Russ,
There are 3 main ways to sell your work;
One is the Arts and Craft shows. There are a couple of show guides out
there that rate the shows for type (there is a difference between arts
and crafts), average sales, attendance, how to get in, etc. You do all
of the work, and take all of the money. Shows can be a lot of fun. You
have to like to travel and talk to people. It is a very social thing.
There is a real science to picking out the right shows. My high show
last year was over $4,000. My low show was about $500. Average is
probably less than $2,000. Two big shows a month is a lot of
work.Custom orders is big part of the business. I still have to get a
web site. I can't see doing just the internet sales, both for reasons
of volume, and boredom. I like to deal with people face to face.
Two is to sell to the galleries. Few will buy outright, wanting to do
the consignment bit, taking 40 to 60% depending. Since I never have any
extra stock that I don't need for shows, and I don't discount my prices
much for wholesale, I don't have anything in the galleries, even though
I have been approached a number of times.
The other way is to have an agent who reps your stuff to buyers. I
don't know much about this method, but do have 2 friends who use this
method. For one, it is his only method of sales. For the other, he does
this, and goes to shows.
I was a semi-pro for about 10 years. That means that I made enough
money to support my habbit, and to pay some bills, but not enough to
quit the day job. I now am professional, doing the wood full time.
Quitting concrete construction was a good move reguardless. I make
furniture, boxes, and lots of turning. I don't think that I could make
a go of it with just turning, or the other wood work, but the
combination of the two seems to be working. I do have some supplemental
income, so I don't have to survive on the wood alone. Could I survive
on the wood alone? Probably. Being self employed has its draw backs,
primarily twice the working hours for the same pay and not being able
to whine about the boss. I do love what I do, which is why I do it. I
hope to supplement the work part with teaching and doing demos. That is
just as much fun as watching the shavings fly.
If you are one of the exceptional few who get to be famous, perhaps you
can make a lot of money. You can make enough to supplement your income
without too much trouble. If you want to make a living at it, you
really have to work at it.
robo hippy