Comments on: The Best Idea for Unloading Unsold Art

By: Marsh gegerson

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 21:31:01 +0000

I got crazy cleaning out and love it. So freeing! Thanks, Alyson for putting this stick of dynamite under us. We are moving to a small apartment in my daughter’s home. Once I started throwing out, it became invigorating. I began small..under the sinks, then my clothes closet, now I am up to the studio,
We are near the Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital. I had an idea to crop my discarded watercolors into small abstracts, mat them and give them away to the children cancer wing as a” hopeful get well card”. I am one of the risk groups and homebound for COVID (to stay well) so I have lots of time to toss and reinvent.

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By: Lyna Lou Nordstrom

Thu, 04 Sep 2014 06:23:59 +0000

In reply to Liza.

for Liza…you are amazing! Wish someone had brought me to one of those earlier in my life!

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By: Cate

Sun, 22 Jun 2014 21:49:40 +0000

I think there have been some great ideas discussed on here but I to question the safely of burning art with paint or other objects on them. This is very unsound practice for the environment and also people who live in the district with asthma and other breathing problems. Since I have a child who lives with the reality of breathing issues I would ask people to carefully consider re working art rather than burning it.

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By: Jann Alexander

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 13:37:40 +0000

You could award me The Procrastinator Prize: I put it in my art closet and my attic. These ideas are better, but they’ll go into my Someday File.

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By: Margie Lakeberg

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 12:53:47 +0000

I have limited space and have done painting over pretty often and have sold several pieces with other work underneath. I actually like painting this way from time to time instead of just toning a blank canvas. If by my third try on a canvas I still am not succeeding the fireplace gets fed. Either experience is cathartic.
I am not happy with auctions , they are usually not run properly and I would rather just give a check than have my work go for next to nothing.
Unless you have never shown your work to anyone I suggest being very picky about which auction you contribute to. Ask and make sure that your work will be shown properly , that you have a sizable minimum bid in place and that if the work is not sold it is returned to you. If the work is so unlovable that you don’t even want it returned , don’t take any credit for it either .

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By: Mary Richmond

Sat, 21 Jun 2014 11:54:00 +0000

I did this about 10 years back–had a big bonfire and got rid of a lot of work–including all my journals, morning pages, etc. that I had lying around. It was very freeing. I did keep my sketchbooks and nature journals but after cleaning out my mom’s house and my mother in law’s house after their deaths I knew I didn’t want just random confessional writings around so I destroyed them. I also got rid of all sorts of unsold artwork that was cluttering up my studio and my life. It gave me a fresh start and was great. Several artist and writer friends joined me and we made a party of it. Great day.

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By: Mary Kemp

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 19:46:49 +0000

I love the idea that my art is impermanent unless someone wants to own it, and make it less impermanent. I paint in oils and regularly sand down and re use boards. Thank you Alyson for your blog and books and everything.

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By: Nanci Erskine

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:36:09 +0000

I agree with Carol that weeding out work by trashing is very liberating. (although open burning of oil paintings or other work seems environmentally unsound to me) If you’ve been at this for a while, and are somewhat prolific, there are always stronger examples of any series that you can hold onto. There’s plenty to leave my daughter and others when I’m gone. Slashing up an oil painting brings home the concept that value is a relative thing. http://erskinestudio.com/2014/02/10/curating-a-studio-life/

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:26:16 +0000

In reply to Sande.

Sande: Oops, indeed!
Have you changed your ways? Are you offering the work to your kids first now?

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By: Alyson Stanfield

Fri, 20 Jun 2014 15:25:27 +0000

In reply to Sheila Brodnick.

Great. Sheila, one person recommended turning old 2D work into artist books. Love that!

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