Feedback
I’m very grateful to one of the Canadian participants for spending the time to give the following feedback which highlights some of options still open to us:
Dave
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Hi Dave,
I read your Blog and I had a couple of thoughts.
I just received my package of prints from the Oregon Ink Spot 3rd Annual International Print Exchange 2009. They were absolutely wonderful!
They were able to keep their costs down by having the participants include, when we sent in our 13 prints to the Exchange, a return mailing envelope already addressed and stamped if local or payment included if international. (For me I found it easier to just include a $5. U.S. because an international money order had a hefty service charge attatched.) Some households are still uncomfortable with using electronic money transfers or paypal. It cost them under $3.00 to mail to Canada. I didn’t mind the 2 dollar donation. Costs are always kept down when you print on the package,”PRINTED MATTER- NO COMMERCIAL VALUE”.
If it is at all possible, go to your local post office and get a print out of their International Fee Schedule for letter mail for say a 1/4 lb letter weight.( or however heavy you feel the return package will be…Oregon Ink Spot package was only 6 oz.)
If you can post the International fee schedule on your Blog, then each artist participating can look up how much $ has to be included for their package’s postage, for it to be returned to it’s country of origin. The artists can then include that amount when mailing to you, their original package of prints along with their return envelope.
This may simplify things a bit and cut down costs …or maybe ask the Oregon guys if there are any glitches to this idea.
Second thought… in past print exchanges, the organizers just let the participants know that the quality of prints they send them were the same quality of prints they would receive back. So, if a participant sends in an excellently executed graphic, then they receive back choices that are of the same professional standards, however if they send you poor quality or work you might consider as rejects , then that is the calibre of the prints they will get back. If you include just one good one, in their package along with the other poorer quality ones, I think they will get the message that for the next exchange they have to put more thought in to it, as a serious artist. If they are young and learning, then they will be inspired.
Thanks for listening. I know your exchange will be a brilliant success!
Best regards
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