model presentation

[iron ant]

Well after several concepts,material switching,and ideas flying around,My professor and I finailly presented are sculpture to the former govonor and his wife,whom is commissioning the work.We came armed and dangerous.We had two stainless models,simulated marble base and brick pad,6' pattern sample board,sample chunck of 3/8 stainless,and fold out pictures of the work with artist rendering of the building.Godbless photoshop is all I have to say,because as she looked at the models ,are large pictures were behind them.I feel it really gave her a great look at the sculpture as it might look in place.The sculpture will be 18' on the base ,and will be aroud 3,000 lbs.When I recieve my disc of the photoshop,I will post photo.They also recieved their finial grant from the Board of regions to build phase III of the Betty Foy Sanders Fine Art Department at Georgia southern University,....IA

[grommet]

woo hoo!!! Congratulations!

[sculptorsam]

A hearty Congrats, mmman!

[iron ant]

Thank guys,but I almost had the commisioned snatched out of my hands before my eyes.Saved by the Former Govonor of GA,Carl Sanders.This is what happened.We where in a room with about six people,including my self and proffesor,viewing the models and photoshop visuals.Betty Foy Sanders had just approved the concept and work,when an unnamed person in the room put their hand on my professors shoulder and started spouting we were talented artist and surly we could make more models and come up with other ideas.I about crapped in my pants,as she turned to the govonor and asked what he thought.He gave us the nod to go with are idea.We have been wrestling with this for months,and the though of starting over made me cring,knowing we would have lost a commission that was just given to us because somebody had a power trip.Thanks Carl ,you Da man....IA

[grommet]

Holy cow... but you know the answer to that one... for an additional fee, we'd be happy to start over... That's usually enough for them to take a shine to what's in their hands.

[iron ant]

Grommet,your right ,but in this case we had changed ideas and materials to the point making more models would have been a drag.We never shared are ideas or other models with the client,figured it was best to stick with one concept and not confuse things.We went to an Irish pub later,best darn Guiness I have had in years.

[G. Murdoch]

Iron Ant,

Greetings and congrats on your commission. Do you write your own contracts? I have done two commissions for large sculptures and have burned myself both times by underestimating time, costs, and shipping. Live and learn, I guess. By your posts that I have read, you seem fairly savvy regarding the business of art. Is there anyway to write some flexibility into a contract just in case costs spiral out of control?

Graham

[iron ant]

Graham,I guess you did not read my book "the success of failure" :) .To be honest I made a huge mistake and let this contract responsibility go to someone else,and it was not signed like I thought it was.After 7 days,I was just notified the commission is on hold,she is waivering.We designed a stainless sculpture that would have used gringing patterns,natural light and shadows with out the use of paint.Apearently after we left,the client got worked up by somebodyelse because there was no "color" on thee work.We felt stainless would be ideal at a university,and color added long term maintence.I guess they don't care,or most lickly understand.I hope to get another chance to prestent all over.

I apoligise for posting the commission,but where I come from a hand shake and look in the eye,along with a okay on the job was the begining of the process.I assumed,big mistake,the contract was being worked through the system on monday?As far as over runs,extra work ect,you pro rate it like a contractor or builder.X amount for materials,and hourly or day rate on top,this usually covers the artist when clients"add" or "change"to a work in the middle of being sculpted.

This really sucked the wind out of my sail,sent faimly members in tears,and me in beers.To be honest I am still shocked,we left the meeting feeling great,she seemed very pleased.The bottom line is someone that does not have a clue,has had no involvment in this process,is not an artist,could have possibly blown the biggest thing I have worked twenty years in the making to get.Unlike them I will be a class act and keep there name to myself.

fired up,never down....................IA ;)

[G. Murdoch]

Iron ant,

Sorry to hear that a bitch with zero relevant experience, who may not even be visually literate, potentially has the power to scuttle your plans. One way or another, the forces of creation will prevail!

Graham

[iron ant]

Graham,Thanks for sying what I really wanted too,everybody is just tripping.Earning this job,getting this job,then taken away a week later,class act.I am still in the running big time,but my colaborater has had about anough of the politics,time will get him back on board.When it finally works itself out I can really tell what was going on,but I just might not give her the pleasure of being spoken about.....IA

[grommet]

When it finally works itself out I can really tell what was going on,but I just might not give her the pleasure of being spoken about.....

Actually, if you would divulge information, it may serve as a warning for others. I wish someone had warned me and my associates about the fat-head we're currently dealing with. It's only after the fact that we're finding out about other people he's stiffed. Determine the difference between what would be malicious gossip & what would be a service to your community. It's an education for all of us on how to write a better contract, etc. Best of luck with your fat-head adversary.

[iron ant]

Unfortunatly this aint gossip,more like bad dream.The women who pooped things up reads this post and I am toast.The commission comes back in March 06,and I still have chance to get it back.I will say thanks to the head of the art department for her continued help and support.

Lessons learned.We left meeting with live wire still there,huge mistake.We channeled are focus with models,similar but different.Maybe we should have included are earlier concepts and models to have more variation.I will NEVER anounce skwat again,until it is signed sealed or delivered.photoshop could have had color for client to see the difference,although we did not want to use color.forgot my bag with nice close,recond that hole in the jeans and hicking boot were real impressive,but I did have my shirt.Before the meeting I found out my 92 year old Grandmother,who was comming to Atlanta,was in the hospital with chess pain,her brother died the next day to boot,and I did loose a little focus,should have opened my mouth more.The most important thing though ,is I forgot to show up drunk and high with a bottle of Tequila in my hand :) Well I have to find some kind of humor in this while I pick my teeth off the floor,or it will drive me nutts......................IA

[grommet]

Sounds like there's not much you could have done to counteract/ ground the live wire. The only thing maybe is to have the documentation of the whole process (pictures?) so the newbie could get up to speed with you... Could you offer to do that now? Explain the rationale to your choices? Sort of as a service in their decision making process.

[iron ant]

I posted model pictures somewhere,and the model and all the pictures went back to South GA.I am waiting to get a disc, and I will be glad to post the shots.I could second guess myself all day,but I walked out that meeting thinging I just nailed a commission of a lifetime,with a person I really respect.I feel they handled the process all wrong,If she was not happy then freekinng tell us while we are standing there so we can defend are position and ideas,not a weel later.I have to concentrate on my up comming musuem show in April,I have to put this behind me until March when it starts all over again..............IA