I am very interested in this thread. I want to make my full-time
living with my jewelry work because I love it so much and would look
so forward to each day! Right now I am working as a pharmacist
part-time and making jewelry, doing shows and contacting galleries
the rest of the time.
Just thinking outloud: What about a national organization to which
artists pay dues. A number of galleries could be set up spanning the
nation. The member artists would rotate their work through those
galleries. For example, someone who lives in Texas would display in
the Texas gallery one month, then send his/her work to the next
gallery for one month and then the next, etc. In addition to dues
the artists would pay a commission from sales through the galleries
or agree to work the galleries on rotation or both. It could be set
up so that the public would recognize the galleries throughout the
U.S.–kind of a chain image–and know that their purpose was to
support and give a sales venue for handmade art of all mediums.
Maybe some private donations could even be solicited. All types of
artisans could be solicited to increase the funding and the
participation.
I realize this would cost big bucks, but it might still be possible
to start with one gallery that all the dues-paying members got to
rotate through and then as funds were available, add another gallery
in another state, etc.
Again, just thinking outloud: I have always thought what a wonderful
dream come true it would be to set up an incorporated (is that the
word I want?) town where there was a town ordinance that anyone who
lived there would have to be an artisan or a dependent of an artisan
living with them. It would be like a perpetual fine arts
show/resort. Wouldn’t it be great to live where every neighbor was
an artisan? Wouldn’t the town attract a lot of tourists? Especially
if it was in the right area? I’m not sure how you would handle the
fire and police departments, etc. Maybe everyone except the fireman,
ambulance personnel, and police would have to be artisans and you
would build the town near another town with a hospital.
J. S. Ellington
jsellingon@cs.com
