Make Art, Sell Art, Buy Art

By Janet Dodrill

Oak Leaves, Oil on Canvas, by Janet Dodrill

This fall I am trying something new and participating in holiday art sales. As an artist, I have always wanted to do this, and I am testing the waters to see what of my work sells, and what doesn’t. One of my items for purchase is note cards, of all different subject matter which are images created from my color paintings (oils, acrylic and watercolor) and black and white prints (linocuts and lithographs). I have been keeping an inventory sheet for the past couple of art sales, and have concluded that everybody likes something different! Some of the most purchased themes include imagery of the Cleveland skyline, stylized oak leaves, garden flowers, and cats. This imagery is ‘safe’. But the purchases have been wide spread. The more personal and artistic artwork has not been as popular. In these hard economic times, shoppers are in to ‘feel good’ purchases, and are very particular in their spending, which can be a challenge for once thriving artists who do this for a living. However, it is important for artists to keep making art and keep putting it out there. When a shopper ‘connects’ with an art piece, it can be a positive emotional experience for both the artist and buyer, which can create a sense of happiness and well-being, which should always be looked at as an important need for all.