The Intention of Art

One month out of the year I make art work where my main intention is sales. It is the month before our Christmas show goes up at the McGuffey Art Center (MAC). It is a show where it is cash and carry and where sales are higher than usual. It is a different mind set to work with sales in mind. In a way it is easier as it consists of factors you think you can actually define, such as:

What do people like to buy for Christmas presents and how much do they like to spend?

How time and money can I spend on a piece before the price gets too high?

Most of all you have to come up with a great idea, which is usually not too hard as you are supposedly creative and full of imagination. I have made jewelry, oil lamps, vases, Christmas ornaments, photo transfer wall hangings on copper and this year I made suspended mixed media angels and a couple of foutains. Even though the intention is sales there is no guarantee your smaller pieces will sell. Sometimes that art piece you created from the depths of your soul which is expensive and cumbersome will sell instead. The conclusion of this is that the purpose to know my intention is to keep me honest in my work and be clear why I make something.