Having visited many of the websites of contributors herein, I've been quite curious as to some the economic aspects of selling ones turnings.
Please understand that I'm not seeking any specific information about anyone, rather I'm simply interested in knowing a little about the commercial aspect of turning wood. Specifically what sort of market exists for quality turnings, and is it possible to make a living selling one's work, or is it simply a supplement to one's income or retirement?
Please don't read anything into my inquiry. I'm not considering a change of career. :-) I'm simply curious.
Seems like all of the big name commercial turners supplement their income from turning by writing books, doing videos and demos, and teaching classes. I may be wrong, but that seems to indicate that turning for a living is not all that profitable.
Unless working in a household accoutrements and / or furniture factory, wood products business, technical products business where turned items are needed as part of whatever is being produced... There are [probably] factories 'turning out' home deco items for wealthy people out there. Expensive stuff.
I'm sure a market exits for quality turnings as well, but I have a good time selling my stuff at summer shows. Pays the habit, the heat, and "vacation" for Susan and I as we do it. If you have an extraordinary expense, add a Saturday. Got my Daughter's wedding gown this year.
I sell some of my woodworking stuff... no one in their right mind would want my turnings... I figure that anything I sell helps pay for present and future tools..
Even then, I've seen chain stores carrying some not-so-bad turnings for dirt-cheap prices. Workers in (name your poor country) can churn them out a lot cheaper than people in wealthy countries can. If I recall the price correctly, I saw a *reasonably* well-done hollow form about 10" in diameter made from some Asian wood for about $25 in Target about a month ago. It wasn't something that you'd submit to the Utah Symposium, but then again, it certainly wasn't something you'd get out of a novice turner.
Shoot, even within the wealthy countries, some people still crank them out pretty cheap. I was in a cafe the other day, and saw some turnings being sold on consignment. I went over and looked at them, they were *very* nicely done (well-designed, no tool marks, well-finished, overall very beautiful) - and pretty cheap. Some very nice 5" lidded boxes w/finials were selling for something like $20 or $25. I talked to the owner of the cafe, there's a retired woodshop teacher in a nearby town that cranks them out all day just for fun.
Maybe I'm just greedy and lazy, but to me, $20 wouldn't make it worth my while to sharpen my chisel and rough out a piece of wood, let alone complete a nice piece like those. Plus, I hate the idea of turning my enjoyable hobby into an economically-binding chore.
The one area where it seems profitable (although I could be wrong) is in the "high-class" turnings, for lack of a better word. You know, the nice ones that you invest a lot of time in, but sell for four figures. But that market is a niche of a niche, and unless you want to devote a lifetime to it, it's probably not realistic for most people to expect to make it.
That's pretty much been my take on the concept of turning for cash. I mostly hope to be able someday to turn nice enough pieces to give as gifts to those who appreciate such items.
Recently my wife and I toured an exhibit of turnings, such as you describe above, in a prestigious art gallery in Chicago. Many objects were in the four figure category. I asked the gentleman if the turnings were selling well. He said, "We've not sold any yet, but are very optimistic." The exhibit was 2 weeks old, and the objects were superb, if pricey. Oh well.
Depends what you mean by quality! If you mean high-end gallery or museum quality then I can't help, other than to say that the higher the price tag the harder and costlier it is to find your customer.
I make a living as a turner. Most of my time is spent on production turning, aiming for a quality level that is adequate for the type of item. Many people say that my dibbers are too nice to use in the garden.
I survive by having a mix of markets: online, tourists who stop by the studio, and a few craftshows. I teach a little too. Most of my income is from inexpensive production items
A potter acquaintance once explained to me that, as a professional potter, his "job" is to make pottery, teach classes, write articles and /or books , give workshops and lectures and basically do any thing that has to do with pottery and pays him $$$$'s. It is a refreshing change to do something different for a day or two or a week or to have some other project on the back burner that will "advance the cause" and pay the bills. In spite of how much you may enjoy working at the lathe you need to take a break. Edward
For me my lathework is an escape, a catharsis really, from my professional life. While I posed the original query about commercial turning, I can't envision ever doing much beyond a tiny income supplementation, probably during retirement. I do, however, admire those with the skills and discipline to earn a living doing what they love.
...And you can add to the list: Or has a spouse with a job, retirement income, savings and house paid for from previous career, and on and on..... And you can add to the list all artists in every medium that I have spoken to about the subject. Since I "make my living" from turning, I'm very interested in the subject.
Why is it that our society doesn't respect craftspeople as much as it does lawyers, doctors, insurance people, etc.
I think it is based on perceived need. People need doctors, lawyers, mechanics, etc. They can 'get along' without craftspeople. Though, it was not always so.
Art is a personal feeling. Look at the way Michelangelo and Picasso painted women. Quite a difference.
Then there's the power of the Patron. Old Bartolomeo Giocondo was overheard to say " nice smile, but I was going to hang it in the bedroom, so I figured maybe a bit more cleavage...."
Last, the critics, who panned the fresco in Milan because "anybody knows thirteen people wouldn't sit on _one_ side of the table."
I have always enjoyed photography and one of my personal heroes was Ansel Adams. In an interview filmed shortly before his death he told how even though he had been famous for 40 years, he hadn't been able to earn a living from his art photography until the last few years of his life.
I don't think it's just our society, I think it has always been that way. As near as I can tell, with a very few individual exceptions, artists have never been paid well in any culture throughout history.
You'd think that a turner selling hollow forms for thousands of dollars each would be raking in the moola, but it doesn't work out that way. Above a certain level of quality and artistic merit, the big bucks are paid for the signature on the bottom, and in order for that to happen you have to spend so much time doing marketing - making a name for yourself - that you have less time to turn. Plus, those high dollar sales come slower, so that by the time annual tax forms are filed even the biggest of the big names may not have more to report than the anonymous craft show seller cranking out salad bowls all year.
It's not just turners, it's pretty much all artists and crafters, and I think it has always been that way. Bummer.
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