Friday, January 25, 2013

The Decisions of the Times....

C.S.Richmond Studios :Commission Changes
Hi Everyone!
First off I would like once again to thank each and every one of you for your continued interest in my paintwork through the years! This year marks the milestone of my 10th year painting the 3-D equine sculptures! 

There will be some changes to my studio operations after the end of this year. I will be discontinuing the availability of my commission slot openings beginning January 1st 2014. My painting full time will end and I will obtain full time employment as soon as possible....my painting time will be limited to my spare time.

My decisions to stop doing commissions are based on the following:

1)The high ratio of customer commission non-payment/cancellations over the past 7 months.

2) Our 20% drop in household income due to my husbands job paying 20% less per hour plus the 2% increase in tax deductions from his pay check.

3)Due to the factories and businesses closing here in our area our small business has suffered due to the lack of people needing our services and the overload of these services offered by others in the current market with a serious lack of consumers.

My 2013 commission customers have graciously agreed to keep their slots and wait the additional time that will be needed to complete their orders. Thank you all! My commission books will be closed until further notice.

This "newsletter" will still be used to offer future sales items painted by C.S.Richmond Studios. I will also be using this blog to post photos and information about my sales items.

Thank you all again so much!
Sandra Hottinger
C.S.Richmond Studios

Monday, January 14, 2013

Momentum 2013

Hi everyone!

Bright brand spanking new year 2013 progress...can you hear the cogs turning? This year marks my 10th year milestone hand painting the miniature 3-D equines...time does fly!!!

This year will be dedicated to more sales items and fewer commissions. My husband and I talked about my past 10 years painting the horses... we agreed that throughout my 10 year 3-D equine painting journey I have sold every single item I have painted that was put up for sale...leaving me not a single painted sculpture in my collection. As I have written in my past blogs I have accumulated many boxes of unpainted resin sculptures...buying them throughout the years when I had the funds when I was working at my "real" job and had the extra funds. As a side note should the need arise I will go out of the house from painting and into the job force to work outside of our home...doing this would cut my painting time 1/2 to 3/4 if not more...one never knows what the future holds in store.

Throughout my painting journey I have always thoroughly disliked auctions...I'm not sure why. Maybe it is the stress that came along with them...I'm not sure.


My husband has made a good point... "how many horses can you paint in a lifetime? How long can you paint before your eyesight makes it more and more difficult to paint?....There is a limit to the number of horses you will produce...at some point there will be no more..that will be it" 

Oh I've had the realization of the above words for quite some time :) Turning 54 this year I might have..what..seven more years..maybe 10? Maybe more? Who knows...it is what it is and that's ok.


Conclusion...therefore I will begin building a collection of my own while painting these resins I have stored away.. some of those items in my collection will have a price tag that I will be willing to accept in order to part with them. A set price. Other items that I paint and that I would easier part with, will have a lower set price. These sales items will be visible on my web page sales area and also through my email "sales & commissions" newsletters.

How do I gauge a set price? I have never been good at that either....the main reason for so many past auctions....so I guess the way to gauge a good selling price for the items that are the items I wish to REALLY hold onto would be to base the price on the highest dollar figure that my work has produced via sales/auctions.....adding to that figure the rarity of the resin and the popularity of the resin sculpture and the sculptor....and how much I really DO or DO NOT want to part with the item.

There are also a few collaborations coming up this year between my self and a one or two customizers/sculptors. The sales prices on these items will be based on the contract between the sculptor/customizer and myself and the current market. These offerings will have a set price as well..

OK! Moving on the studio works in progress! All of the following are being hand painted in oil colors....some at later stages will have acrylic details.

"Bacchus" resin...sculpted by the talents of Emilia Kurila ..I acquired this copy via a cancellation/trade..he will be offered as a sales item at a set price....


Ravenhill Revisited in silver dun appaloosa...sculpted by the talents of Stacey Tumlinson and Hilary Hurley. Customized by me, Sandra Hottinger of C.S.Richmond Studios. This copy is marked in the resin material "RR5" and is one of the very first sold via the pre-sales. Ravenhill Revisited was VERY limited run in casting from what I have read. He will be an item retained in my personal collection but he will have a sales price tag as well.


Next up..."Spago" resin. Sculpted by the talented and gifted Brigitte Eberl and some custom work done by Dagmar. This item is a commissioned work in progress...


Last but certainly not least is the ever popular "Rose Reining Horse". This sculpture was brought to life by the super talents of Sarah Rose. For this project I chose the silver dappled dun appaloosa colors. Many hours of fine hair detailing remain on this project.


Have a wonderful day everyone! Wishing you all the very best of the bright new year 2013!!!
Sandra Hottinger
C.S.Richmond Studios