Learn from my mistake

If you've followed me with some fair amount of consistency, you would know that shipping and packing is for some reason a Herculean task for me, a huge mental block, and some sort of hellish punishment I get for choosing to be a painter.
I honestly cannot tell you why it looms so big in my mind and why the very thought of it causes me so much anxiety, but it does.

I bid out a commission and because I've only worked with this company once before and because last time the works was modular and could fit easily in the car and because last time I dropped it off to the LA office, and because they did not tell me this time specifically where it was going, it did not occur to me to include shipping and packing in my bid for what it would cost to do a 54" x 54" painting. And when I did realize this, a few days after I was awarded the project, I figured it would just cost a truck rental fee to deliver it from my studio to the LA office and so I politely mentioned this, expecting hoping to be reimbursed.

Turns out I was expected to include in my bid the cost of shipping and packing the work across the country to their other office and dear reader- to arrange this myself. I must be the only artist who is terrified of crating and transporting artwork. Indeed, I've chronicled just about every experience.

I've looked through my contract and yes, there is a little clause stating for commission work the cost of shipping will be considered in the bid and to please TRY to include shipping costs at that point in time. Not to slough off responsibility but last time when I made note of the shipping costs in my bid, I was told I could drop it off to the LA office. Hence, my lack of concern.

I feel certain it will all work out without anyone losing too much money, Turns out I have a 62" x 62" strongbox in storage. It arrived damaged, which is why I still have it, but in order to save $400 on the crate alone, you can bet I'm going to patch it. For chrissakes, I'll use bondo if need be, and if worst comes to worst, I'll roll it up in a tube and they can restretch it there. I don't think the company was too happy when I asked about covering shipping & packing costs after the fact. I didn't quite get the "You'll never work in this town again" treatment, but it wasn't all, "Oh don't worry, this happens all the time."

I actually like doing commission work, and will explain why later, but since it's not something I do all the time, I tend to forget all the finer points of bidding a project.
Time to carve out a bid sheet.

Damn, I can be a simpleton.
Okay second rule for my manifesto:
I will not make paintings larger than 22” x 28” unless it is necessary.

I'm wondering how long before I break that one. I received another phone inquiry about the work this morning. It's downright freaky. Why now? Why within a 3-week time span? Not complaining at all. Good Lord, if everything were to come through, I might be able to relax for a split second. Anyway, the gentleman was interested in the BIG paintings. Which is all good, but some are here, some are at KE Gallery, some are a a friend's art school where I will be teaching a workshop, one is on loan and and most are in a storage facility about 2 miles away.



View Where My Available Paintings Are: in a larger map

So, in a brilliant move, I called the man who framed out my sliding glass door 5 years ago and he's going to do a bid for building a a painting/storage rack in my studio. Would mean a smaller work space, but at least the family would be united again and it would be easier for studio visits.