At exhibitions, in private conversations, or during chance encounters, I am often asked whether “something can be done about the price.” When talking about art, sooner or later the conversation always turns to the question of price. Often, the conversation then develops in the direction of price negotiations and whether a small (or larger) discount would be possible.
Impression, Exhibiton in Magdeburg
Basically, I am delighted about any serious interest in my work, regardless of whether it leads to a sale or not. But I have to consider my position from both an artistic and a business perspective. If I want to make a name for myself as a painter, I must not forget that establishing myself and surviving in the art market also means thinking entrepreneurially and acting decisively.
I am open to small discounts or fair concessions. But when people try to negotiate a 30 or even 40 percent discount – and sometimes even that isn’t enough – my answer remains: No. Even if that means not making a sale or generating revenue in those moments.
The “No” is not because I am unfriendly or inflexible. It is because my art is not a commodity.
For me, a painting is not a conventional product. It is not an item with a purchase price, margin, and selling price. Each work is, consciously or unconsciously, a part of me. It is an expression of an inner world, the result of condensation, experience, intuition, and dedication. Anyone who purchases one of my works receives more than just paint on canvas. They receive a piece of my journey, a fragment of my attitude.
Art is not a bargaining chip
This attitude and clear line has developed over time. Not out of defiance, but out of a desire to protect myself. If I start haggling over the price, it opens a door that I deliberately want to keep closed: the door to devaluation. It’s not about money in the narrow sense. It’s about respect and appreciation. Because as an artist, I’m not only discounting the work itself, but ultimately myself as well.
“When you buy art, you also buy an attitude. And an attitude cannot be negotiated down.”
What is the price of an inner process? How do you measure the time spent searching, discarding, failing, and starting over? How do you weigh all the hours in which nothing visible is created, but something matures internally? This work cannot be squeezed into discounts.
Of course, I understand people who are interested in my work but may not have the necessary budget. I can truly and wholeheartedly relate to that. Sometimes valuable connections arise from such conversations. But I also often notice when the question of price becomes a kind of power game and when someone is simply looking for a bargain. Neither is my way.
If I don’t paint, it doesn’t mean that I don’t do anything
Studio break – The hammer rests
Another point I would like to make is that there are times that are highly productive. I’m bursting with ideas and creative energy. And there are times when I don’t publish anything new. I don’t post any works, I don’t complete any series.
To outsiders, this sometimes seems like a standstill. For me, however, it’s part of my creative rhythm. This changing of phases is somehow part of creative work. Among many other things, this also flows into the pricing.
I don’t work to deliver something regularly. I don’t paint to remain visible. I paint when something urges me, when the pictures form as if by themselves, when I connect with the canvas without having to think.
These phases are precious, but cannot be planned. There are breaks in between, but they are also productive. They are part of the work, even if they are not framed on the wall.
In these gaps I gather impressions, process, live – or (and this is also part of it) do back office work, the “paperwork”. For example, updating the website, maintaining the portfolio and catalog raisonné, bookkeeping, applications and tenders for exhibitions, taking photos, writing emails … etc.
No art for art’s sake
Over the years, I’ve given myself the freedom to only work when it’s right for me. No artificial forcing, no output pressure. I am not a producer of decoration, but an artist and painter who works with depth.
“My art comes from an inner call, not from sales logic.”
Anyone who buys a picture from me does not get a “wall filling”. They get an offer of resonance. A visual echo of an inner moment – condensed, sensed, grounded. A visible result of search and discovery, born of intuition and chance, something completely new that never existed before.
Conclusion: attitude instead of discount
When you buy art, you also buy attitude. And in my opinion, attitude cannot be negotiated down.
Nor can creativity be forced. My art comes from an inner call, not from sales logic. That’s why I prefer to work slowly, with pauses and at my own pace. But with depth and truthfulness.
Not everyone may like that. But I firmly believe that this is the only way to keep art alive and genuine.
Interested in my art?
I invite you to take a look around my online portfolio. There you will find current works and those that are waiting for their owner.
Or follow me on Instagram to get insights into my artistic process, new works and thoughts on art.
Stay connected – if you like, even without words.
