People like to own art, particularly original art. I’ve done quite a bit of art, mainly involving bears, but art nonetheless. Much of it was created for specific purposes like greetings cards or to illustrate articles in a newsletter. So one could say it has fulfilled it’s purpose, yet there are a great many people that would like to include this art, however small, in their collection.

Anyone who knows me probably knows my feelings about being treated as a cash cow. There are opportunists who will take my work and attempt to sell it to a collector of Bad Taste Bears at a vastly inflated price.

While some are happy to enhance their collection with one of my originals, I don’t see why anyone should pay through the nose to do so.

So, here’s my suggestion: Join the Art Club and get art at a price you want to pay.
Here’s the deal.

• Once you’ve read and agreed to the terms and conditions by downloading the form, signing and returning it to me, you provide me with your details, name, address and email for me to include in the register of enthusiasts.
  
• I will make available, via this website, artwork for you to purchase and you will be notified in advance of any additions to the artwork available. The range will be topped up depending on the uptake of the artwork for sale.
  
• If you see a piece of artwork that you’d like to own, simply tell me the price you’d like to pay and as long as I agree (I’m an easy going chappie), that’s the price you’ll pay. I won’t even charge you for first class postage. If there’s nothing there that takes your fancy, sit tight, there could be something in the next batch.
  
• Here’s the twist - As a member, you agree that if you purchase any artwork under this scheme, it is not for resale. If you no longer wish to own the artwork, I reserve the right of first refusal to buy the artwork back at the same price it was originally sold. If I choose not to exercise that right, you are free to dispose of the art in any way you choose. If you sell the art without my approval, it is agreed that any proceeds belong to me and I can take any reasonable steps to retrieve them, also, I’ll not sell any more art to you - ever.
  
• Artwork will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The first reasonable offer received by email will be the offer I accept. This is not an auction.
  
• Once I accept an offer, you will be notified by email with instructions.
  
• I will mail out the artwork - first class postage is free of charge, once payment is cleared. Payment will be by cheque made payable to Chocolate Starfish Limited or via Paypal where instructions will be provided upon acceptance of the offer.

I’ve thought about this for some time. I don’t have a very big studio and I have folders and files of art that would be far better being appreciated by someone else for what it is rather than providing me with obstacles I have to work around to create even more art. So, you’ll also be doing me a favour by de-cluttering my studio.