Recently I was asked by an emerging artist how to deal with the issue of studies.  Apparently a client commissioned a large painting, and expected that the studies would be included with the price of the painting, much to the surprise (and furtive anger) of the artist.  Here is how I answered:

When I was younger art dealer, and hungry, I always advised my artists to include the setup pieces, or what we call “studies,” as a part of the commission.  Sure, we’d price the overall commission to include a fee for these works, we just didn’t charge much.  You may not want to charge much initially either.  Whichever the case, I don’t advise that an artist EVER give away their work to a prosperous client.

Now that we’ve been in business sixteen years, we’ve reached the point where we don’t have to include the studies (or if sculpture, maquettes) for a modest fee.  If the client wants the studies, they have to pay what those pieces would sell for on the open market.  They always do, since they feel honored to be able to exhibit the works that led to the masterpiece.  But of course we put this price in the overall agreement to begin with, so they can opt out of this part of the agreement, if they wish.

In your case, if there was no prior agreement, I don’t advise that you give away the works.  You should be paid something for them.  At the same time, you don’t want to burn a bridge either.  I try never to burn bridges, or upset clients, unless they just plain need upsettin’—and some people do, when being taught how to properly respect artists.

So, I advise you to diplomatically discuss this with the client, and explain how the tradition works.  If he/she don’t like that, then you may politely ask whether they work for free.  They’ll tell you they don’t.  Well, you shouldn’t either.

I trust this will be of use.

Resumes

It is time we discussed the necessity of the resume, and what to list on it.  If you feel you haven’t yet accomplished enough to make for an impressive resume, then writing a biography may be better suited to your career at this stage.  But whether you feel you’re ready to write a resume or not, I’d like for you to read through this section.  It will likely give you several ideas about how to describe your work, and may also teach you a lesson or two about promotion. 

By the way, please do not look down on the word “promotion.”  Picasso was a master promoter.  So was Diego Rivera.  So was Andy Warhol (although I suspect that getting shot was outside the realm of his plans).  It’s a part of the business.  It can be a very distasteful part if handled in the Barnum and Bailey sense, or it can be a very sophisticated aspect if handled with integrity and intelligence.  I personally see it as an essential means of informing my clients about the worth of my artists, which in turn assists me in helping my artists make a  living.  Needless to say, I’m pretty keen on both points.

As for resumes, I’ve printed below what a typical one looks like–this for a sculptor who works in stainless steel.  Some of the achievements I’ve listed are substantial, some are not.  I list them all regardless, since as a whole they seem more impressive than they do individually.  Use this format as a guide for your own resume if you like, or formulate your own.  So long as the thing reads well, it should do just fine.

ARLIE REGIER 

Education:
1955 Degree in Sculpture Design, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO. 
1962 Studied sculpture under Richard Stankewicz, New York, NY.

Juried Exhibitions: 
1992 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO. 
1993 LauMeirer Contemporary Craft Show, St. Louis, MO.
1993-97 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO.
1998 Two-Man Show, Shidoni Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
1999 One-Man Show, Leopold Gallery, Kansas City, MO.
1999 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO.
2000 Two-Man Show, Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM.
2000 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO.
2001 One-Man Show, Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM.
2002 One-Man Show, Leopold Gallery, Kansas City, MO
2002 Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO
2003 One-Man Show, Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM
2004 One-Man Show, Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM
2005 One-Man Show, Leopold Gallery, Kansas City, MO
2006 One-Man Show, Adieb Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM
2007 Boston Museum of Fine Art

Galleries:
Leopold Gallery; Kansas City, MO
Adieb Khadoure Fine Art; Santa Fe, NM
Savage Stephens Gallery; Carmel, CA

Select Commissions:
1994 “Monolith in Steel,” Private Collector, Denver, CO.
1996 “Westward,” Private Collector, Miami, FL.
1996 “The Journey,” Private Collector, Las Vegas, NV.
1996 “Elevators, Wheat” Kansas City Board of Trade, Kansas City, MO
1997 “Pathfinder,” Private Collector, Santa Fe, NM.
1998 “Pierce the Sky,” Paul Mueller Co., Springfield, MO.
1998 “Hemisphere in Steel,” Douglas Adams (author), London, U.K.
1999 “Ripened Grain,” DeBruce Grain, Kansas City, MO.
2000 “Floating Sphere,” Private Collection, San Diego, CA.
2001 “Design and Innovation,” Mack Truck, Bethlehem, PA.
2001 “Picasso’s Eye,” Private Collection, Boston, MA.
2002 “Design and Innovation,”  Overland Park Convention Center,   O.P., KS
2003 “Giving More Than You Take,” Osborne Plaza.  Olathe, KS.
2004 “Stellar Outpost,” Private Collector, San Diego, CA.
2005 “Horizon Interrupted,” Loveland Sculpture Garden, Loveland, CO.
2006 “Sphere,” H&R Block; Kansas City, MO

Media:
2006 Not By Bread Alone, Paperback Book
2005 Southwest Art Magazine
2003 Kansas City Star Magazine
2001 Kansas City Star

This resume fits onto one page, and quickly informs the reader of the sculptor’s accomplishments.  Do I mention that he very nearly gave away his first commission, “Molamphy Memorial,” as well as his second, “Inner Section”? No.  Nor do I ever mention his sacrifices, or how tough the road was, or how numerous the setbacks.  The only thing I indicate is how successful he is now.  Besides, once I took on his career, his prices rose, his belief in himself shot up, his designs became bolder, and now he’s one of my most sought-after artists.  In fact he has exhibit next September in the Boston Museum of Fine Art.  Now he and I can talk about his starvation years, but only because success has been achieved.  If we hadn’t achieved it yet, there’s no way I would discuss it.

In filling out your resume, you’ll likely have to use a similar tactic of making yourself seem more successful than you feel you are.  There is nothing wrong with this, so please feel no guilt. 

Example:  When the Beatles, still largely unknown in 1962, were preparing to leave Liverpool for an engagement in Germany, their manager printed up posters promoting a concert they were to give prior to their “European Tour.”  That tour was a long-term gig at a cheap club in downtown Hamburg, where they slept in a dank back room, and played eight hours a night for pennies–or pfennigs, if you prefer.  Still, did this type of promotion detract from the uniqueness of their music?  To the contrary, it helped their style to become better known.  Within two years they were on the Ed Sullivan Show, and the world of music, if not the world of youth, was changed forever.

If your work has true substance, and you know it has substance, these mild exaggerations do no one any harm.  It’s the work that counts; the promotion merely helps you to take it where you need to go.  So fill out the resume, exaggerating if you must, but never lying.  As the years go by you’ll achieve things of greater significance, making moot the need to exaggerate.  Of course it would be great if you never had to exaggerate at all, but rarely will you meet a successful artist who didn’t have to do the same when they were younger.  Very rarely.