Gene, good words to understand. Thanks for setting the tone for those who think they are going to retire from selling a bunch of little carvings. I wish I could. I sell a few large carvings, but like you say, the ratio of sales of big carvings vs. small carvings is eye opening. I have a show this weekend, and am hoping to sell more than usual. This show bills itself as a fine arts festival, so perhaps we can sell a few things for their cabins or summer homes. Mostly it pays for the wood and other supplies, and a good dinner. with my wife. Wish us luck! Talk to you later.
Thank you so much my friend ..The public are so fickled about what they buy ..They have available to them things like Hobby Lobby that they think are real carvings (which are not ) ..So they expect cheap prices and special deals .. I dont expect a carver to give away their stuff ..But Americans still look at carvers as retail sellers ..Not fine craftsman who deserve their prices
@@whittler0507 Agreed. I have had those customers who like a carving, pick it up, see the price and put it back down. Sometimes they comment that they can buy it at Wal-Mart for $20. Yet other things that I wouldn't buy, they purchase with pleasure. Go figure. I do not price my carvings at premium prices, hoping to put carvings in the public's hands.
Thank you, Gene. I think you're right. Whittling for your daily bread is extremely enjoyable and doable. Our favorite carpenter did it that way. God bless you.
Thank you Sir, always enjoy listening along & learning from your experiences in the world of whittling/wood carving👍🏻! We'll be watching for the next one🙂! Take care, & God Bless you Gene🙏🏻!
I don't try to sell because I'm afraid it will take the enjoyment out of the hobby. If I take an order for a piece I am no longer doing it because I want to, now it is because I have to. I don't want that pressure of worrying about how the piece is going to turn out or be good enough plus having it done on time. I'd rather just give stuff away. I get as much satisfaction from that as I would by selling it anyway. I'm not rich by any stretch, but the little bit of money i'd make isn't worth fooling with.
I think about this a lot ,even though I don’t sell at craft shows. I think the hard thing for artisans to wrap their head around is that they can’t charge by the hour as if they were a journeyman . Spending 2 hrs on a carving doesn’t mean it’s worth $50 to everyone. Most carvers will need to settle for paying the cost of a hobby at best. In other words $3/$4 an hr plus a bit for materials is as good as it gets in craft show world.
I started carving because im disabled and retired,, i post on Facebook, but don't sell any,, Once i put a price on it,, now its a job.. something to do, and i enjoy it... Thanks for sharing 🙏❤
Gene, I’m getting ready for a Christmas Craft Show I was asked to have a booth by the organizers. I’m hoping to make enough back to pay for my wood. it’s been fun but I’m hoping people appreciate what i’ve done. What’s left will go to rehab facilities for holiday gifts. Thanks Gene for being the voice of reason!
Thats wonderful Steve ..I wish you good selling and to have a good time ..craft shows usually draw a good crowd ..especially Christmas ones ..Iwish you good luck my friend and be blessed
Thanks for the sound advice. I used to sell my woodworking back in the 80’s and like you say, it’s the inexpensive items that sell. It keeps you in supplies, tools and a bit of pocket change.
Yeah my friend ..it would be nice to make a good living carving ..but in todays world ..its not really practical ..It would make carving a chore ..not a pleasure
There is a reason why informercial products sell for $19.99. That is just about the top amount people will easily part with. Any amount more that is a struggle to pry out of the wallets of customers. Unfortunately, far too many makers (of many types of items) look at their time, quality, cost of sales, etc., when pricing their creation. Their first question should be 'what will the customer pay'? Nothing else really matters if one wishes to sell something.
You have a good point there Gary ..a lot is psychological for sure ..a lot of people have a Wal Mart mentality and are looking for bargain's and handcrafted doesnt mean as much to most buyers today as it once did ..Thank you Gary
Gene, You’re absolutely correct. My ornaments I sell for between 20.00 to 30.00 dollars. But Gene, you probably have done this also. Sometimes you can a person wants a carving just doesn’t have the money. Give the carving away. That happy look in theirs eyes is quite pleasing to me. Watching Doug, the other day. He mentioned the Circa 1850 Terra Nova Natural oil. I ordered some . BLO has been my go to since I began carving. I would like to get away from BLO. I personally observed how easy a fire can began right in my brother’s back yard. He was a wood carver also. Take care be safe God Bless.
Great advise,Gene. A lot of things have to be considered when pricing. I am going to be at the Oct craft show in Ozark, MO this year. I make lots of walking sticks and some carvings. This is my first selling show, so this is an experiment for me. Thanks for posting.
Not everything over $20 wont sell ..Walking sticks if a customer wants one can get a good price ..It often depends on the shows draw ..Is it people who want carvings ? Or it just lookie lou's that want to see ..That has a large bearing on the event ...Craft shows draw a lot of people ..but your also competing against other craft items ..I wish you luck my friend and let me know how it went
Great advice. My carving club has a table at the county fair, coming up soon. I'll be selling my carvings. Now I have an idea where to start with my prices. Perfect timing for me, Mr. Messer.
Gene my walking sticks are my high end prices, but I do everything I can to keep my prices as low as possible so anybody that wants one can afford it, then I always have tons of my tiny Wee Folk to fill in the gaps. Luckily now I'm to the point that folks are driving to my place now to pick-up sticks and that's allowing me to keep prices down, lucky for me I have the Buffalo National River almost in my back yard and Branson 30 minutes away, so that gives someone an excuse for coming this far! 😄
Tim my friend .. you just keep pumping out those lovable wee folk and they will sell ..Iam sure your walking sticks are great and they serve a specific purpose ..so the people who buy them will pay the price for them ..God Bless You My friend
IDK Gene, if I ran into your booth anywhere, I would not leave until i went home with you latest piece of the Old Geezers Choir. That piece is one to own!
Good advice as always and much appreciated. Wish Scotland was more like the US or Canada where there are a lot of interest in this rewarding hobby. 😁 Thanks to yourself and Doug Linker (far too many to mention and from all across the pond) I am well and truly hooked. 🏴😁 Keep up the videos and keep well.
There are lots of people in the uk who whittle but there is no longer much of a market for them to sell their art due to places like home bargains and pound land and other shops that sell cheap made ornaments etc. Shame really
Wise words Mr Messer. It has always amazed me at craft shows in the UK, people will say a hand made piece is too expensive and then spend £10 on a crappy hot dog.. Hope you are well sir and I fully sympathize with the aches and pains. Stay safe sir.
The publics buying habits are so upredictable ..To figure them out is almost impossible ..But it is what it is ..Thank you so much Greg for watching and yes Iam well thank you Lord ..I hope you and your family are also
Sir. You are spot on with your advice. People have limited funds especially these days. If your travelling you want small affordable items from the places you go to. They are memory joggers of the holiday. Sage advice. I am now a subscriber.
Thank you John ..Yes I know its sad that the economy has done this to us ..but it has ..The dollar doesnt go as far and people even on vacation are always looking for bargains ..Thank you for watching
Great advice Gene! I don't have much experience with selling carvings, but have sold many of my lathe-turned pens over the years. I like to try to find what the market will pay for an "average" pen and sell at that price. But I might try to sell one or two $100+ pens, but those more expensive pens only appeal to maybe a few pen collectors. But buy-in-large many people will pay me $40 to $50 for a pen as a gift for someone else. I would like to explore selling some of my hiking stick toppers. I think the appeal there is you get a unique carving and a functional walking stick. Maybe people would be willing to pay a little more - I don't know.
Location is a main factor also .... a man doesnt go to the poor part of town to sell expensive wares ....He looks for those who can afford them ..I know to some that sounds perhaps racist or whatever ..But why do chainsaw carvers go to areas like Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge ..Because their money there ..plain and simple ..vacation spots ...truth is truth ..Thank you my friend
Hello Gene. I really enjoyed this video. I get what you are saying. I just love whittling little fellas. I s'pose the wood is costing me a lot of money but I do it for ME. I do give my whittles away to friends and family. I do think i could do with getting a bit of cash for my stuff as the wood isn't cheep over in UK. I have been asked for stuff to be carved and I am just so happy that someone Wants my carvings. Maybe I should ask a bit of money towards more wood. Thank you very much pal. I love your videos and carvings. Stay safe buddy.
Well said…I sell spoons at shows 1-2x a year but I also put some whittles and 8-12” caricature carvings out…i usually only sell my spoons. Nobody wants to spend the money on a caricature carving. Occasionally i will sell a dala horse…I only sell to pay for my hobby so it doesn’t bother me. But i can’t let my carvings go for next to nothing…
Super good advise! I am just starting to sell my carvings and this advice really helped! I was struggling to think of a good price, I am really critical about my carvings, and I was thinking of selling a 1.5"× 1.5"× 6" for $6😅. Thank you for helping me think of a good range in which to sell them😁.
@@whittler0507 thank you for the advise😁. I will definitely try it at that price. Of course with me, I'm constantly criticizing myself. I am carving a few pumpkin people to sell right now so the advice really helped.
At one time I would agree with you ..But times are getting tight and with inflation of traveling ..gas.. hotels ..Etc .. People are still not willing to spend their hard earned money on a woodcarving unless they really really want it ..Spending $80 to $100 on a carving can buy you tickets to Dollywood or amusement parks ..So tourist (especially family kind ) arent investing in a lot on art
Hi Gene... I think the quality of the carving makes a big difference in price of a carving. Im sure you know Alex Joiner and the small Santas that he carves/paints. He gets $100 or more for his carvings and they sell like hotcakes. Dont get me wrong, I completely understand what you are saying but I think carvers have to decide what their time and effort is worth and also take into consideration the quality of work that they are producing. This is a great topic though Gene as many carvers, who are members of the carving groups on Facebook, often ask how much they should sell their carvings for.
Alex has a following on Etsy that buy his carvings ..They are beautiful work ..Buying on Etsy is so different then buying at a carving show from people who aren't familiar with your work ..When you sell online like Etsy ..You already have exposure ..so your buyers are some what aware of your work and prices ..I was mostly talking about crowds that walk in to shows and craft fairs
@@whittler0507 Yes, I agree with you. Although I still believe that the quality of the carving and paint job goes a long way. Especially if you are spending a lot of time creating a piece. Take care and God bless you Gene!
Gene, I hear what you're saying but really I think it's silly to spend time and materials to make $20 items. Not worth the time. Carvers should be motivated by improving their art and not the art market . We are not selling hot dogs off a food truck, or are we?
No were not ..and there's nothing wrong with making more expensive carvings ..We should do that to improve the art .. Iam just saying that with todays economy ..even in tourist areas . A $200 to $300 carving is a hard sell with todays buyer unless they really want it .. Todays buyers arent as interested in spending that kind of money on hand made items as they use too .. Most are looking for a bargain .. But in all means try your best to improve and try to get as much as a carver can... God Bless
Gene, good words to understand. Thanks for setting the tone for those who think they are going to retire from selling a bunch of little carvings. I wish I could. I sell a few large carvings, but like you say, the ratio of sales of big carvings vs. small carvings is eye opening. I have a show this weekend, and am hoping to sell more than usual. This show bills itself as a fine arts festival, so perhaps we can sell a few things for their cabins or summer homes. Mostly it pays for the wood and other supplies, and a good dinner. with my wife. Wish us luck! Talk to you later.
Thank you so much my friend ..The public are so fickled about what they buy ..They have available to them things like Hobby Lobby that they think are real carvings (which are not ) ..So they expect cheap prices and special deals .. I dont expect a carver to give away their stuff ..But Americans still look at carvers as retail sellers ..Not fine craftsman who deserve their prices
@@whittler0507 Agreed. I have had those customers who like a carving, pick it up, see the price and put it back down. Sometimes they comment that they can buy it at Wal-Mart for $20. Yet other things that I wouldn't buy, they purchase with pleasure. Go figure. I do not price my carvings at premium prices, hoping to put carvings in the public's hands.
Thank you, Gene. I think you're right. Whittling for your daily bread is extremely enjoyable and doable. Our favorite carpenter did it that way. God bless you.
Thank you sir for watching ..The public is often very hard to figure out ..That one big sale can come ..you just dont know when
Thank you Gene for your words of wisdom. I get so much enjoyment from carving that if someone wants to purchase one I consider it a bonus!
Thank you for the kind words and watching the video
Thank you Sir, always enjoy listening along & learning from your experiences in the world of whittling/wood carving👍🏻!
We'll be watching for the next one🙂!
Take care, & God Bless you Gene🙏🏻!
Thank you for watching Todd and thank you for commenting
I don't try to sell because I'm afraid it will take the enjoyment out of the hobby. If I take an order for a piece I am no longer doing it because I want to, now it is because I have to. I don't want that pressure of worrying about how the piece is going to turn out or be good enough plus having it done on time. I'd rather just give stuff away. I get as much satisfaction from that as I would by selling it anyway. I'm not rich by any stretch, but the little bit of money i'd make isn't worth fooling with.
I agree ..Its so much more fun to carve and enjoy .. I love that ..Thank you for watching and commenting
I think about this a lot ,even though I don’t sell at craft shows. I think the hard thing for artisans to wrap their head around is that they can’t charge by the hour as if they were a journeyman . Spending 2 hrs on a carving doesn’t mean it’s worth $50 to everyone. Most carvers will need to settle for paying the cost of a hobby at best. In other words $3/$4 an hr plus a bit for materials is as good as it gets in craft show world.
You are correct ..good explaination
Thank you Gene !! Always a pleasure to see/listen to you. Best regards from Denmark. Esben.
Thank you so much for watching and listening .. I dont know how it is in Denmark ..But I hope sales are better there ..God Bless
I started carving because im disabled and retired,, i post on Facebook, but don't sell any,,
Once i put a price on it,, now its a job.. something to do, and i enjoy it... Thanks for sharing 🙏❤
I agree Brian ..its so much more fun to just carve and if necessary give to friends
Gene, I’m getting ready for a Christmas Craft Show I was asked to have a booth by the organizers. I’m hoping to make enough back to pay for my wood.
it’s been fun but I’m hoping people appreciate what i’ve done. What’s left will go to rehab facilities for holiday gifts.
Thanks Gene for being the voice of reason!
Thats wonderful Steve ..I wish you good selling and to have a good time ..craft shows usually draw a good crowd ..especially Christmas ones ..Iwish you good luck my friend and be blessed
Thanks for the sound advice. I used to sell my woodworking back in the 80’s and like you say, it’s the inexpensive items that sell. It keeps you in supplies, tools and a bit of pocket change.
The public is a funny item to deal with ..They buy on impulse and you just never know ..Thank you for watching
Sound advice Gene. In an ideal world I could whittle to pay the bills, in the real world I whittle to relax after paying the bills😉. 👍✌
Yeah my friend ..it would be nice to make a good living carving ..but in todays world ..its not really practical ..It would make carving a chore ..not a pleasure
There is a reason why informercial products sell for $19.99. That is just about the top amount people will easily part with. Any amount more that is a struggle to pry out of the wallets of customers. Unfortunately, far too many makers (of many types of items) look at their time, quality, cost of sales, etc., when pricing their creation. Their first question should be 'what will the customer pay'? Nothing else really matters if one wishes to sell something.
You have a good point there Gary ..a lot is psychological for sure ..a lot of people have a Wal Mart mentality and are looking for bargain's and handcrafted doesnt mean as much to most buyers today as it once did ..Thank you Gary
Gene,
You’re absolutely correct. My ornaments I sell for between 20.00 to 30.00 dollars. But Gene, you probably have done this also. Sometimes you can a person wants a carving just doesn’t have the money. Give the carving away. That happy look in theirs eyes is quite pleasing to me.
Watching Doug, the other day. He mentioned the Circa 1850 Terra Nova Natural oil. I ordered some .
BLO has been my go to since I began carving. I would like to get away from BLO. I personally observed how easy a fire can began right in my brother’s back yard. He was a wood carver also.
Take care be safe God Bless.
Thank you Red..Thank you so much .. The public is real funny about buying ..But giving away is good too ..God Bless
Thank you Mr. Gene! Thank you for all of your wonderful advice. May you be blessed as well.
Great advise,Gene. A lot of things have to be considered when pricing. I am going to be at the Oct craft show in Ozark, MO this year. I make lots of walking sticks and some carvings. This is my first selling show, so this is an experiment for me. Thanks for posting.
Not everything over $20 wont sell ..Walking sticks if a customer wants one can get a good price ..It often depends on the shows draw ..Is it people who want carvings ? Or it just lookie lou's that want to see ..That has a large bearing on the event ...Craft shows draw a lot of people ..but your also competing against other craft items ..I wish you luck my friend and let me know how it went
Thank you Gene, I appreciate you sharing your wisdom. God Bless you also.
Thank you Michael ..Carve safely
Great advice. My carving club has a table at the county fair, coming up soon. I'll be selling my carvings. Now I have an idea where to start with my prices. Perfect timing for me, Mr. Messer.
Thank you Jim and thank you for watching
Gene my walking sticks are my high end prices, but I do everything I can to keep my prices as low as possible so anybody that wants one can afford it, then I always have tons of my tiny Wee Folk to fill in the gaps. Luckily now I'm to the point that folks are driving to my place now to pick-up sticks and that's allowing me to keep prices down, lucky for me I have the Buffalo National River almost in my back yard and Branson 30 minutes away, so that gives someone an excuse for coming this far! 😄
Tim my friend .. you just keep pumping out those lovable wee folk and they will sell ..Iam sure your walking sticks are great and they serve a specific purpose ..so the people who buy them will pay the price for them ..God Bless You My friend
IDK Gene, if I ran into your booth anywhere, I would not leave until i went home with you latest piece of the Old Geezers Choir. That piece is one to own!
Good advice as always and much appreciated. Wish Scotland was more like the US or Canada where there are a lot of interest in this rewarding hobby. 😁 Thanks to yourself and Doug Linker (far too many to mention and from all across the pond) I am well and truly hooked. 🏴😁
Keep up the videos and keep well.
Thank you Christine ..Sometimes just enjoying the craft is better then worrying about selling ..Thank you
There are lots of people in the uk who whittle but there is no longer much of a market for them to sell their art due to places like home bargains and pound land and other shops that sell cheap made ornaments etc. Shame really
Great video Gene, money is tight everywhere and you speak a lot of truth, love your insight videos 🙏
Thank you Andy ..for now.. yes it is tight ..But that can also change in a moment ..Thank you for watching
Wise words Mr Messer. It has always amazed me at craft shows in the UK, people will say a hand made piece is too expensive and then spend £10 on a crappy hot dog.. Hope you are well sir and I fully sympathize with the aches and pains. Stay safe sir.
The publics buying habits are so upredictable ..To figure them out is almost impossible ..But it is what it is ..Thank you so much Greg for watching and yes Iam well thank you Lord ..I hope you and your family are also
Wise words thank you Gene. Makes a whole heap of sense. 👍
Thank you John ..I know Iam not right about everything ..I just hope I can help others feel they can do well at shows
Thank you for watching
Sir. You are spot on with your advice. People have limited funds especially these days. If your travelling you want small affordable items from the places you go to. They are memory joggers of the holiday. Sage advice. I am now a subscriber.
Thank you John ..Yes I know its sad that the economy has done this to us ..but it has ..The dollar doesnt go as far and people even on vacation are always looking for bargains ..Thank you for watching
@@whittler0507 Forgot to say I am in Western Australia. We have the same economic downturn as you do in the U.S..
@@oldncarvingJohn Thank you for telling me that John ,,Be safe
I totally agree!!!❤
Thank you so much for watching
You are correct sir I have found this to be true...and God bless you too.🙏
Thank you, very well said, God bless you.
GENE this is fantastic. Thank you!!!
Very true sir always a pleasure watching and learning from you and your videos.
Thank you David and thank you for watching
Great advice Gene! I don't have much experience with selling carvings, but have sold many of my lathe-turned pens over the years. I like to try to find what the market will pay for an "average" pen and sell at that price. But I might try to sell one or two $100+ pens, but those more expensive pens only appeal to maybe a few pen collectors. But buy-in-large many people will pay me $40 to $50 for a pen as a gift for someone else. I would like to explore selling some of my hiking stick toppers. I think the appeal there is you get a unique carving and a functional walking stick. Maybe people would be willing to pay a little more - I don't know.
Location is a main factor also .... a man doesnt go to the poor part of town to sell expensive wares ....He looks for those who can afford them ..I know to some that sounds perhaps racist or whatever ..But why do chainsaw carvers go to areas like Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge ..Because their money there ..plain and simple ..vacation spots ...truth is truth ..Thank you my friend
Hello Gene. I really enjoyed this video. I get what you are saying. I just love whittling little fellas. I s'pose the wood is costing me a lot of money but I do it for ME. I do give my whittles away to friends and family. I do think i could do with getting a bit of cash for my stuff as the wood isn't cheep over in UK. I have been asked for stuff to be carved and I am just so happy that someone Wants my carvings. Maybe I should ask a bit of money towards more wood. Thank you very much pal. I love your videos and carvings. Stay safe buddy.
Thank you Robb ..Thank you so much for watching
Right on point Gene! 👍
Well said…I sell spoons at shows 1-2x a year but I also put some whittles and 8-12” caricature carvings out…i usually only sell my spoons. Nobody wants to spend the money on a caricature carving. Occasionally i will sell a dala horse…I only sell to pay for my hobby so it doesn’t bother me. But i can’t let my carvings go for next to nothing…
I agree They look just as good on your mantle as their's ..Thank you for watching and your great comment
Super good advise! I am just starting to sell my carvings and this advice really helped! I was struggling to think of a good price, I am really critical about my carvings, and I was thinking of selling a 1.5"× 1.5"× 6" for $6😅. Thank you for helping me think of a good range in which to sell them😁.
Andrew $6 is a bit cheap ..I would try $13 at first and sell if they sell ..then if they dont lower your price ..But $6 for a 15 x 6 is too cheap
@@whittler0507 thank you for the advise😁. I will definitely try it at that price. Of course with me, I'm constantly criticizing myself. I am carving a few pumpkin people to sell right now so the advice really helped.
Awesome gene sold my carving yesterday
Thats great Peter ..just kepp cranking out those treasures of yours and people will want them ..Thank you
I beg to differ. People who are on vacation tend to shop impulsively. Gotta find the right customer who is into buying art. Not everyone is into art
At one time I would agree with you ..But times are getting tight and with inflation of traveling ..gas.. hotels ..Etc .. People are still not willing to spend their hard earned money on a woodcarving unless they really really want it ..Spending $80 to $100 on a carving can buy you tickets to Dollywood or amusement parks ..So tourist (especially family kind ) arent investing in a lot on art
Thanks ! 🤗 Good info !
Thank you Stephen
Thanks
Thank you for watching
People just can’t afford it these days…. Food is outrageous!!!
You are correct ..Thank you
Where can I buy a Gene Messer carving Id love to buy one of yours.
Jerry if your on Face book ..My name is under Gene Messer ..friend me on there and we can see
Yeah! I want to buy a Gene Messer too!
@@AlecLaCasseArt 🤣🤣🤣
Hi Gene... I think the quality of the carving makes a big difference in price of a carving. Im sure you know Alex Joiner and the small Santas that he carves/paints. He gets $100 or more for his carvings and they sell like hotcakes. Dont get me wrong, I completely understand what you are saying but I think carvers have to decide what their time and effort is worth and also take into consideration the quality of work that they are producing. This is a great topic though Gene as many carvers, who are members of the carving groups on Facebook, often ask how much they should sell their carvings for.
Alex has a following on Etsy that buy his carvings ..They are beautiful work ..Buying on Etsy is so different then buying at a carving show from people who aren't familiar with your work ..When you sell online like Etsy ..You already have exposure ..so your buyers are some what aware of your work and prices ..I was mostly talking about crowds that walk in to shows and craft fairs
@@whittler0507 Yes, I agree with you. Although I still believe that the quality of the carving and paint job goes a long way. Especially if you are spending a lot of time creating a piece. Take care and God bless you Gene!
You sound like I feel, lol, Thanks , great video
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you Brian .. Yes I know as we age ..The body hurts ..Thank you so much for watching and commenting
Gene, I hear what you're saying but really I think it's silly to spend time and materials to make $20 items. Not worth the time. Carvers should be motivated by improving their art and not the art market . We are not selling hot dogs off a food truck, or are we?
No were not ..and there's nothing wrong with making more expensive carvings ..We should do that to improve the art .. Iam just saying that with todays economy ..even in tourist areas . A $200 to $300 carving is a hard sell with todays buyer unless they really want it .. Todays buyers arent as interested in spending that kind of money on hand made items as they use too .. Most are looking for a bargain .. But in all means try your best to improve and try to get as much as a carver can... God Bless
Thanks. good advice. Stay dry.
Thank you Brian and thank you for watching