I returned to my house after a day's painting at my friend D's studio (sunset snow scene nearly finished) and found an envelope on the mat. Hmm, not junk mail so cheque or bill? Closer inspection revealed the frank across the top to read 'Transport Department'. Rats I thought, speed camera got me at last. Not that I speed you understand... but the occasional loss of concentration perhaps, artistic nature looking at trees instead of speed signs.
However the frank mark was a misnomer, someone had just put the mail through at work perhaps, as it was a cheque from a gallery in Bury St Edmunds. A beach huts painting sold. I knew that one would go eventually; I have never painted beach huts and not got a sale, even if it took a while. Beach huts are the artist's equivalent of printing money. I once used Google to find out the top ten subjects sold as art. Whilst beach huts did not come up, the best seller was... wait for it... Dog Portraits. Second was Landscapes, third was Abstract Landscapes. I have also had success with boats, birds and (surprisingly in this modern world) flowers. My favourite subject is gardens, and I have sold a few, but not many. As for still life, some may have success with them, but I never have.
Unfortunately knowing that beach huts sell is not enough to make me paint them non stop. Just can't stick to one thing, too boring, need to move about. And as for dog portraits, sadly I just don't like dogs much. I don't mean I am scared of them, I will happily pat them on the head, they are pleasant enough. But as for the whole barking, smelling, drooling, digging, traipsing in mud, picking up their toilet aftermath, give me a cat any day.
Later the same week, I got notified of two small sales on my new American shop site. Earned me about £2.50 commission, but it's a start. Here are the products that sold:
And I lost some weight! So all in all last week was a good week. Unlike this week, as I seem to have picked up a cold. So out goes the gym, and if I keep sneezing this much I may have to cancel my private tuition students too...
Off to have a Lempsip now; not certain they work, but I like the taste anyhow.
Congratulations on your sales, Michele. And your 'research' on best selling subjects for art is interesting too! I am still finding that the cards I've made from my landscape paintings are as popular (if not more so) as the ones I have specifically designed as greeting cards.
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