Most of the time, I am not particularly fond of dealing with "custom orders" because they typically result in somebody wanting to know whether I can "paint a portrait of a cat" on a stone, or whether I paint lighthouses.
With all due respect, if you at all looked at my work it should be painfully obvious that I don't do pet portraits or lighthouses. But that doesn't stop people from asking.
Maybe it's normal. I had parents who constantly drilled into my head that I was to not ask questions unless I had thoroughly thought through the implications of what I was asking.
So, typically if somebody says that they have "a special project," I generally turn them away as soon as I have even the slightest idea of what they want, and my Etsy listings even say that I do not accept commissions.
Aside from which there is the ongoing challenge of trying to live up to the expectations of someone who probably has a very clear image of what they want — inside their head — without being able to turn that image into words anyone else can understand.
However, there are exceptions and sometimes these exceptions can turn into incredibly rewarding experiences! And I mean that both from an artistic standpoint, as well as a monetary one.
Not so long ago, I was asked if I would be willing to create a collection of 30 stones to be used as "welcome gifts" (and "swag bag" contents" at a 3-day spiritual retreat in Idaho, this coming May. This was brought by someone who knows me and likes my work... so I was curious.
The nice thing about it was that I would — for all intents and purposes — have complete creative freedom except for the approximate size/cost each stone should be, and a particular "event color" that (if possible) should at least be a little bit included in each stone.
Another nice thing about this particular commission was the fact that I would have to try to make all the stones the same or similar, because in fact the potential of attendees trading with each other to get to their favorite stone was actually seen as a positive because it could build connections and communication between attendees.
So, that's one of the things I will be working on in the course of the next couple of months or so, hoping to have the stones ready by no later than mid April, well ahead of the May 17th event start.
Knowing the event coordinator was also bonus in the sense that I know she will will put in a plug for my work to her 100K+ social media followers, which would definitely be a big plus.
Maybe this could be part of what helps us reach our 2024 goal of building our online sales!
I appreciate you coming to visit and please do leave a comment if you feel so inclined!
Thank You!
If you enjoy painted rocks, do check out The Hive Rocks Project and help spread the word about Hive, while also being creative!
Because I am trying to make some semblance of income — a part time living, even — I now add this footer to all my posts, in the hope that someone, somewhere, might decide to take a further look at my work, and perhaps consider supporting independent art.
Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and support!
My Alchemy Stones Patreon appeal
Alchemy Stones web site and blog
Regardless, your upvotes and comments are always appreciated!
Thank you for supporting independent art!
2024.01.07 AS-TXT-191/159