Let's talk framing.    Trying to market prints or originals with out quality framing and or matting is at least  a questionable practice.    As the proper frame / matting combination can add to a great deal of value to any painting or print, you will need to make some decisions.

Over head is the issue.    The original blank 24 x 36 " canvas for this "Over the Rainbow" piece probably cost under $30.  The paints and supplies much less.   For pure tax purposes I probably have less than $40 invested in the unframe painting.   To frame properly will add $200 to $500.

So if you only have several thousand dollars in your art business kitty to cash flow your art business you are faced with this dilema.    Use the $2000 to keep 20 to 40 unframed originals on the wall, and sell them at unframed prices.   Or keep 5 to 10 nicely framed pieces on the wall and try to make additional money per unit on framing.

You can of course mitigate some of the cost by becoming a framer / matter.  For me, that means less time to paint, the primary source of my joy.

Since I am a carver, I have the wood shop to make frames.  The piece featured here is has  custom frame I put together from basic door molding and modified with some carving and an image matching paint over.    The result is a frame that is unique and allows me to keep my real cost under $30 in framing.   (These frames do take a serious time committment).   But they offer a great cash flow alternative to a $200 frame.

What do you all do on framing?   SHould our web sites feature photos of framed pieces, or just the art.  Thoughts please.

The 2009 Chainsaw carving competion in Seldovia Alaska is over. And this year.... Scott won. Carved from an 8 foot by 24 inch spruce log, this piece was inspired by the works of my painting friend, Kurt Jacobsen. Kurt does wonderful Alaskana scenery paintings, but occasionally he paints fantasy art. Dragons, castles, fairies, nymphs, and scantily clad babes. I have wanted to try something of that ilk for a long time. Hence the creation of the Seldovia Sea Siren, a legend of local lore, or perhaps just in my mind. You can visit her in Seldovia..

The 2009 Chainsaw carving competion in Seldovia Alaska is over. And this year.... Scott won. Carved from an 8 foot by 24 inch spruce log, this piece was inspired by the works of my painting friend, Kurt Jacobsen. Kurt does wonderful Alaskana scenery paintings, but occasionally he paints fantasy art. Dragons, castles, fairies, nymphs, and scantily clad babes. I have wanted to try something of that ilk for a long time. Hence the creation of the Seldovia Sea Siren, a legend of local lore, or perhaps just in my mind. You can visit her in Seldovia..

Clint    I appreciate all the marketing art discussions that you offer on the blogs.

How about a test case for everyone to learn together on.

I did this piece for Fish Alaska Magazine.  It will be featured on the cover of the April edition that will ship the third week of March.

In that edition there will also be a 5 page article on my body of art work.

I am releasing a limited edition Giclee print of this piece as well as a collectors poster for Fish Alaska Magazine.

On April 3rd to the 6th I am at the Great Alaska Sportsman show with a booth signing posters and promoting the art work.  In June I will have some Gallery shows to further promote / sell the works.

In the article Fish Alaska magazine is promoting the print,  my booth, my supporting galleries and my website in
I also committed to running a one third page ad for the print in the magazines for the following 6 months.   
The Magazine currently has about 20000 subscribers.

I am prepared to share this experience in gory detail with your Blog subscribers.    I will release you to discuss traffic trends on my site, and I am prepared to discuss my expenses, traffic activity and results.
 
Thanks again for you support and the useable information you provide.

"Pair of Kings",  a play on card teminalogy.  This 7' original captures two phases of the King Salmon life cycle.   King Salmon, or Chinook Salmon are the largest species of Salmon in North American, and perhaps the largest draw to Alaska's clear streams.    Our log studio cabin sits on the banks of a blue gin clear creek at the epi center of a large spawning run of King Salmon.    The salmon arrive at the mouth of the river, 9 miles down stream in early June.   Chrome silver just a days travel from the ocean.  By late July they have arrived at the shallow clear spawning grounds in front of our cabin.  Fifty plus pound fish trying to lay eggs in 15 inches of water is amazing, noisey, and not to be missed.   

This piece captures two phases of the Salmon.  As salmon arrive at the river over several weeks, it is not uncommon to see all phases of the Morphing process side by side.   King Salmon art, Capture the moment.

This limited edition Giclee on Canvas is available in three sizes:

12'x42" edition of 10 only. Retail $595
18"x 63" edition of 6 only Retail $1495
9"x31.5" edition of 40 only Retail $329

This original painting of a large male grizzly bear is set in late September, perhaps early October in Alaska's high tundra. The hills turn red as blue berry patches rippen. Grizzly bears gorge in these patches, and it is not uncommon for them to flush out flocks of Ptarmigan feeding on the same autumn treats.

This carving was created for Alaska's Governor, Sarah Palin. It was commissioned by Fish Alaska Magazine for Sarah when she was scheduled to judge their 2008 Fish Recipe Contest. I was contacted not long after the 2007 competition and asked to create a piece for the Governor. This was a great honor as we believe Sarah is a fine honorable person and a wonderful example of a citizen serving in the political arena for the people. This carving depicts one of Alaska's most powerful creatures, a mother Grizzly bear teaching her cub how to fish. The piece captures that Alaskan moment, but also testifies to the great need for parents to offer good examples to their childern. It equaly speaks to the responsibility of politicians to live the good example. Joan and I think Sarah is up to that responsibility.    This piece is currently sitting in Sarah's Anchorage office.

I am sure we have all had enough of Politics for some time to come,  but it would be interesting to hear from other artists about pieces placed in noteable peoples homes

This piece will be auctioned off by The Rocky Mountain Elk foundation at their annual convention in Feb. 2009.

This is a hand carved Elk.   I carved it using a technique involving layering cut out blanks.  Each piece is slice of the entire carving.   These thinner slices are easier to cut to size on my 14 " band saw.   Once I have them lamenated together, the act of carving is greatly simplified.   If done well this technique adds greatly to the strength  of a woodcarving.   The Antlers are not carved from wood.  Trade secret there.  

Woodcarvings exist in a wide range of styles, everything from chainsaw carvings, widdled sticks, to high end, life like decoys, and European archetural Woodcarvings.  In the US Woodcarvings are more seen as Craft than art form.    My works cover a wide range of styles, but the most successful style is along the line depicted in this Elk Wood Carving.   These pieces fall closer to some of the Bronze wildlife art that has been so popular.   Woodcarvings of wildlife, tend to be one of a kind,  not as durable,  and not mass producable, like bronzes.

I would be interested in hearing from other scupltural artists on how their works are precieved in the market place.