visiting this site, so maybe you can help us. First one out is DANCING WITH PENGUINS, oil on canvas 2006, 50x40 cm:

The next one is called ASHFLAME, oil on canvas 2011, 90x60 cm (the photo is cut a bit in the edges):

From what I can see on the internet, the first one would have a gallery price at around 500 euro, and the second around 1000. Sold privately we would have to lower the prices a bit, maybe 400 and 800. What do you think?

Just for fun: A Norwegian painter, Kaja Norum (22 years old), is having her first exhibition these days. Obviously she thinks she’s provocative by making this painting (the one to the right, of course, and NB! PENIS ALERT!):

http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/06/29/kultur/odd_nerdrum/kaja_norum/kunst/sturla_berg-johansen/17114999/

It’s quite big (180x150 cm), and she wants 9000 euro for it. That’s quite much for an artist that nobody’s heard about before. I guess she thinks she can take a price like that because her tutor was Odd Nerdrum, world famous in Norway. And wait a sec, didn’t Odd himself make a painting like that in 1998? Oh yes, here it is (scroll down), so there’s nothing new in her (in my opinion quite sloppy) picture (EXTRA PENIS ALERT!!!)

http://kultur.blogg.no/1242644779_ukens_kunstverk.html

It’s actually a self portrait. The painter himself says that it’s kitsch (and he’s right, of course), and unlike the other painting it has humour and self irony. And I will add, twisting a line be Shelley: He knew a passion his pupil knew not.

EDIT: I remembered the quote wrongly. Shelley wrote: All that is mortal of great Plato there/Expiates the joy and woe his master knew not

Sorry about that. Still, I’d be very grateful if you could advise us.

Edited by refugee - July 02 2011 at 15:29

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refugee Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: November 20 2006 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 7026	Topic: Right prices for my wife’s paintings Posted: July 02 2011 at 13:35
	My wife’s an artist. Though she’s hearly 50, she hasn’t had a proper exhibition yet, but now some of her paintings are exhibited at The Walk Inn in Rhodes old town. People are asking about prices, and we really don’t know what to say. I know there are artists visiting this site, so maybe you can help us. First one out is DANCING WITH PENGUINS, oil on canvas 2006, 50x40 cm: The next one is called ASHFLAME, oil on canvas 2011, 90x60 cm (the photo is cut a bit in the edges): From what I can see on the internet, the first one would have a gallery price at around 500 euro, and the second around 1000. Sold privately we would have to lower the prices a bit, maybe 400 and 800. What do you think? Just for fun: A Norwegian painter, Kaja Norum (22 years old), is having her first exhibition these days. Obviously she thinks she’s provocative by making this painting (the one to the right, of course, and NB! PENIS ALERT!): http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/06/29/kultur/odd_nerdrum/kaja_norum/kunst/sturla_berg-johansen/17114999/ It’s quite big (180x150 cm), and she wants 9000 euro for it. That’s quite much for an artist that nobody’s heard about before. I guess she thinks she can take a price like that because her tutor was Odd Nerdrum, world famous in Norway. And wait a sec, didn’t Odd himself make a painting like that in 1998? Oh yes, here it is (scroll down), so there’s nothing new in her (in my opinion quite sloppy) picture (EXTRA PENIS ALERT!!!) http://kultur.blogg.no/1242644779_ukens_kunstverk.html It’s actually a self portrait. The painter himself says that it’s kitsch (and he’s right, of course), and unlike the other painting it has humour and self irony. And I will add, twisting a line be Shelley: He knew a passion his pupil knew not. EDIT: I remembered the quote wrongly. Shelley wrote: All that is mortal of great Plato there/Expiates the joy and woe his master knew not Sorry about that. Still, I’d be very grateful if you could advise us. Edited by refugee - July 02 2011 at 15:29
	He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill)

Triceratopsoil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: April 03 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 18016	Posted: July 03 2011 at 00:49
	I don't know anything about the prices of paintings, but those two embedded works are really beautiful.

Ivan_Melgar_M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: April 27 2004 Location: Peru Status: Offline Points: 19557	Posted: July 03 2011 at 01:07
	Antiques and paintings paid my career, that's my family business. I can only tell you something, paintings (unless if by a great and recognized artist), have a very variable and subjective price, if you have the luck that a famous dealer or a gallery gets interested, the prices may go really high, otherwise, they are worth what collectors want to pay. Once she is better known, she can place her prices. Iván PS: Sometimes a good tactic is to donate one to a good restaurant or a highly visited public place (It also carries a risk, because some critics like to be harsh), somebody may ask and that's the beginning...ut a painter hasto be known, and in your house, nobody will know her paintings. Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - July 03 2011 at 01:20


harmonium.ro Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989	Posted: July 03 2011 at 03:35
	Beautiful paintings. If your wife comes from outside the "system" then there is no "right price" except for the one she is able to get. The system (having an art education, being affiliated to professional organisations of artists, if any, being represented by proper galleries, being exhibited in curated exhibitions, getting professional reviews, having works sold in auctions by art dealers, etc.) is what creates in time an artist's "quota". For the record, 500 and 1000 euros are "right" for a young professional painter, at the beginning of the career. For amateur painters it's a bit more complicated. Also, it depends a lot on who's asking. If it's a restaurant / hotel lounge, then those who asked might not be actual art collectors, and they might be surprised the price asked is much higher than that of souvenir paintings one can buy on the streets of tourist cities. The best solution would be to work with a gallery. They take a comission, but 1) they sell officially, which is important because 2) this creates the "quota" in time for the artist, with irrefutable proof of previous sales that can be documented with the sale papers. This ~~"consecrates"~~ "establishes" the artist and gives you a much better position to ask a certain price. Good luck and let us know about the progress of this issue. Edited by harmonium.ro - July 03 2011 at 03:40

refugee Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: November 20 2006 Location: Greece Status: Offline Points: 7026	Posted: July 03 2011 at 09:50
	Thanks a lot! Maybe it’s better not to sell any paintings yet. I doubt that the people frequenting The Walk Inn could afford to buy them anyway. Btw, my wife’s very happy that you like her pictures!
	He say nothing is quite what it seems; I say nothing is nothing (Peter Hammill)