Why Not Me? Repricing Your Worth as an Artist

Welcome to Season 5 Episode 10 of Art Is... a podcast for artists, where we brainstorm the future of the art world and the creative industries.

In this episode, Lauryn and Isotta explore the intriguing world of pricing, shedding light on how it influences perceptions of work. The discussion delves into the often mysterious reasons behind high, low and sometimes seemingly extravagant, price tags. Listeners are invited to join Lauryn as she shares her personal journey with a business coach friend, revealing the shame that can accompany the process of setting prices for creative endeavors.

The episode also takes a deep dive into the concept of the "selling out myth" versus the art of generating income for creative businesses through commercial enterprises. The inspiration for this discussion comes from Ash Keating, a renowned painter and muralist, whose story was featured on the 'Beyond the Studio Podcast.' The podcast delves into the sometimes murky difference between commercial practice and fine art practice, commonly recognized to live solely in the realm of the 'white cube.'

Building on insights from a previous episode with Ryan Roi, Isotta and Lauryn confront the discomfort and stigma surrounding money, encouraging listeners to view it as a flowing form of energy in their lives. Lauryn narrows in on the discomfort so many of us have around selling, reframing it as something that occupies our daily lives from recommending restaurants to friends to making decisions about what to watch on tv.

Listeners gain insights into Lauryn's coaching experiences with clients who grapple with setting prices for commission work and overcoming internal barriers and discomfort related to the sums involved. Isotta shares valuable perspectives from Gisela Lazarate, accomplished painter and past podcast guest on her pricing strategies, including considerations of seasonality in when and where to sell. 

The episode emphasizes the critical first step of writing down why one's work is exceptional and why someone would derive value from it when establishing fair prices. The discussion also highlights the significance of not having to justify your prices as an artist and instead clients accepting prices at face value.

Lauryn also mentions how experience, can play a significant role in pricing decisions and advocates for offering multiple price points to cater to both higher-end and lower-end markets.

Ultimately, the episode concludes that the real issue isn't the price itself but the thoughts and perceptions surrounding it. Drawing inspiration from Virgil Abloh's pricing standards and featuring a clip from Kate Salenfriend, who encourages artists to seize opportunities and not question, "Why me?" but rather, "Why not me?" The episode serves as a powerful reminder not to underestimate one's capacity as an artist and to confidently value one's work in the art market.

Topics covered: 

• The price behind work, products and services 
• How people justify high sometimes crazy prices 
• Lauryn’s experience with her business coach and unpacking the shame that can come around setting prices 
• Examples of the “selling out myth” vs generating income for your creative business from commercial enterprise
• Ash Keating, painter and muralist story as heard in ‘Beyond the Studio Podcast’ https://beyondthe.studio/episode/ash-keating 
• Commercial practice vs fine art practice ‘white cube’  
• Building off episode 6 with Ryan Roi, confronting the discomfort around money and seeing it as a flow of energy 
• Confronting the material word and learning how to sell, how we sell in our daily lives to our friends and family on where to eat and what to do etc
• Lauryn’s client’s experience with setting prices for commission work and unraveling the discomfort and internal blocks around the sum 
• Gisela Lazarate’s helpful insights around pricing your work in advance and seasonality in selling 
• Not overpricing but valuing your time and experience 
• Writing down why your work is great and why someone would get value out of it as a first step in establishing your price 
• Clients taking prices at face value, not having to justify or explain it - creating an energetic experience for yourself
• How experience or inexperienced plays into pricing 
• Creating multiple offers - higher end and lower end  
• The issue is not the price but the thoughts around the price 
• Virgil Abloh’s pricing standard 
• Kate Salenfriend clip on pricing her work and taking opportunities 
• Not asking yourself why me? But Why not me? Not undermining yourself and capacity as an artist

Resources: 

Lauryn;s pricing framework https://www.curatedsplash.com/blog/5-steps-to-properly-pricing-your-art 

Something’s Off Virgil Abloh https://www.taschen.com/en/books/fashion/08018/virgil-abloh-nike-icons  

Kate Salenfriend https://www.instagram.com/katesalenfriendart/ 

Jiggle and Juice Resources https://www.jigglenjuicecollective.com/support-resources 

TASCHEN Publishing https://www.taschen.com/en/ 

Learn more about our partner ART MO: https://artmo.com/

Follow along @artmo__

Article about Isotta, Art Is… & ARTMO https://artmo.com/buzz/artmo-introduces-its-new-partner-art-is-podcast 

Learn more and read transcripts at https://www.artispodcast.com/

Follow the podcast at @artispodcast

Learn more about Isotta at @isottapage and see her work http://www.isottapage.com/

Learn more about Lauryn @curatedsplash and her work https://www.curatedsplash.com/

Original music by Black Wonder Twins

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