Purchase an art repair
You can now be one of the first in Norway to purchase art repair!
It's Earth Overshoot Day and there are 5 months left of the year. We have to turn this around! It's up to us to decide and take ownership of what is truly valuable. I offer this service to give you the opportunity to both enjoy a unique, loving, personally developed repair on a favorite garment, and at the same time be a pioneer in sustainability in the Norwegian textile industry!
In 2016, I decided I wanted to pursue creative, visible repair, by hand. But I also knew there wasn't a large enough market willing to pay for it. I figured I first needed to get more people doing it themselves, so that we would get used to, and value, visible repairs.
For a long time, I haven't dared, or wanted, to sell repair services because I've been afraid of feeling bitterness, stress, and frustration by being underpaid, or not allowing myself to take the time it takes to "save money" for the customer and not being satisfied with the result. I've also been afraid of getting too many assignments and not being able to work on my other projects.
Fortunately, I have now realized that it is actually up to me to set the conditions that allow me to enjoy repairing for others, which is something I really, really want to do! That's where it all started in 2016, with me wanting to do it, but without stress and financial problems! And now, with an online store, a book, loyal customers, followers, and many other exciting things happening, I believe there is a market for my repairs, within the frameworks I need for it to be something positive and uplifting for both me and the company.
Another mental barrier here has probably been that I felt I had to help elevate the value of ALL repair in all of Norway, or even the whole world, lift all boats, before I could charge properly. Now I have realized that it is not by waiting for everyone to be able to charge well, but by ME actually doing it, that I contribute to elevating the entire industry in the most effective way possible.
Since I am not "just" a repairer, but also an artist, activist, author, and entrepreneur, repair art performed by me may cost more than what many others can offer due to the way we hierarchically value things in society. Therefore, I see it almost as my duty to set a good price. If I, who have built up some "status" in the field (I am not a fan of hierarchies, so I am not writing this to boast, but merely to reflect on how things work) DO NOT charge well, then the repairers in the sewing workshops around will certainly not be able to either.
From now on, I will therefore offer repair services, by hand, only visible/creative repairs, for 1000 NOK per hour. The hourly rate will gradually increase month by month after the New Year.
Through the repair services, I will also explore the connections between art and craft as a service and the distinctions we make between them in society, by offering the services as Eva Kittelsen, textile artist, and as Eva Kittelsen, employee of My Visible Mend AS.
The first main difference here will be that if ordered from me as an employee of My Visible Mend AS, the service includes VAT. If ordered from Eva the Artist, through my sole proprietorship, there will be no VAT.
I will also make some other distinctions. If ordered from Eva, the artist, 25% of the amount will be donated if the motif/colors/design can be linked to the "Mend the World" project. We will also individually agree on rights to images/motifs etc. developed for you. If the repair is ordered via the AS My Visible Mend, 8% of the amount will be donated, and the company owns the rights to any motifs or patterns developed in the process, and this can be used to develop patterns, templates, or instructions for others.
We will take a before and after picture of each assignment, which you can receive and which we have the right to use in marketing our repair services.
It is up to you as a customer whether we can write how long the repair took or not.
One thing I find very exciting about this project is that these repairs can, in many ways, function a bit like stocks. We know that art increases in value as the artist becomes more well-known. By purchasing repairs from me as an artist who also owns a limited company with a strong connection to art, it can be seen as an investment in me and the company. The more I and the company manage to positively influence society, the more valuable your repairs performed by me can become. Unlike stocks, you get to keep something that will at least have symbolic and sentimental value for you, regardless of what happens to me afterwards.
My company is, in many ways, an extension of myself. That is one reason why, for now at least, selling shares is not an option. But, with repair services, performed within frameworks that make it uplifting and not stressful or difficult, I can sell "parts of myself" instead of parts of the company.
I am starting by offering a total of 40 hours in August-September. In the online store, I have posted some examples of embroideries, darnings, and sashiko and how long they take, so that you as a customer know what to expect. The image library with time estimates will be expanded as I perform more assignments, making it easier and easier to calculate time and price for everyone involved.
I only sell full hours. If the repair takes less than the purchased time, it means I have more time to build artistically on the repair.
Before each repair, we will discuss style, colors, wishes, and needs for the repair. If it is an extensive design project, we must also charge for design development. If we are discussing more basic techniques and primarily color choices, it is included in the price.
The repair service is now available for booking!
I am incredibly excited to see the reception to this and am immensely looking forward to sitting and sewing some love into beloved garments around the country <3