Making art is work.
Sure, I love coming up with new designs and seeing them come to life in fabric, but there’s work in the midst of the play.
But, it’s like I can’t afford to be an artist . . . I work a job to pay my bills, then buy materials and equipment for my art with what’s left.
I could do with a little more month at the end of the money.
A reader once suggested I place a “Donate” button on the site, but I wasn’t sold on the idea.
I rejected kick starter crowd-funding campaigns because I needed funding for ongoing projects, not one big project like a book or video.
Then, I ran across Patreon.com.
The site consists of a community of artists (and the fans who love them). The fans pledge a recurring amount (as low as $1 a month), and become the artists’ patrons, funding ongoing projects. The artists reward the patrons in return with premiums.
One week from today, September 1, 2014 (Labor Day in the U.S.), I am launching a Patreon page. I am asking for pledges for the following projects:
- Complete online publication of a library of possible patchwork designs from a single patch. The ultimate one-patch quilt has millions of possibilities, but I only want to publish a thousand or so.
- Commence a series of small (24″ by 24″) miniature quilts featuring designs from the library that feature bird-shaped tessellations.
- Make my art available to a wider audience by making them more affordable (less than $100).
- Develop methods and techniques to share with other quilters and artists.
- Dream up new ideas to try out.
I am asking for a pledge of only $1, $5, or $10 a month. For all tiers, donors get access to my private news feed for breaking project news (before I post anywhere else). For $5 a month, donors get a 10% discount on all quilts for sale. For $10 a month, donors get a free custom quilt (valued at $180). Other rewards may come to mind (or suggested) in the future.
Because the bulk of the donations will fund the “Book of Birds” quilts, I will donate 10% of funds collected to bird and wildlife sanctuaries and organizations (I’m open to suggestions, if you’ll share them).
It sounds like a Win-Win-Win situation to me.
I hope you’ll join me and help me debunk the “Starving Artist” myth.