Dont carve tikis for this guy ....

2 months ago I got a message from www.Fatal Impact Streetwear in Bakersfield . Its was on myspace and he told me he was HUGE friends with Zach Zachary and Zach had done many carvings for him at his home and store . He said he MUST have one of my tikis as well. He picked out a design and also requested certain dimensions plus an offer to sell my tikis at his store . I didnt have quite the right piece so I actually went down and bought a log for the project for $50.00. It would be a $500.00 tiki when finished .He also needed it in a hurry . I told him it could be done and I pushed other work to the side for him .
After 25 hours of carving, the piece came out great with my usual 2 coat finish . I called him several times and messaged him that it was done but no answer . I finally talked to him today and he told me he couldnt pay for it and his business was falling apart (I wonder why ? ). He said "sorry Bro, but family first ". Yeah, I have a family too and he contacted me .Dont sell to this guy until you see the cash . I guess thats why Jesse James tattooed "Pay Up Sucka" in the palm of his hand .

Ray...
you have forgotten the power of your artist and carver brothers and sisters...
ALWAYS DO BACKGROUND CHECKS!
We have a loose network
everybody knows everybody
or at least knows somebody who does..

Never take a commission without HALF up front
and ALWAYS ASK AND CALL AROUND for that person's credentials...
Sometimes these clowns like to drop names like pennies!
He probably got a lot of mileage from that " Zach Zachary " line...
ZACH should've been the first guy you contacted...

Sorry about your situation...
But all us arteestos feel for you!
We could start our own country with the combined money ransacked from the Ohana by these shysters!

Hang tough
Chin up
Reflect on last week's vacation....

I'd be at his place of business ready to take some compensation...."You can't pay me, aye?" I'll TAKE that rack of clothes, that shelf of items and whatever else that would justify equal payment....Either that, or someone takes a bat to the head... :evil: ...Sorry, Bro, my family first...

Sorry to hear this... Its probably happened to every optimistic artist around though. I learned my lesson when I started carving when more than one person commissioned something and came up with reasons they couldn't pay. It hasn't happened in a while, so I've been slack about taking half up front... now I think I'll reinstate the half up front policy to new customers. At least you still have the tiki. Other carvers had to deal with getting their tiki back from someone who didn't pay!

Sorry to hear about this too Ray-

I have been approached for a painting commission - which is fine - but when I asked for money up front before I even set brush to canvas the response was "Oh. I'll have to get back with you later" Later has yet to arrive in this case. No way to establish a long-term friendship and that's what its all about in my view.

99.9% of my clients are very very cool, upfront and honest. I mostly deal on verbal agreements w/ no handshake required. I'm a man of MY word. If I can't do something I keep my mouth shut. I wish some people would do the same. Not necessarily T.C. Ohana but the public in general....if you require a Filipino posse to straighten shit out...send me a smoke signal...

and yeah, bring this unloved tiki to Oasis (if possible). I'm sure it will find a loving owner.

Hey Ray,
That SUCKS. I bet you'll be able to sell the tiki to someone, anyway - I'm sure it's awesome, as usual!

The first guy we did tiki biz with did something similar to us. Not fun.

So sorry that happened!

Terra
http://www.myspace.com/swangulo
[email protected]

ALWAYS agree on a final price, and terms of payment, up front.
Get a sizable deposit on large custom jobs.

Surprises are only "cool" when they happen to someone else.

At least you still have the piece, consider it a "cheap" lesson.

Yowch. I also have been on the 'Yeah, I'll have the money by the time you are done' train as well, putting up cash I didn't have up front for supplies. At least the piece is ready for another fan, right? Do you have any pics? Maybe someone else will relieve you of this troublesome tiki...

~Zero

Thanks for all the uplifting help and it worked . I believe it is sold already .

I need a sign in my studio: "Steep interest charged on Bad Karma."

His turn is coming.

On commissioned art; as a consumer I expect to ante up at least 1/2 of the cost up front. That shows my obligation to the commission. If I can't afford something then I don't actually order it until I can commit the money.

Sorry to hear you got burned, hopefully you can turn your project around to meet someone else's needs.

I've had that happen too.
Now even friends pay half up front.( especially friends!)