Purchasing Art at Ann Arbor Art Fair (sales, how much)

[MI-Roger]

We just returned from the Art Fair today (lots of heat, lots of sun, lots of breezes, not many people) and I considered offering $250 for a painting with a price tag of $575.


I know each artist is an individual business, but of the three possible responses below to my $250 offer, is there one that is the most common?

• Accepted immediately. Meaning you better be certain when you make your initial offer.
• Is countered with a higher amount, say $350 or $400.
• Is flatly rejected with a terse comment such as "Prices are as marked".

Someday we will be buying something other than the mass produced trinket sized pieces with nominal prices.

[leroythelion]

Originally Posted by MI-Roger

We just returned from the Art Fair today (lots of heat, lots of sun, lots of breezes, not many people) and I considered offering $250 for a painting with a price tag of $575.


I know each artist is an individual business, but of the three possible responses below to my $250 offer, is there one that is the most common?

• Accepted immediately. Meaning you better be certain when you make your initial offer.
• Is countered with a higher amount, say $350 or $400.
• Is flatly rejected with a terse comment such as "Prices are as marked".

Someday we will be buying something other than the mass produced trinket sized pieces with nominal prices.

I think if you offer less than half you will get option #3 plus some. In the grand scheme of things in the art world, $575 for a painting is not a lot of money. It will depend on how known the artist is and how much you want it.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by leroythelion

I think if you offer less than half you will get option #3 plus some.

I think even half is insulting. That is my opinion. I think anything less than 75% or a 25% discount is unacceptable. That puts an offer in the $430 range.

For most of those people their art isn't a hobby its how they make a living.

[MI-Roger]

Thank you. I assumed there was a degree of bartering in the posted prices. Your comments indicate there is, but less than I thought.

[Coldjensens]

It is going to depend on what it is and what the price is. there is to fixed price for art. A painting of a certain size is not valued at a certain price range. some artist have delusions of value for their art and massively over price it. some intentionally massively overprice it because someone might buy it at that price and because they can negotiate for half the price, still get a decent price for the art and make the buyer think they got an amazing bargain. some art is under priced to begin with. either the artist lacks self confidence, or maybe they desperately need a few sales to make sure they at least cover the cost of the event.

Whatever it is worth to you is what it is worth in that transaction. It really does not matter if they spend 400 hours making it, if it is not that good, it is not worth much. To me what makes something worth more is how original and unique it is. Is it creative, or just following a popular trend? Are there sixteen other artists with essentially the same thing? If so not worth much to me. It is real art of just a craft? Much of what is offered are cute ideas that I could go home and make myself if I wanted to spend the time. To me that is not art and has only the value of the time involved., if that. If it is something that only this person is capable of doing - then it has more value to me.

Th reality is that your offer does not need to be "fair" or reflective of the time it took, or even the quality. It only needs to be more than anyone else is willing to pay.


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