Baldies' Blog began originally in the UK by a 26 year old journalist with a blood cancer on a mission to inform the world about bone marrow donation.

He has since died, and I took on the cause of making cancer care more transparent for everybody.

Cancer is a disease that will touch everybody through diagnosis or affiliation: 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed and 1 in 3 woman will hear those words, "You Have Cancer."

I invite you to read how I feel along my journey and
how I am continuing to live a full life alongside my Hodgkin's lymphoma, with me controlling my cancer, not my cancer controlling me.

I hope that "Baldies' Blog" will prepare you to handle whatever life sends you, but especially if it's the message, "You Have Cancer."

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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

What Makes an Artist?


June's Instyle had this priced at $165,
 Cancervivor Arts price: $25

I want to know why some peoples' jewelry or paintings are bought for thousands of dollars when the very same or similar items may be sold for dollars? 

I absolutely could create something like a Pollack, a two year old could, but I wouldn't get millions. 

Looking at InStyle, I stumbled across earrings and a necklace that looked eerily similar to my creations.  

This isn't abnormal. I've become accustomed to creating something only to see my design in a magazine a month or two later for 3 or 4 times what I ask.  The differences are minute: the same stone in a different color, a different style or metal chain or cording. 

Neiman Marcus sells a very similar
26" silver pink agate for $200.
I was always a little flattered to see Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf's likes my style. 

Well, this last earring/necklace pair I saw crossed the line. 

The jeweler designs her jewelry using a combination of vintage jewelry with new stones, like I do, making most of her jewelry "one of a kind," just like mine, and yes, again, her earrings looked eerily like something I had created in the past, but somehow, someway, her earrings cost over $1500! 

That's probably because somehow, someway her jewelry graced the neck's of celebrities and made the pages of InStyle.

Seed bead wire ring only $5!
If anyone knows the secret, let me in on it. 

If it's the old "it's not what you know, it's who you know" thing, tell me, are you that person I need to know? What do I need to do? How do I need to evolve to get in the big time?

I am lucky my friend, Peggy, is willing to sell my jewelry in her salon, Shear Success at 3 NorthWest St. in Charlestown, NH. Going there is a twofer, get a great hairstyle and some jewelry to complete your look.





Can't make it to my hometown? No worries. I'm displaying my work on facebook, on a page that is open to the world, even if you are not a facebooker. 
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1561043582102.2077297.1115685659&l=b142a9cd69

Go to the right sidebar and click on the picture. Then contact me via comment or email for instructions to buy!

My creations go to a good cause! It helps defray my nasty treatment bills: the $150 every 3 weeks for eyedrops, $150 every 2 weeks for immune boosting herbs, and $200 in medication co-pays monthly. 





Also, if you didn't know now you do, you can write off up to $250 in donations without any evidence, but I'll be more than happy to provide receipts. Think of it like adopting a patient with tax deduction. The sky's the limit in deductions if you give more since I'll provide you with a FEIN # or social.

Until I discover the secret, I guess I'll just keep creating because I love it. It's relaxing, but while you're here, check out the cancerivor arts page. donations made in exchange for my work ;).  Thanks for looking and supporting me.

1 comment:

Jerry Carlin said...

Hilary, it is not so much who you know but who knows you. It is a job in itself, getting known, you have to work it, join a million sites, find a gallery. Art is an investment, not a product, raise your prices. People value what they pay for. If you don't charge a lot that is what they think it is worth! good luck, you are an inspiration and your art can be too!