American visitor pays for drinks with picture at Spotted Dog

Sep 12 2008 By Kat Keogh

BIRMINGHAM pub landlord John Tighe got more than he bargained for when he asked a customer to settle her bar tab.

Instead of handing over cash, American Melinda Schwakhofer offered landlord John a work of art in exchange for a round of drinks.

The Devon-based textiles artist is one of more than 1,000 artists worldwide involved in the Artmoney project, which allows them to exchange miniature reproductions of their work in exchange for goods.

When last orders were called at the Spotted Dog, Melinda pulled out a miniature picture of a London street scene to pay for her drinks.

John said: “Melinda popped in with a friend of mine and she started telling us about how artists pay for things using their artwork.

“I thought it was an amazing idea so I thought we should be the first in Birmingham.

“I’m not sure it will catch on, though!”

More than £40 million of art money has been issued since the project started 10 years ago by Danish artists Lars Kræmmer and Flemming Vincent.

Lars came up with the idea after found himself short of money, but with a studio full of artwork.

Each reproduction, roughly the size of a large banknote, is worth around £21 and is marked with its own serial number.

The value of each “banknote” increases by around £4 per year up to a maximum value of £40.

John added that he likes Melinda’s picture so much that he has commissioned her to create some more artwork for the pub in Warwick Street, Digbeth.