New Show--Wandering Gallery Auctions

Jeff Bower

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DSM, IA
I've been accepted into a new show. (well my BIL is one of the owners so...:rolleyes:)

Wandering Gallery Auctions is a new venture that my wife's sister and my BIL, who own a high end furnishing and design store, and a couple that owns an art gallery are undertaking together. I'm very excited :D to have my work, displayed for an entire month. The venue is an old car dealership in downtown Des Moines that a design firm has remodeled to house there offices and includes a large area for just such a purpose. The way the auction works is a pretty cool concept, I think, (see the link to the website above to learn more) If this goes well they will have more in the future. The opening is June 20th and it closes July 25th.

I have quite a few pieces that are ready, but will need to finish many that are in the works, some only in my head, very soon...I will update with pics of the opening after it happens.
 
Cool stuff, Jeff, and congrats. Sounds like a great approach. I'll be real interested to see how it all works for everyone involved. :thumb:
 
Thanks guys. Darren most of the stuff I've posted here already, but here is one of the pieces I haven't shown you all.
 

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That's an exciting turn Jeff, however this "silent auction" how does it work exactly? Do the bidders know if someone else is bidding? Do the bids start from zero like at E-Bay?
Don't you risk selling them by a price far lower than even the lowest one that you would be willing to accept?

I mean, people can walk in and take the risk of not buying anything for the stated price waiting for the silent auction results, they are risking not getting the piece they want (unless they want it deadly and pay what is marked))but you're are risking selling it at a vey low price.

I understand that a cheap sale is better than no sale at all but...:dunno:
 
Toni, that was a concern of mine as well, but I'm meeting with them tomorrow to set minimum bids for everything. The good thing is that they have told me I have been selling at less than what they feel my pieces are worth. It should be a great learning experience. :)
 
Toni, that was a concern of mine as well, but I'm meeting with them tomorrow to set minimum bids for everything. The good thing is that they have told me I have been selling at less than what they feel my pieces are worth. It should be a great learning experience. :)

Thanks Jeff. I was asking because I though that it was a good idea to apply here. If the bids start from a minimum the whole thing changes and prices can only go up from that minimum.

But... then what is that minimum respect to the stated price? The same? 10 or 20% less?
 
Thanks Jeff. I was asking because I though that it was a good idea to apply here. If the bids start from a minimum the whole thing changes and prices can only go up from that minimum.

But... then what is that minimum respect to the stated price? The same? 10 or 20% less?

I'm not sure.:huh: I know they have it all figured out, and I do trust them to set the prices. I'll know more tomorrow.
 
Sounds exciting, Jeff!

I was curious about their comment of 5% going to charity. Does the vendor (you) get to select a charity, or is it the company? Is that 5% of the bid, or 5% of the auctioneer's profit? (I'm just curious, it doesn't really matter to me.)

Tony, if the "silent auction" works like the one's I've attended, then there is a public list, and you know the current high bid, and must bid a higher amount when you ad your bid to the list. Usually there is a mandatory bid increment also, so you don't just keep upping things by 1-cent.
 
Sounds exciting, Jeff!

I was curious about their comment of 5% going to charity. Does the vendor (you) get to select a charity, or is it the company? Is that 5% of the bid, or 5% of the auctioneer's profit? (I'm just curious, it doesn't really matter to me.)

Art, I think they have a couple of charities in mind already, but I'm not sure where the $$ come off the top from.
 
Here are a few more pieces that I just dropped off to include in the show...leaving town for a week, back in time for the show though...First one is a spalted maple platter that is 12" wide and about 3" tall. The second is burr oak with a little spalt to it. I wire brushed the sides to make some texture. It's about 11" at it's widest and 4" tall. Finish is buffed danish oil...:wave:
 

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The show opening was this past Saturday night. Great turnout, lots of interest in my stuff with a few bids on some smaller bowls. Also I sold 2 bowls at my BIL's store prior to the opening last week! It was a great experience, and I met a ton of other artists. I talked to several people that have "family wood" from a farm that is no longer there, or no longer owned. I hope to get some comissions from them in the future. Many others said they have land with tons of available wood if I want it...My wife told most of them that "He has plenty for now!" She's telling the truth, but it is nice to have more outlets to gather wood from.

While I was on vaction last week, my name was in the newspaper, mentionied in TV interviews and publisized in other ways. This morning a few people asked if I was "that" Jeff Bower. Most of the people I work with don't know I turn wood, I guess they do now.

I forgot the camera to take pics, but will stop by when the gallery is open later this week to take some photos and upload them.
 
I was lucky to be in Des Moines for the opening of the show. As we are moving there in July, I look forward to seeing more of this kind of thing. It is really something to see your son's work on desplay at a show like this.
 
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