BLISSFUL-BOHEMIAN

Saturday, May 22, 2010

What's Up

I have been super busy with work this week and thus I have posted very little.
Today, I worked and I have been finishing my organizing of my storage room/office, I thought I would take a little break (any excuse will do) and tell you what has been happening. I have had a grand idea: I want to teach classes about how to paint with Venetian plaster. First problem, I don't have the room at my house for more than one student at a time and my animal kids would make it hard to do as they would want to be involved :-). So, I thought about where I would want to give the classes and I came up with a space in town that is next door to my favorite coffee/lunch spot (Kj, you were there with me, remember?). I happened to run into the owner of said coffee bar/empty space and he is very open to renting it to me. I have to do some research and he has to empty the space out and figure out how much to charge me to use it on the weekends. If it is not cost prohibitive and I can get enough people to commit to it, I am trying this.
It would be so fun to get together with a group of cool people every weekend and create and then take a lunch break and have great food and make a living at the same time. I am thinking of two 6 hour days. How much to charge? Help me with this as I know people who charge anywhere from 75-150 a day for classes. I would provide some of the supplies. What do you pay for a class and what would you pay? Also if I have any readers in Taos or Santa Fe who would be interested in a class, please email me.
Okay, that is what I am up to. Tomorrow I am going to a baby shower!!! I think it has been 25 years since I did that :-).
Happy weekend! XOXO

17 comments:

kj said...

this is exciting.

let me think abit....

Lubna said...

Hi
I am so glad ideas are pouring in,I can smell a new nice start. Good luck.

kj said...

annie, i pay $ 150 for a three day writing workshop that includes dinner. this equals 3 hours on friday night, 6 on saturday and 3 on sunday morning: 12 hours.

if you based that on your time, it would give you $ 12.50/hour per person. if you had 3 or 4 people, you'd be doing pretty well.

i don't know if someone like me would choose or be able to think about this as a weekly expense. so i think you are better off offering a three week course, or something like that.

does this help? i have plenty of drawing boards i can go back to.

it's sunday morning. i hope your sun is warm overhead.

much much love to you today,
kj

ExtraO said...

That would be great for you if you can work it out! Good luck!

Robin said...

If you could find enough students to make it worthwhile it would be a good way to garner some extra income....and keep your creative energy flowing!

Bon Chance!

♥ Robin ♥

Annie said...

Kj, it does help, except #1 NO one is teaching this, no one and many people teach writing, also my supplies are costly, where as you provide your own paper and pen, plus I will be renting a very cool space. Also I live in a very expensive town! I am thinking of a weekend course of 5-6 hours a day
and charging 75-100 a day, it depends on how much he wants a day for the space and if he gives me a good deal we might work it out that I provide lunch too. Also I need at least 6-10 people to make it worth the effort. I am getting emails from artist friends who have paid up to 110 a day for 3-5 hours, so I think I am in the ball park. Thank you for your input and any more would be welcome!! And yes, it is warm and sunny!Love you.
xoxo
Lubna-Thank you!
EOM-Thank you! xoxo
xoxo
Robin-Extra income at frist, but hopefully full on income at some point. xoxo

becky said...

Sounds like a great idea, Annie. I suppose a lot of it depends on what the space rent will be, too. And getting the word out! Have fun at your shower & hopefully you can squeeze some painting in, too!

sukipoet said...

excellent idea Annie. Ive both taken and given workshops in writing though. but also taken visual workshops but i need to look some things up re: the ones I took and costs.

I have never charged very much for workshops I give. on the other hand i taught for awhile at the community college. that was just pennies but it gave me good experience and built up a following so to speak.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant idea Annie. I think it would appeal to a lot of people. Sorry no idea about costs.

This is definately a time of change -I'm looking into things too.

Annie said...

Becky-Thank you, yes, the rent is a big factor in my cost, and I did paint a little today :-).xoxo
Suki-Taos is very expensive to live in and I have to factor in supplies which are a lot, Venetian plaster costs 40 a can and I have to go to Santa Fe to buy it and the pigment has to be orderd on the web, plus I am sure the space will not be cheap. If I was having the class in my home I would not have to charge as much, but a girl has to make a living, I have no money (yet) :-).
Melanie-What are you up to? xoxo

sukipoet said...

annie, after some thought re: prices of workshops I think they tend to vary so much. Dependent on where held (say at Ghost Ranch kinda place), whether they include staying overnight and food etcetc.

Taos is a big art city and also there are rich people there so probably best to charge both what makes you feel you are getting paid enough for your time and what the local area will handle. For example here in the boonies, no way I could charge $100/day since no one would take the workshop unless i was famous.

Cape Cod is also expensive, filled w/artists and many workshops and there I could charge more for a weekend workshop than up here.

I think you should just put it out there and see what happens. If you charge the $100/day and enough people to satisfy you sign up then you know you are on the right track.

I also advise providing liquid libation and dessert and let them bring their bag lunch though, at least the first time or so, to see how the money works out in actuality.

Is the Blue Fish clothing store still there in Taos? I wonder if I've been to this cafe??? Good luck. Sounds fun and exciting.

~Babs said...

I wish you all the best in sorting this out. If it's meant to be,,,,it will.
Wish I were closer,,,it sounds like lots of fun!

Annie said...

Suki, It does depend so much on where you are. Now I am thinking of 3, 4 hour days as everone says 6hours is too many, so that will change the price. I have much research to do. First I have to find out if anyone wants this class and go from there. xoxo
Babs, You are right, if it flows, I am there, if not, I will let go.
xoxo

Annie said...

P.S. Suki-I don't think the store is still here (though I rarely shop), but I beleive there is still one in Santa Fe.

Doris Sturm said...

That sounds like a great idea - just do some "comparison" shopping and see how much the competition charges...that's how I would go about it because I have no clue as to pricing.

I wish you much success and I hope you'll get a lot of eager students ;-)

angela recada said...

Ohhh Annie - how exciting! I hope this works out for you! I wish I didn't live so far away . . .

Hugs and love,
xoxoxo
Angela

Annie said...

Angela. Perhaps one day you will come to Taos and I will give you a Venetian plaster lesson for free.
That would be so fun. xoxo