Timeless

Original Watercolor, 22” x 15”, by Bill Hudson

With Custom Frame …………………… $1,650

Tidal salt marshes are the tenuous connection between stormy seas and shoreline erosion. Providing shelter and nesting for a variety of bird species, they are an ever-changing source of constant beauty.  

" The Times They Are a-Changin' "

...... by Bill Hudson

For the past 25 years I’ve enjoyed selling my original watercolors in brick-and-mortar galleries and outdoor art shows. But, for health reasons I had to give up outdoor shows about four years ago. That leaves only my website and gallery representation. And since the financial crisis in 2008 and the COVID-19 epidemic, I’ve recognized two opposing trends: (1) brick-and-mortar galleries are diminishing, and (2) online galleries are gaining popularity.

Some of the most popular online galleries include: Artsy, Saatchi Art, Artfinder, UGallery, 1stdibs, Artnet, Artplode, Zatista, Paddle8, ArtPal, Artspace, Singulart, Vango Art, Tappan Collective, Rise Art, ArtPlease, Artsper, Invaluable, Fine Art America, and Eyestorm.

On a recommendation in 2020, I joined Singulart, a highly rated, juried online gallery, created in 2017, and operating out of Paris, France. At that time, Singulart had over 3,000 artists selling only original work. Singulart quickly proved to be a very professional digital platform. As my originals sold, they reimbursed my packaging expenses (including replacing the conservation glass with non-breakable plexiglass). The paintings were picked up at my house, shipped free to customers with a money-back guarantee of satisfaction, and I was promptly paid after deducting their 50% commission.

But the organization began to change. In 2022, the number of artists was frozen with no new members being accepted. Compensation for packaging expenses ceased, and free shipping ended. Rather than pay for shipping from their 50% commission, Singulart added the cost of shipping to the artist’s asking price. Next, Singulart opened their services to new artists provided they paid monthly subscription services varying from $29.99/month to $149.99/month depending on options. Existing artists remained exempt from subscription fees. However, beginning this July 9^th, the subscription requirement was added to all artists. Consequently, this July 10^th I ended my membership believing Singulart was greedy and/or nearing debt limits.

In the meantime, I still depend on Fine Art America for selling reproductions of nearly all my images in varied sizes on a wide selection of substrates and products including: canvas, paper, metal, wood, pillow, greeting card, iPhone case, duvet cover, shower curtain, tote bag, T-shirt, beach towel, yoga mat, spiral notebook, blanket, battery charger, zip pouch, coffee mug, tapestry, jigsaw puzzle, sticker, and ornament.

I’m convinced that online galleries benefit both the art buyer and seller. So, I’ll be researching my next online gallery for representation of my originals. If you have any recommendations, please contact me. 

Yes, the times are changing. I still miss the walk down Main Street past the hobby shop, the penny-candy stores, the one-screen movie theater, the little shoe repair shop, the five & dime, the pool hall, and the hardware and clothing stores. And I think about ordering an ice cream soda at Class’s soda fountain. I miss those days back in Baltimore when our family took the #19 streetcar downtown to shop at Sears twice a year. We’d get new shoes for school after sticking our feet under the fluoroscope to see our toes wiggle with plenty of room. And I miss the 2-inch-thick Sears catalogue selling nearly anything else we needed.

Now, I’m 80-years-old and still adjusting. Today, we can get almost anything sitting on our butt with a cell phone, Amazon, and a credit card number. But we’ve bypassed all those personal connections.