New news:  I was recently contacted to have an image on the cover of the Vermont Back Roads magazine.

ok, its not Art News, but it gets pretty wide distribution here in our little state.  Have a look at the link below for the cover, bio and few images included in the mag.

All the best to everyone on the Butt!

 Greg

http://www.kpsearch.com/DF/Vermont/Vermont%20Quarterly%20Summer%202008.pdf

This Weekend I cataloged all my existing paintings exhibited in the last 5 years. My goal is to go through earlier work and either catalog it, or slate it for recycling.

After trying to get the computer database working, I realized that it would be so much simpler to write a 4x6 card up for each painting, and file it by year. The card tells where and when the work was exhibited, size medium, and title(s). The file is neat, small and can go with me to the studio, the sunny patio, or out to the garage-loft storage.

Work out on exhibition is in a separate section, and another section is for sold work. The sold-work cards each note who bought it, their address, and what else they have of my work.

Although it has been a real chunk of time, I expect that keeping it current will help me to plan exhibits.

I recently discovered that I loaned a painting to a corporate show for 6 months that I later realized was part of a trio of works I wanted to hang in an upcoming juried show. With the cards, I can lay out two shows on the table, and know there will be NO double bookings.

The real silver lining was seeing that stack of sold cards. Out of sight is really out of mind for me. Sales don't happen every day, and I tend to forget what I sold, and think that I am not selling, when in fact, sales have a way of stacking up. And that was pretty gratifying.

Greg

For those of you who intuitively price you work, or have a gallery doing it for you, you might skip this blog...

After compiling my expenses for Uncle Sam, I have the scientific method for pricing work:

Add your total overhead from your schedule C

Add the total hours painting x Hourly rate you'd like to earn

divide by number of paintings done 

= Cost of a painting, wholesale

I came up with a cost per square foot, since I don't have a standard size yet.  I took the hours it takes to finish a painting and divided it by the square feet.  Smaller ones take longer, I found, but I ignored that for this analysis...

So now, I can tell you with certainty that I pay $91 in materials and labor per square foot, and at an hourly rate that isn't completely selling out.

 I would be interested in what you all find using this formula..

greg 

With tax season here, I thought to pass on a little tidbit for those contemplating another year where your art expenses outpaced your sales.  Ordinarily, a business can show a loss for 2 years, although there are some exceptions, such as in raising horses, where you get 5.  For an artist, actively promoting their work, and can show the records, it became possible to show indefinite years of losses, after a Mrs. Churchman took it to court and won against the IRS.

In my notes I have the details for your accountant.  You might contact me for the case #.

Of course, showing a profit is another and better option!