Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You accept the project for possible exposure.
This is the real-life decision made by sculptor Rick Silas. In 1987, he
agreed to a similar project for about $2,000. He spent an entire summer carving
a 14-foot-high Maytag man for an appliance store.
"When I originally took the project on, a lot of my sculptor friends said,
'You're crazy to do such a huge project for $2,000,'" Silas
says. "Looking back on it, I'm far more successful than all those people
that, back in those days, said I was crazy for doing it."
The project helped Silas hone his carving skills and got him a lot of attention.
"That project, as the years went by, became one of the most famous pieces
that I've ever done," he says. "It's been in magazines all over
the world."
It might not be a lot of money for two months' work, but you
figure it will get you some attention.
After you finish the sculpture, the local newspaper does a profile on you.
The owner of the restaurant is so impressed by your work that she and her
friends buy some other work from you.
Soon, photos of your giant lobster are appearing in magazines all over
the country. Your gamble paid off. By completing this strange and low-paying
project, you've given a great boost to your career.
Sculptors are always looking for ways to promote themselves. Projects that
attract attention but don't pay well in the short term can lead to large
rewards in the long term.
"The only way is, really, to take advantage of those opportunities," Silas
says. "Every time I've done that, other doors have opened."