As I was doing my regular search and grab at the local B&N, for some of my fave books and mags (Wired, Fast Company, Oxygen, Juxtapoz, etc) I thought about how guilty I feel when I come here.
I know they have the comfy chairs, the tables. You can clearly see people are everywhere stealing a view at the pages of books and mags they have not bought themselves, at least just yet. I wonder to myself, how is this legal!? It’s like a library. You pick and peruse what you wish, decide if you want to buy or not. I LOVE it!
I am always buying books and magazines here. Forget all the cash I would save to shop at Amazon or a used bookstore (unfortunately none around here.) That evil Barney has it’s claws in me! I love the convenience, the environment, and the wonderful relaxing approach to buying. I think that’s the catch. They don’t have to worry about losing money on books being read IN the store. You buy them anyways! At least I know I do.
That got me thinking…I know some artists rent out their art. You put a safety deposit or something on the piece, rent it for a week or two, then decide on purchasing or sending it back. You can rent the paintings perhaps for special events too!
My thoughts are, would people like to have a try it and buy it option with my art? Perhaps my collectors and readers would like a chance to see how one piece or another will fit in their residence before deciding on purchasing? Or perhaps that special cocktail dinner would be nice to fill with art! I would have to consider art insurance as well as more legal issues but it could be a nice opportunity for collectors or potential collectors. I hope to offer this in the future. That would be fun wouldn’t it?
I dont know about the trail thing. But for people you have worked with before and know, it is something to consider. However I would take it another way. Get in touch with the Local Builders in your area who build display homes or Model homes, and “Lend” them your art for their homes. Maybe also other doctors and dentist offices. Also find out who and where any local timeshares or vacation homes are in your area. And talk to the management company about leasing your art to them. If the owner of the home then wants to purchase the piece they can do so. Michigan there probably isn’t to much. However take a “Business” trip to FL, HA, Gulf States, Aspen, and other coastal areas and talk to the Vacation Home management companies.
Typically other people own the homes then rent them out when they are not there, through a management company that does all the all the clean up and such. The only bad thing, is sometimes your pieces may get damaged, but the Owner has insurances against such a thing.
Great Idea, We had been thinking the same thing, but Mary doesn’t have the inventory to attempt it yet. However her Brother does own several Condo’s in Gulf Shores that her work is going up in.
With your notoriety, and resume, that should be fairly easy to do. Besides at the same time, you get to take some pretty cool vacations on the company dime if worked right, and all tax deductible. What a wonderful Capitalistic society we live in!