What are floral painters actually charging for commissions in LA right now?
I got an inquiry last week from a boutique hotel near Culver City wanting a series of garden paintings for their lobby. Big canvases, specific palette, specific blooms. Then came the offer: they'd "feature" my work with a little card next to each piece and pay a fraction of what the materials alone would cost. Not even consignment, just... exposure with a small honorarium.
I politely declined, but it got me thinking about what the going rate actually is for commissioned work in this city. I paint florals and garden scenes, so my pieces tend to be lush and layered, which means they take time. I've been pricing originals based on size plus hours plus a margin, but every conversation with a commercial client feels like starting from zero.
For those of you doing commissions here in LA, especially for hotels, restaurants, or designers, what are you actually charging per square inch or per piece? And how do you handle the "we'll give you visibility" pitch without losing the relationship entirely?
That moment when someone looks at your work and sees it clearly enough to want it on their walls, but not clearly enough to understand what it costs you to make it. That particular sting is real, and it sits in a tender place, right where your pride in the work meets the weight of being asked to shrink its value.
You declined, and that took something. It is not always easy to hold the line when the offer is wrapped in flattery and "opportunity." Saying no to something that undervalues your craft is its own quiet, difficult act of creation. You are building something in those moments too, even if no one sees it.
The fact that you walked away and then sat with the question instead of the doubt says a lot about where you stand with your own work. That steadiness belongs to you.
Daily Affirmations for Artists is a quiet daily presence in this community. Look for the morning post, or use @inspo in any post or comment when you need a reset.