In the past, a painted picture may have been worth 1,000 words, but in today’s economy, it’s only worth four: Will Work For Food.
Sarah Flowe started making pictures when she was 4 years old, and has been passionate about the arts ever since. “It chose me,” she says. “I didn’t choose it. It’s something I have to do.”
Flowe, a Columbia artist who paints murals for a living, is feeling the pinch from the current economic climate. One of the biggest ripple effects to her career has been the reduction in funding for the arts at the school level.
Six months ago, she was commissioned to do several murals for schools in the Greenville/Spartanburg area, but budget cuts have obliterated their ability to pay her. “The principal said the money is no longer in the budget; it has to go the sports program instead,” says Flowe.
Tom Starland, the editor and publisher of Carolina Arts newspaper, says, “Support for the arts is always the first to go in hard times—and the last to recover.”
The South CarolinaArts Commission, which is primarily funded by state tax dollars as appropriated by the General Assembly, reported on its Web site that it ended its 2009 fiscal year with a 25.9 percent cut from its 2008 budget, and began 2010 with the same shrunken pool of funds.
“Unfortunately, art is a luxury good,” says Flowe. “Lots of people are putting it on the back burner right now.” Flowe says she is still being approached by interested parties, but few are following through with actual commissions.
She receives pre-qualified leads through FindaMuralist.com, but they aren’t the same quality as they used to be. In the past, she says, a lead meant a serious client. Now, it is just as likely to be a dud.
Rob Shaw, the manager and featured artist at Havens Framemakers and Gallery, at 1616 Gervais St. in Columbai, says his gallery has maintained as much traffic as in the past, but there are fewer buyers, and purchases are at a lower price point. Shaw teaches painting classes at the gallery, which has helped to ease this economic blow.
“People are still interested in the arts,” Shaw says, “But just may not be in a situation to purchase.”
Starland points out that The Columbia Museum of Art is thriving right now for that very reason. “It’s easier to get people to pay $10 to go see art than to pay $500-$5,000 to own art in bad times.”
Ellen Woodoff, the director of marketing and communications for The Columbia Museum of Art, says the museum’s admissions were up to 155, 000 last year—an increase of over 12 percent from the year before.
Flowe’s numbers aren’t as encouraging. She says two years ago she averaged 200-250 views of her listing on FindaMuralist.com, and three to five commissions per month. Last year, she averaged one commission a month, and 175 views. The last report she saw for her site in 2010 reflected only 55 views.
Flowe says clients are also more prone to try to negotiate right now. “People are saying, ‘We can’t pay that, but this is what we can afford.
“They come up with all different kinds of ways,” says Flowe.
Shaw says he is having the same experience with customers. Gallery patrons are much quicker to ask for payment plans and discounts.
As someone trying to make a living, Flowe said she recognizes the need to be flexible, but she is also concerned about changing her prices too dramatically. “I’d rather get something instead of nothing, but it’s a bad business practice because they could tell their friends they got it at that price.”
Flowe says this is a difficult time to try to make a living as an artist. She says a friend of hers, who also paints murals, has gone to painting houses. “It’s sad to go from doing something so creative that you’ve got a passion about, to painting a wall a solid color because you’re so desperate for money,” says Flowe.
Starland says artists’ responses to the market’s current demands have been varied. “Some give in and some hold out for better times,” he says. “But in the end, you’ll do what you have to.”
As an artist, Flowe is already looking at other career options. She has started illustrating children’s books, which she says is a billion dollar industry and is more marketable than murals. “I’m keeping an open mind,” says Flowe. “I’m not saying no to anything.” RCT