Commissioning an original work of art is a big commitment, for both the artist and the purchaser. We will both need to be comfortable during every step of the process – my hope is that the steps below will provide that comfort for you. If there are any questions that I have failed to answer here, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Assuming that I am available to take a commission, an initial phone call will get things started (the “Let’s Talk!” button will take you to my contact form.) This is a chance for a quick chat to get to know each other a bit, and make sure we’re on the same page. The first thing I will ask is if you’ve read this page! If you haven’t – I’ll ask you to do that first 🙂 If you have read but still have questions, I’m happy to answer those for you to the best of my ability.

Once we’ve chatted and if you would like to move forward, I will ask you to fill out a form/questionnaire about the type of painting you want, the size, your budget, and other topics that will ensure we are the right “fit”. It’s a few very open ended questions – not many – but I encourage you to give them lots of thought, and be as specific as you can about what you want. This will help me understand your needs and produce something you’re really happy with at the end. I’ll get back to you if I have any need for clarification or more details.

Once you’ve completed your form, I’ll respond with the options available to you regarding time frame, size/style/finish of artwork, estimated shipping costs and other related matters. If you’re happy at this stage, I will send you an invoice for a 25% down payment. The invoice includes my full terms and conditions (which I’m also happy to supply in advance) – payment of the invoice indicates your acceptance of these terms and conditions. If you’ve changed your mind, just let me know the invoice will be voided – you are not locked into anything at this stage.

I begin work only when I’ve received the down payment – this includes ordering any necessary supplies like special canvas sizes, paints or other materials that will be needed to complete your artwork.

I will give you weekly updates and sneak peeks via email and/or social media on the progress of your painting. However, please bear in mind that I do work in many layers, and generally start a painting out with colours and style that are the exact opposite of what I am aiming for! So don’t expect work in progress to resemble the finished piece, until the very late stages. This process gives my work much more complexity and depth, as little unexpected bits peek through, and happy accidents are encouraged along the way.

I generally work in multiples – you can expect that I will produce 2-3 finished “companion” pieces from which you can choose (your commission quote covers the cost of 1 of these pieces unless otherwise stipulated in our agreement) and possibly other works on paper or smaller sizes – it’s my way of experimenting. You can of course purchase the additional pieces, and I am happy to extend a generous 25% discount to you on these. However there is absolutely no obligation – working on multiple pieces at once is simply my preferred method – I find that as I work the pieces feed off each other and the work just gets stronger that way.

On presentation of the finished (or near finished) pieces, you may request up to 3 rounds of reasonable changes. My goal is your 100% satisfaction with the artwork, however I reserve the right to refuse a change if it is not reasonable. What’s not reasonable? That’s hard – say you’ve changed your mind and want an entirely different colour palette, or a different size, or some hyper-realistic drawing or something else that is simply not my style, or some other wacky thing I can’t think of!  Basically that’s changing the scope of the work we agreed on upfront. But if it’s something like “I’d like more pink” or “I really don’t like this section of collage” I can work on that for you.

Once we are both happy with the finished artwork, I will send a second invoice to cover the remainder of the agreed price (75%) + shipping. Payment is due within 14 days – I will ship/deliver your artwork once I receive payment.

All shipping includes insurance for the full value of your painting, to make sure we are both covered if there is any damage in transit – you will receive a shipping estimate in advance of accepting the commission, however this is subject to change at time of completion, due to the nature of shipping costs. I will do my best to get you the best possible price for shipping your artwork safely.

And last but not least – you are under no obligation, but I would be thrilled to receive a photo of my finished artwork in its new home, so that I can share with my thanks on social media!

All commissions require a 25% non-refundable down payment prior to starting work. I accept payment by the following methods only:

• Visa / Mastercard
• Paypal
• Interac / e-transfer
• Cash (by in person appointments)

I do not accept payments by cheque – please don’t ask.

I will give you an expected timeframe for presentation of your finished artwork, generally at least 4-6 weeks from down payment to completion, however larger works or more unusual requests may take longer.

I retain copyright and all rights to the final image for reproduction and sale, exhibition on websites and social media, and other forms of promotion. Your ownership of the original artwork does not carry any right for you to reproduce the work, in any form.

Once the artwork is finished, the balance of payment, including shipping and any applicable taxes, is due within 30 days. Once payment has cleared, I will deliver your painting to you via the most appropriate shipping method. This will be discussed prior to your down payment – shipping costs are additional and you are responsible for these costs. I will estimate shipping prior to accepting your down payment, however this cost is subject to change.