Joy Thomas' first time

[Elizabeth Schott]

Mike I would put Mattelson, Whitaker, Joy Thomas and Liberace on the platform...

Oh and I used to like the British Fat Ladies...

[Mike McCarty]

Mike, are you saying you think a paint-from-life event would turn into a highly subjective, subsidized, media circus?

We can only hope.

My original complaint, as I tried to lay out in my "Darts" thread, had to do with fact that our present day prestigious portrait competitions pay a mere fraction of what some bloke could win in an English pub dart competition.

Having pondered the complaint, I believe that it comes down to one basic difference - PROCESS. In all these events, whether it be darts, the newly found TV poker, Wimbledon tennis etc., the difference between them and our competitions is that the audience is let in on the process. The mass audience (you have to gather enough of them together so that you can sell them soap, beer, deodorant and such) becomes involved, and are let in on how the final product was achieved. In some cases they are able to second guess as to what they might do next. Ever watched "Who wants to be a millionaire?"

What do we offer? Here, this is what I did, how do you like it? All the stages of planning and execution are kept from the viewing public. Is there any wonder there is such a small audience for what we do.

If Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai (sp) can develop a cult following in the U.S. of A. for butchering and cooking sea urchin roe on TV, why not Marvin Mattleson and Karen Wells for creating something of lasting beauty?

I think the answer lies in exposing the process to the public. Not in an academic, dry thirty minute how to video, but in an all out paint to the death competition. All this with judges that are unfair and rude, fair and articulate, sweet and ignorant. Such that the conversation around the water cooler on Monday morning goes something like: "Can you believe the background color choice the challenger made? You're not going to take down Iron Painter William Whittaker by making those kinds of choices." What if a kid said to his mother - I want to grow up to be just like Iron Painter Daniel Greene.

Would it hurt anyones feelings if the price of portraits suddenly took off like a Florida beach front condo? All boats rise with the incoming tide.

[Jean Kelly]

How about a documentary featuring five painters, showing the actual hairpulling and angst that goes into creating a portrait worthy of praise. With all the blood and gore, self flagellation, and vicious wipe-outs? Who would the director be? Quentin Tarantino, Stephen Speilberg, Dirty Harry? I see an Oscar in the future.

You rock, Mike!

Jean

[Joy Thomas]

[QUOTE=Jean Kelly]How about a documentary featuring five painters, showing the actual hairpulling and angst that goes into creating a portrait worthy of praise.


This is a great idea!!!...and while we're at it, let's include the details of a commission, from the signing of the contract, to traveling to location, to the sittings, to the unveiling and finally to the bank where exasperated bankers are waiting for payments on that credit line!

It's way better than a soap opera!

Joy Thomas
www.portraitartist.com/thomas

[Jean Kelly]

Bank? What bank? Banks lend to artists? You've got to be kidding! My bank is the "International Bank of the Long Suffering abd Patient Husband".

Jean

[Joy Thomas]

Originally Posted by Jean Kelly

Bank? What bank? Banks lend to artists? You've got to be kidding! My bank is the "International Bank of the Long Suffering abd Patient Husband".

Jean

I hear you loud and clear Jean.

18 years ago, I approached my local bank for a loan to build a studio on my property. I was armed with a year's worth of signed commission contracts complete with down payments. The bank was carrying the note on our farm and house and knew how much equity my husband and I had. The loan officer (someone I knew well) said, "Joy, I would fell more comfortable about this if you would bring in your husband or father."

Mind you, I was (and still am) the bread winner of the family...my husband worked for me full time and "my Daddy" had not had anything to do with my finances since the day I left home after graduating from high school!. My father had never even lived in the vicinity!

So my husband went to the local lumber yard (this was before the days of Lowe's or Home Depots here) and struck a deal with them to finance the materials so we could set about building the studio by ourselves.

A few years and many unveilings later. We went to the bank again ...this time we mortgaged everything we owned...even so, the maximum we could borrow was just $72,000. In just one year, we spent every penny on additional training, an ad campaign, a web site, brochures and advertising through magazines. It did serve to boost my career, I received national commissions as my work came to the attention of important collectors. In the years that followed we continued to take those same kinds of financial risks.

I have supported my family entirely "by the brush" for more than 20 years now with my husband (and master framer) of 27 years working full time with me. We are both from poor families who do not support (or even approve) of our good efforts as artists.

It has been a modest, bohemian lifestyle... (albeit colorful, exciting and intellectually stimulating). It was a challenge to raise our three children with such an unstable income. They learned to be clever, working their way through school and earning academic scholarships. Our children are grown now and are on their own financially. Like us, they will probably never inherit money or know the security of even a modest trust fund. Perhaps they will make a little money by selling the rights to my work someday.

Looking back, we would have been better off financially by investing that borrowed money in the stock market during the 90's, but we were trying to build my career. (It truly does take money to make money, but in art...it takes money just to live as an artist and to even lose money!). Our goal was to secure important portrait commissions to insure my place in history and to make just enough money that we could continue to pursue "the artist's life".

If one has a steady income to spend on constant advertising and marketing then eventually they may flood the market with enough information that they become "a thing". But without serious funds (or the backing of someone with funds) it is unlikely that any artist will ever make much money on artistic merit alone! Women and other minorities must face the additional obstacle of prejudice and sexism.

Hang in there Jean, and give your understanding husband a big thank you.... from all of us.

Joy Thomas
www.portraitartist.com/thomas

[Michele Rushworth]

Fascinating post, Joy. Thanks so much for sharing it.

It sounds like you found the ad campaign to have been worthwhile. Can you tell me where you advertised and what seemed to work best?

It also sounds like you're saying that an artist has to keep at it, always advertising, never letting up, in order to keep things going. Have you found that to be the case, or did those initial successes lead to enough high profile work that it was all the jump start you needed and became self sustaining after that?

[Joy Thomas]

I agree, Mike.

Most people are mesmerized by the process NOT the product. I have painted in public more times than I can count (not a challenge for the faint of heart) and once the thing is signed the show is over. Everyone loves to see a creative process and they will watch anything, there are TV shows that star TATTOO artists for heaven' sake...and just last night, I caught a few minutes of a chocolate candy making competition.

A competition like this would be fun and educational. I know we all squirm over the aesthetics of such a thing but an audience of rubes is better than no audience at all.

What's more it would be the perfect venue to challenge the stereotype of the "accomplished artist". Regular "paint-offs" with big prize money would have real talent crawling out of the woodwork...(young & old, men & women) because it doesn't take muscle to successfully wield a loaded brush...it just takes virtuosity.

Joy Thomas
www.portraitartist.com/thomas