Rambling here… questions and not really answers….

Worth or value is determined by what something sells for. What the public or buyer is willing to pay. Though if one person is willing to pay x is anyone else willing to pay x as well? Perhaps they are few and far between.

Is the goal to sell and make money or to make art and get it out into people’s homes for their enjoyment? Or both?

Should the artist let the public determine the value and not the artist? Not everyone can pay x, many can pay y. Art is still sold and people still support the artist.

Should pricing be set with the expectation or hope of a gallery selling it? Therefore, “I want x plus the gallery’s commission,” meaning the price is not set based on the public’s determination, but something else that may be very unrealistic. Is it really worth that? Will it sell?

Gallery hype. Artist hype. Past sales.

We all want shows; being shown is great, galleries, and so on… but are prices being determined for them or for your art to sell? And does it sell? At that price? Or at a lower price? Can the gallery sell your work? Do they attract the right clients for your work? What if your works does not fit in… where do you go for exposure?

We all want to support galleries, but are they pricing art in the best interest of the artist or in the best interest of themselves? Am thinking neither, if it doesn’t sell.

If it doesn’t sell and they drop you from future shows, then did they ever believe in the art or was it really about making money?

Hence “pay to play?” Doesn’t matter of it sells, the gallery has money upfront.

Reflection of the gallery or the current art world in terms of people buying art? Paying x for art when perhaps it should be x – y?

Galleries need to make x to stay open. More shows/artists at lower prices? Of course, different for brick and mortar galleries as opposed to those that are either virtual or use other spaces to display art – coffee houses, restaurants, etc. Differences in overhead.

Are galleries interested in less expensive/affordable art/artists. Is there enough profit? Are less pricey (affordable?) artists seen/perceived as being less serious or of a lower quality/ability? Should pricing reflect quality/ability/education/experience? Who you are as an artist? Your work? Is being good, good enough or does one need credentials to price their work accordingly?

Do galleries only show art that is easy to sell? Style? Color? Decorative? Simple? Or will they show art that is challenging and perhaps not going to sell based on the topic, materials, composition, etc.?

Again, galleries need to see to stay open. “Commercial” galleries selling more “commercial” art? Priced as such?

Art being offered through Sales or discounts? Who takes the cut? Gallery? Artist? Shared? Having a sale suggests that the price is perhaps not reasonable? Won’t sell at x, but will sell at x-y? And if it does, then should it have been priced at x?

Prices of art are a reflection of the value of the artist/art. But is it true to the quality of their art?

Does more money mean better art or a more talented artist? Or just now investing in what is being promoted or seen as “hot?” Hyped. Inflated. Written about? Discovered?

Truth is, while artist x is seen/recognized as the next thing or a great artist, are they the only ones creating that? That is, they are now known, but how may other artists are making the same “art” and perhaps art that is even “better” … just that they are undiscovered. For every artist making art x there are hundreds making art x too… just you don’t know them. Back to hype? Being “known?” Press? Exposure? Sales? Does that in and of itself determine the value of the art/artist? The true value? If people are paying for it, then yes. But what happens when that artist falls out of favor with a gallery or becomes saturated? Price drops. Perception drops. Value drops. Demand drops. So, their art is no longer as good as it was when it was selling?

Being sold a bill of goods? If you are happy then no. Buy art because you like it. Not an investment. Bragging rights.

Who is next in line to support the gallery and the art world?

Pay to play. Galleries selling? Galleries supporting their artists? People buying? Inflated prices?

Reasonable? Unreasonable? Unrealistic? Realistic?

Is the goal/desire to get one’s art out into the public or to make money? To support yourself. What is your time worth? If not making art, then what are you doing? Nothing much? Then is your time worth much?

Is gallery exposure of value? Out of sight, out of mind? Being known? Value is determined by what people will pay. People know you, you have exposure, but little to no sales. Priced too high? Unreasonable pricing?

Should we let people decide what it is worth? The value. Reasonable? What is reasonable? Affordable? What is affordable? Varies from person to person. We do by pricing and seeing what people will pay. No sales, lower the price. If everything sells, raise the price? Now no sales? Roller-coaster.

If one sells/prices their work based on what the public is willing (offer me whatever you feel the piece is worth to you/willing to pay or what you feel the piece is worth as art) will a gallery ever want to work with you? Am thinking not as the public now assumes a different pricing for your work and not one that that supports a gallery. But then if your works is selling and you have gained exposure, maybe they will as they can sell your work far more easily.

I see pricing guidelines based on square inches, one’s education and experience, materials used, time spent and what the time is worth, and one’s desired profit. I get that, but does the public? I get wanting to sell art – the highest compliment for an artist is for someone to buy their art – but what is a price that makes this happen?

One uses that and prices something accordingly and then ….  “This is the price, buy it or leave it.” And no one is buying it, they are leaving it, then is it priced to sell? Was that the right model? It is better to say, “ I would like x, but feel free to offer me y?”

Price determined by materials, time, experience, perception, place within the art world, personal reasons…. Ego?

Need to sell? Pay the bills. Food on the table. Fancy house and lifestyle?

As a business? Is your art a commodity? A product that now is based on materials, time, etc.? Manufacturer of goods?