Beyond "Yes" or "No" to Charity Auction Requests?

Today, I got yet another well-intentioned request to donate my art.

Once the initial flash of irritation passed, I had to acknowledge that this charity auction trend, and the damage it does to artists, is in large part our own fault.

Wait, what?

This pretty little landscape in oil on a wood panel, 9 x 12" sold in a silent auction for $35. Heartbreaking for me as the artist. It was the Last Straw for me and silent auctions; I never have or will put art in another one.

No, I mean it. We artists have helped create this monster. We've been complicit in this scenario in which, if you want original art, you stand a good chance of snagging it at 50% off retail just by waiting for the annual charity auction -- so why get it from the gallery, or directly from the artist? We've allowed the perceived worth of all our work to be driven downward by every piece that goes for 20% of its value on a "silent auction" table.

Most artists understand all this. Most of us (myself included) still donate to a cause or two each year, simply because we believe in and support it. Most of us complain to each other about the endless stream of donation requests. Then we say yes or no to the next one, and the next, and the next, and complain some more. We talk to each other about this problem all the time.

What if we started talking to the people who ask us?

Today, I did. My reply is below. It's a drop in a vast ocean, it will likely go unheeded, but it sure did make me feel better. Anyone else who thinks it will make them feel better is welcome to adapt it for their own use.

_________

Hello, [Donation Requester].

Thank you for contacting me. Like most artists, I do work with a few charitable causes each year, and have done so for a very long time. And, like a great many artists who have donated for years, I am having more and more trouble continuing to do this under the current operating model.

To be clear, I am not necessarily saying no. I am inviting the leadership at [Charitable Organization] to consider having an honest discussion with the arts community about the trend of charity art auctions, why they are almost always a bad business move for the artists involved, and what can be done so that artists can continue supporting causes we care about without undercutting our own livelihood. These auctions, especially because there are now so many of them, are actively harming artists. Very, very few of the organizations who ask us to donate understand this. I believe that if they did, the fundraising model would change in many ways.

If you'd care to learn more, I can put your organization in touch with resources such as [Local Arts Group], to help come up with better ideas for fundraising that, if it doesn't help the artists, at least doesn't hurt us.

Thank you so much for your consideration,

Tracie Thompson

Completely Enchanted! The finished mural

5 p.m. on 9/11/11 at Wet Paint Art Supplies; tired and happy with the finished work.

 

See Enchanted Makeovers for more about the organization. The mural will be on display at their booth at the Creative Connection Marketplace on Sept. 16 and 17. Many many thanks to Wet Paint for donating the canvas and paints, and to The Creative Connection for all their assistance.

Most common questions people were asking:

What it's made of: Acrylic paint and a LOT of waterborne faux finishing glaze, on canvas.

How long it took: Approximately 24 hours' work for me, plus a few extra for my Valiant Volunteers. This is LIGHTNING speed for a project this size -- 10' long x 5' high.

Is this a specific place somewhere in the world? It's inspired by scenery here in Minnesota as well as in France and Italy, but it's an allegorical landscape rather than a literal one.

A Mural for Transformation

This is a thumbnail sketch, four by five inches. It's a mural design, made to order for Terry at Enchanted Makeovers -- click the link to find out more than I could possibly tell you here. What they're doing is incredible.

In my life I have been blessed never to have endured violence. I know so many women who have. When asked to donate some of my time and talent to help them, I said yes.

I get to lead a few other volunteers in tag-team painting this mural. I'll do the drawing and give instruction and paint right along with them, and we'll all have a great time. Once complete, it'll go to the Enchanted Makeovers booth at The Creative Connection Event. After the event, it will be placed in the offices/intake area of the women's shelter, to greet and reassure new clients as they arrive.

I won't pretend that I don't want the recognition and financial gain that comes with success; of course I do. But this is what I think art is for, no matter the form it takes: it helps us see the best possibilities in ourselves and our future.

$99 Sale at The Soap Factory!

On Friday night, Sept. 19th, the Soap Factory opened its fourth annual $99 Sale.

The sale featured over 230 works -- each one 5 x 7" in size and priced at just $99. One of them was my New Hope, pictured below, a tiny wall-sculpture made of found objects:




My piece sold within an hour of the show's opening. There was music, great food, beer and wine, and every time I thought I had seen all the art I would discover another piece I had missed.

Toward the end of the night, a team of ghost hunters came in, scheduled to spend the night in the place (which really was a very old soap factory in its former life) looking for evidence of spirits.

I had a wonderful evening and can't wait to do it again next year.