#to fellow artists and crafters: share your WIP pics. after i started doing there was an immediate drop in the number

[creations-by-chaosfay]

To anyone who makes a fuss about the prices artists and crafters set for their work:

When I was still making and selling jewelry, I attended and sold my work at conventions. There was a sign on my table that stated "anyone who tells me to lower my prices will pay an extra 10% with each complaint."

You complain about not being paid enough by your employer. Rather than demanding a wage increase from your employer, you tell artists and crafters to lower their prices instead. You're siding with your employer's business model in all but name.

If a business cannot afford to pay it's staff/employees a liveable wage, they are a failed business.

Artists and crafters are independent business owners. Charging the federal minimum wage helps no one. In fact, it increases the chances of burning out. It also increases the risk of injury because now we must make more things, accept more commissions, and finish them quickly in order to make enough money to pay rent/mortgage, utilities, food, transportation/fuel, medical care, etc.

Because we're not making enough money, we need a job other than our own work. This limits our time and energy. Again, it leads to injury and burnout.

How does this help you? How does this help us?

It doesn't.

If you believe you could do the things we do, then learn how and make the things you want. It also means you will need to do a considerable amount of shopping to acquire the things you need. Then you need time to learn. Plan on spending years learning how to make quilts that meet the standards you demand? How about years spent learning how to make realistic portraits or cityscapes?

Save your money for the thing you want to commission. Talk to the crafters about thing you want from their shop. Many artists and crafters share a policy of accepting 50% upfront and the other 50% when the thing is finished. For shop listings, 50% upfront and weekly or monthly payments afterward. You will likely be required to sign a contract regarding this as well, especially from those of us who have a strict "no refund" policy.

Stop telling us to lower our prices. Unionize and demand your employer raise their wages.