where to sell work?

[curtis rosche]

do you know of any good places to sell burl slab tables? i know there are some local shop around me that might sell them, and i know there is always ebay. but having never sold anything like this i dont know the best way to go about doing this. the woodworking shop that i worked at in the summer will be slow during the winter so they wont really have work for me, so i am gonna go in over christmas and thanksgiving and make my own tables and sell them for college money.

so whats the easiest or most profitable way to go about doing this. if you could give me some pros and cons of different ways that would be very helpfull

here is one example of the tables i am going to make
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...98056#poststop

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...01816#poststop

thanks

[Stephen Tashiro]

I'd suggest an art gallery. This doesn't look like the type of product that the typical consumer would buy to put in their dinning room or kitchen. It looks like the kind of furniture you would see in a very fancy house or in a stock brokers office. With the irregular edges, it would be more for displaying things than for eating meals. In fact, you might be able to sell it to an art gallery as a display table.

If you want to appeal to the "home market", I suggest you incorporate part of the the slab into something that looks more conventional. How thin can you slice it? For example can you make fancy wooden plaque that would sit on the wall and hold a big mirror?

[curtis rosche]

how would i go about getting them into an art gallery

[Dan Hintz]

If they're truly high-end looking pieces, consider taking out an ad in a mag that is geared towards the more affluent... like the Robb Report. You'd only need to sell one table a month at RR prices to live a very nice lifestyle.

[David Weaver]

A table like that would be in an art gallery in the strip down here, but it would have metal legs, and metalwork anywhere there was a large span between the burl that wasn't stable (that one looks rock solid - a fantastic piece of wood).

it'd also have a tag on it like $2,500 at a minimum and sky is the limit depending on whose chain the artist or gallery was trying to yank.

[curtis rosche]

any suggestions on galleries?

[David Weaver]

No clue out that way. Around here, I'd say check all of the high rent areas.

The two places I've seen that type of thing (high quality one-offs, and not just an expensive furniture store peddling manufactured furniture for nosebleed prices) are the strip and ligonier. I'm sure there are other people making stuff like that here, but I don't get around through the city more than I have to.

It's probably something where you'd need to do some homework, visit some galleries and do some networking, and even then no guarantee.

[Stephen Tashiro]

curtis,
if want suggestions on specific galleries, you'll have to mention a geographic location. i don't see your location in your profile.

[curtis rosche]

paradise PA. lancaster county. about 1/2 mile from nickelmines

[Charlie Reals]

A table like that would be in an art gallery in the strip down here, but it would have metal legs, and metalwork anywhere there was a large span between the burl that wasn't stable (that one looks rock solid - a fantastic piece of wood).

it'd also have a tag on it like $2,500 at a minimum and sky is the limit depending on whose chain the artist or gallery was trying to yank.

+1 on that. If it were in The right place in the bay area or Santa cruz it could go 3 to 4 grand for sure. That is a well made table. We made them years ago and used a self leveling two part liquid from tap plastics. It filled all the voids and made for a very nice flat usable table.
We made them similar to that or with a driftwood trunk for a base.

[Lee Koepke]

paradise PA. lancaster county. about 1/2 mile from nickelmines

off topic, but we took a little vacation in the lancaster county area 3 years ago, its beautiful country up there!

Finding a gallery (the right one) is not a quick and easy trip, its more networking than anything else. Beautiful tables though, I hope they find a nice home that appreciates it and helps you out at the same time!

[Rob Fisher]

any suggestions on galleries?

Curtis,

Get a phone book (or more likely google search) and look up art galleries in lancaster, PA. There are a ton here, has to be over 50. If you are truly doing fine art caliber of work you should not have a problem finding a gallery that will show your work. In addition http://www.lancasterarts.com may be a good resource for finding galleries.

One last thought, if you do get your work into a gallery be patient. It may take a few months, or more, to sell your first piece.

Rob

[Van Huskey]

You might also try Philly and the DC suburbs.

You also might look at Etsy, not sure how furniture does there but lots of arts and crafts people use it for a big chunk of their income.

[fred marcuson]

check out this guild ...
http://www.pacrafts.com/pacrafts/site/default.asp

they have local shows and might have some info on galleries

[Horton Brasses]

I'd think you would need to be in the city (Philly). Search for studio furniture galleries and/or design galleries to see if anything comes up. You also might consider making up a nice full color brochure with pictures (just a single page with a tri-fold would be big enough) and mailing it to every architect, interior designer, and decorator you can round up.

If you do find a retail spot you are probably looking at a consignment arrangement-which is fine. As a new furniture maker with no name recognition you don't have a following or a built in group of buyers. You will be relying on the gallery, or whomever, to be able to market your work and understand what makes it special. Many people by art and studio furniture not for daily use, as mentioned earlier, but as an investment. They are hoping that the maker becomes well known and their piece appreciates in value because of it. In this case, your age is a plus. Your only going to get better.