Hey,they ARE Little and Lewis!
Saw them at a show;one of them is a very skilled sculptor/moldmaker.Perhaps,with time,you too can be up there for pricing.I'm aspiring to that as well!
My 2 cents CDN.
Cheers

What is the highest YOU would pay for a large painted concrete hosta leaf ( around 12x12/14 inches) that was very unique ?

Depends on whether it is art or craft.
Originality or a cheap copy cat attempt.

you were looking at their website for paint color ideas .....
hummmmmmm ...

Let's not get catty. But rickharmer is right. They ARE famous, and you are buying a piece of THEIR art. If I should ever create my own original piece of ART and I have gained a name for myself across the US of A, then my prices would reflect it. Just little ole me at a local craft or home show? About $50 to $100 for a 30 to 40 inch Elephant ear leaf. Hope this helps. I saw a 4 foot Gunnera leaf in a garden magazine ad for $1000 plus. Making an unbreakable, reinforced leaf of that size and texture takes skill. (But I can imagine what that AD cost to place, too!) BB

At the Gig Harbor, WA, Farmer's Market a lady was selling what appeared to be cast rhubarb leaves. They were small, (for rhubarb) maybe about 18"-24" and unpainted, although I think she used a little colorant. She was selling plain leaves for around $30 and small leaf tables with rebar stands she had fashioned for $40-$50.

Very nice leaves at reasonable prices and people were buying. I think that if she were an established artist she could charge more for her creations---Why else would anyone pay so much for a Little & Lewis leaf, but for the name?

Deb

Yes, I am sure alot of that L&L price is a reflection of the price they pay for advertising, building maintainance, wages they pay to their workers, heat, electric.....etc. Just like a jewelry store. None of their jewels are really worth the money asking, just hype, and alot of smoke and mirrors. Just take a bauble to the pawn shop and see what I mean! We have no overhead so we can pass our savings onto our customers. I would have the page of the L&L catalog at every show, to show your customers how much they are saving!
Jo

Alos I just want to point out that Little and Lewis were one of the first ones who first started casting leaves. They were doing this for many years before most of us. In essence, we are the copycats, mimicing their work...so I don't think it would be rightly fair to ask even a fraction of what they are for their goods. They put in the time, energy and built there business up. ...And, just to point out, if you are copying what they are doing, your work is NOT unique, and I feel you should charge accordingly.

THANK YOU, redhead70!

I worked as a buyer for a major department store.
I doubt that the income of those actually producing the leaves(caster/painter)is more than $40 per.

I second the above posters. Reminds me a bit of some of the faux finishers. I lurk sometimes on the Murals Plus Forum and am always dumbstruck when one of the real artists posts a finished project and some others want the "recipe" for the art. Geez Louise! Let's all of us strive to improve our craft/art until we, too, have something original to offer. Until then, the "market" wherever we live will tell us what our stuff is worth. And let me tell you, where I live it ain't didly which is why I just do things for myself and keep my day job.

Unfortunately 'real' artists steal from amateurs almost as often they get away with it.
Now with the internet it's even easier.:)
I always try to be unique if I can.

:) I'm part of a small group of crafters who are trying to find that same balance between supporting our habits, and pricing things out of the budget of the very people we're crafting FOR.

I could make a lot more money catering to the 'Market Faire' crowd around here...like I could solve a lot of my gardening problems by cultivating poison ivy. however, in both cases, there's this odd allergic reaction that sets in... ;)

I have an intuitive, but complicated system that works not unlike a MLM...it starts with 'three times the cost of replacement, if I had to BUY all those bits'
people who collect my work get better prices.
people who annoy me- get charged accordingly.
people who actually take my challenges, and show up on my porch one day with raw matierials and old clothes? they get to go home with at least one new skill, a deeper appreciation of Art in general, and a piece of custom art work that they can stand by and say 'Catfish taught me how to do that'

I appreciate everyone who is willing to share their knowledge and experience with this new medium.At least it is a new medium for me. I intend to benefit from it all and to use it to voice my own personal vision.Isn't that what art is?What you see of mine should click a "what if"in you and so on?

Little and Lewis charge those prices because they can GET those prices. Their market will bear it. They're known.

Go to their website, click on ARTISTS, then work your way to their resume in .pdf format.

THAT'S why they can get those prices!

Sue

Copy an idea: paint sunflowers! Can you come close to Van Gogh?

I don't want to compare L&L to Van Gogh, just to point out that the idea is not everything, the artist, the craftperson or the amateur makes it into "something" on their level. And yes, we pay for the name, too.

Andrea

I read that someone said that maybe eight people will "invent" the same thing at approximately the same time, but only one will move forward to bring their idea to fruitation. How many times have you seen something and said "You know, I had the idea for something just like that!"?

Another person once said "There is nothing new. It's all been done before."

And that's true. If we had a challenge here that specifically designated what we were to build, a dog, a flower, a window, etc, no one would come up with the same idea, the same method or the same finish.

I'm fairly sure that L&L didn't invent concrete leaves, they just realized that they COULD, and ran with it.

Andrea is totally on the money when she speaks of the artist's interpetation. Take a basic idea and make it your own.

Sue

You know, I was going to say something just like that :)

Right On,My Brother!Hey,rustinj!What are you working on these days?

Hi Sarahsaid. I'm currently writing my thesis so nothing fun for a while :( I have to finish by the end of July and then I'm off to Birmingham for more abuse. I'm trying to get rid of my fountains before the move. I think I'll bring them to work and hang a price tag on them...lots of high rollers walk through there :) I hope you're cranking out the dancing crayfish. That had me rolling. Loved the snake pot, too!!! Keep up the great work!

As far as the L&L prices go, I think it takes a lot of guts to go all or nothing and make it in the art world. If I were to survive on my art for my sole income I don't think anyone would like my prices :) I doubt they're hurting for money any more. Obviously talent has a lot to do with success, but being in the right place at the right time is often just as important. Justin's $0.02 :)

I wonder if L&L ever happen to visit this site and read what we're saying about them???

Sue

I'm sure a bunch of people fighting over the definiton of Hypertufa would impress the heck out of them.:)

That said, I have received an email from one of their artists congratulating my first effort and encouraging me to keep at it so the answer is yes, some of them probably do check in here from time to time.

Maybe you can point it out to them while at their open house. I'm sure they will get a kick out of it :)
I'd be flattered if people were talking about my art on some forum. Good or bad, critics come with the territory of being a big shot...in every type of art.

Sue,
I have a couple of old, early 1900's and a sunset book from the 60's that describes how to make the leaves. The one from the 60's talks about the leaves as a part of a stepping stone, and the early one talks about it as an addition to a fountain base. There are numerous pottery books that show simple slab projects, leaves included, that can be adapted to multiple cement/aggregate mixes.
Yup they went with it. They know the market and have made an international name for themselves.
I enjoy each time I have been to their place. Dena

...I have received an email from one of their artists congratulating my first effort and encouraging me to keep at it..."

HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE!

Out of all the real talent here, they picked someone who's been dabbling in mud for 6 months to contact and compliment??? Now THAT'S funny, David! That's the best laugh I've had all week! THANKS!!!

Sue :-) :-) :-)) :-)) :-O :-O

I think at the time I had been dabbling in mud for about TWO months.:)
Anyway:
Have fun at their open house and be sure to take plenty of detailed pictures of their creations for us to copy.

My 2.5 cents: When I make a leaf, I know the effort I put into the final result is much more artistic and time consuming than for one of my pots. I certainly find painting the leaf to be a challenging process that I am still trying to refine. For my work, I know that a $12 pot has taken me a lot less time, effort and yes, anxiety than a $12 leaf. I am going to keep edging my leaf prices up because of this. I think my pots are nice, but the leaves need to be attractive enough to be art pieces on thier own. They pots will have a plant to complete the look.
Keep your prices high and start signing your work. A signature impresses upon people this is an art piece, possibly one of a kind.
signed, Gardener Boy (are you impressed?)

An analogy struck me last night for some reason: A decent artist can make an almost of exact copy of a masterwork, but it's only the masterwork that's worth the big bucks.

Hmmm... I like that analogy Susan6!!!

Marly

But the paintings of the "masters", that sell for multi-millions now, actually didn't make the artist much at the time. That may not be said for Picasso though but he is a much more recent artist.

I always said, "Talent is everywhere". What makes one an "artist" is talent, personality, to be able to hype and sell yourself, who you know and network with, and the ablility to get out there and expose your art to others. I know alot of artists, known and unknown and I tell you, this is what sets them apart. I am surprised by the talent alot of you on the forum have. So sad that few people will ever get to see it.

Jo

Went to their open house. I was not as pleased as the previous times I have been there. But I took more pics :)
Dena

Here is a link that might be useful: Little and Lewis pictures

Thanks Dena! What a treat!

Yes, they can ask any price they want, however they "just " copied nature's work.

I have a very unique plant, Arisaema Dracunculus , the flowers are going to open in 2-3 days, now they look like that enormus spikes, only 12-15 inch long and green with some purple.

Andrea

Thanks for the nice pics. I have some new variations to apply to my own works. Lucky you too. GB

Thanks Dena for all of the great pictures.Especially the rain tree.I do enjoy their color choices.I really liked the large shallow "drip"saucer,too.

Hi Dena, guess I just missed you--I was there about 11:45 and had the pleasure of meeting Belgianpup (Sue). This was my first trip to L & L and I was soooo impressed.

I haven't even looked at my own pictures yet--busy weekend!

Deb

Great pictures, wonderful inspiration. I really appreciate the time you put into loading them all for us to see. I feel like I were visiting too. Nice stuff!
Jo

Dena, Thanks for the pictures. Love seeing the vegetation too.
Sue, I don't know who was funnier, you or CdnDavid. Billie

This was an interesting experience, and I'm glad I went. But one little thing that kind of disappointed me was that only the front yard was available to tour. I could see through the open door into the workshop (which I would loved to have toured!), but it was maybe 50 ft away behind a gate. (whine, whine...)

The garden itself, plantwise, wasn't cluttered with plants, as the book kind of indicated, but was quite interesting for its diversity. They had some stuff that I've never seen before... ME, the plantaholic!

Those expensive hosta leaves are ENORMOUS! You don't realize it until you see them in person. Oddly enough, I think I only saw one Gunnera plant. Maybe they have more in back, or another source.

If you've seen their book Garden Gallery, you may notice how smooth their concrete work looks, esp the leaves and spheres, but they're not, really. That made me feel better! But nice paint jobs. Those large spheres are probably an inch thick, at least near the opening, where I could reach in with my thumb and forefinger. They had two that looked more like bushel gourds or Mexican pots, round but kind of flat. They kind of reminded me of trial works.

To get that slow drip into the large morning glory bowls they used narrow plastic tubing, anchored in the trees.

The things that I found most interesting were the "fossil panels" (that's what I call them), flat panels of different sized leaves occasionally overlapped, then painted and the excess wiped off. Very nice!

They had quite a few of those male faces with open mouths with water running out. That must be a guy thing, as my friend's husband liked them. I've never liked ANY one I've ever seen, anywhere.

Little and Lewis seemed quite shy, which kind of surprised me, although I don't know why. But they seemed nice enough.

As we left, I was thinking that something seemed to be lacking. On the way home, I knew what it was: they needed a couple of friendly cats wandering around! (I know, total prejudice!)

Sue

Thanks for the pictures Dena. I'm just now getting a look at them. I know I must be getting past middle age - forget lusting after women... its concrete and plants now! Did you see those curves?

I wonder if L&L ever happen to visit this site and read what we're saying about them???

Yes Sue... We do!

What is that sound?Is that the rustlings of people rereading their posts?LOL:0)

LOL! Whoops.....BUSTED!!! Well, all I can say is, imitation is the highest form of flattery and boy, are we guilty!
Jo

This was one of the first replies from them (him) that I saw and thought it might be someone "funning" with us! LOL Then I saw the "Facts about.." thread and knew it was for real. LOL, how funny! You never know who's reading!!! How nice though that he took the time to greet us. Now I wish he'd give us some of his trade secrets...yea, right! LOL

I couldn't help but think as I read Sue's "whine, whine" about touring the workshop that newbies, like me, feel the same way when we look at your pictures. Oh! If I could visit you and watch you do this! You all may do some imitations of the originals (L&L) but you are really good at it. I plan to hang out here as much as possible.

K, so is anyone else wondering which one of their artist sent David that email???

LOL!

David was born on Mars but he was RAISED on Venus.;-)

Jazzbone I can understand Sue's whining, because hiding in that Little and Lewis workshop are tricks and techniques many folks covet dearly.
Personally I like to create my own methods for approaching the fine art of tufa. If they work great, if the don't it was fun trying and sometimes you get very unexpected results that are completely opposite but just as gratifying.

Greetings to all. As nephew to George Little, I can testify that all his work is not only breathtaking and ingenious, but it is completely original as well. I remember his pieces which he created as a teenager and see the influence in his current works of art today. Although I don't know if he does it anymore, his skill at painting on silk is just as brilliant as his sculptures, (my mother owns one of his first). Little and Lewis pieces are worth every cent and is a true work of art that anyone would treasure and be lucky to own.

Thought I'd add a bit to the philosophical musings on this thread after nephew Little bumped it up with his recent response. I just started reading a novel titled, "The Genius," in which the protagonist, an art dealer, proclaims that it is the DEALER who makes art, art. The artist makes things -- sometimes pretty, sometimes not. The dealer (a sales person, who could also be the artist given the right temperment) creates the desire in the public to acquire the things an artist makes, and in creating the market, elevates a thing to a work of art. Interesting concept, no?

Rain (who neither makes things or art but who enjoys the show, nonetheless)

As a long time admirer of L&L I must ask
Many of your write about touring there gardens or workshop . May I ask what part of the country I can not find anything on the internet concerning tours. I know they own homes in Mexico .I actually had ): a piece that was aquired years ago through a dear friend . I have no idea if it was a origonal or a copy needless to say it was taken from my front garden many years ago It was just a simple yet lovely bowl type that I used as a bird bath. I have tried to replace it with many pieces over the years but nothing looks right. I would love to visit one of their shows. Any information would be very much appreciated.

There were in Washington - But a few years ago they moved and the garden in no longer open