Monday, April 26, 2010

Wise words

When I posted here about trying to make something cheap enough to sell and not doing the kind of work that I really like, my friend Tarni sent me a message saying "Don't get good at something you don't like doing". I took note of her wise words and took time for myself and made these "Wise Ones" just because I wanted to:


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They incorporate all the things that I like doing best. The base fabrics are constructed of bits and pieces, machine quilted, embellished on the machine and needlefelted. Portraits in coloured pencil, needle sculpted. Fancy headresses:




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Best of all, lots and lots of slow, rhythmical hand stitching that took several hours. Lots of texture:


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All combined into a 3-dimensional decorative item, around 9 inches high, that can stand up on its own.

My friend Tarni also tells me that I underprice my work. That if I want to continue making the heavily embroidered items that I like, and be taken seriously as a textile artist, I must be prepared to charge a fair price, reflecting the skill and time involved. I'm working on that....................

5 comments:

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I love these! Have to comment though on the pricing issue. I struggle all the time with pricing too. I think a lot of it depends on the area you live in. I know that here (smallish town) there is no way I can get as much as I would be able to if I were in a much larger centre. I make recycled denim jackets and the most I can get here is $200, even though I know that they are worth much more. I finally came to the conclusion that as long as I'm happy with what I'm getting, that's all that matters.

Grangry said...

Thank you Magpie! And thanks for your input on the pricing issue. I sell very little here on the south coast, even in the tourist season, however low I price it. Most of my sales are via the internet and that's a shame, because I like to meet the people who like my work enough to buy it....

Conni said...

These are magical, Kay!

Jackie said...

Really amazing..and wise.

Anonymous said...

I think these are wonderful - original and so different from much one sees online. Their wise faces and your colour choice and stitching on these whimsical folk are perfect...I certainly think they are underpriced, but then I probably could not part with them!