I am a artist and have been handmaking and selling my mirror and, some furniture, designs for over 5 years from my website. Earlier this year I damaged my back which resulted in giving up my local residential design & remodeling business, and has made it nearly impossible to produce any of my art/furniture. Not looking for sympathy, just some thoughts on how to proceed…
I have thought about a scinario where my designs were production-line produced using more cost effective materials and processes resulting in much lower production costs and price points. I have never persued this avenue and have no idea where to begin, and more importantly funds to throw at it.
Any ideas, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I hate the idea of letting everything I have done so far disappear and never producing any of the library of designs I have on paper.
i’m trying to think of a housewares of furniture company in the mid-a/carolinas that might fit your style. obviously, working for another company, you can only ‘bleed’ your style into the company’s product line.
on the other hand, have you considered having someone else build your designs? maybe a collaboration? is your physical disability permanent?
I have thought about and prefer somebody else building my designs and would entertain any opportunity. One reason for this is that high end production machinery are capable of creating the required shapes light years faster than I am by hand which I believe should bring production costs way down.
As for my back, I am not disabled but consistent bending and holding items of any reasonable amount of weight becomes quite painful after a short period of time. These designs require quite long periods of time for me to cut by hand. The injuries, 4 herniated discs, are permanent unfortunately and can only potentially be improved with major surgery.
The biggest hurdle for me is finances, I have exhausted virtually all that I have. I have started a new career but the wage is just enough to get by.
my commendations, not many people try what you have done and succeed as you have.
your products are your portfolio, shopping them around to manufacturers for mass production sounds like what you want to do (?). royalties should be the goal.
just a thought, but if you locate products that have a similar build process, you should get their company info and look for a way to meet with them. they may want your take on product lines they market towards. look into their competitors, also.
Good suggestion, royalties are an attractive option. I need to research the idea and find companies that make like products as you said. I suspect it will be fairly difficult at best to grab the attention/interest from a manufacturer but nothing ventured…