Question 1

What is Your Current Shipping Time?

Accepted Answer

I package and ship all paintings within 10 business days of purchase. Once your online purchase is complete, you will receive an automatic email notifying you that your acquisition was successful. Next, I will personally reach out to you once I process your painting and create a personalized invoice to include your shipment tracking information.

Shoot me a message if you have any questions at all about shipping. I am here for you.

Question 2

What are your shipping costs?

Accepted Answer

Let's Be Real: Free Shipping Is NEVER Free

I could offer free shipping as a psychological/marketing tactic and then just increase the prices of my paintings. But that's just not my style. Another popular method of offering free shipping is taking the closest location; taking the furthest shipping location, and then finding the average of those two numbers to create a flat shipping rate. Again, that's just not my style. 
 
All packaging and handling costs are on me. Your shipping costs include:

Track and Trace
Insurance
Signed Delivery

I yearn from the bottom of my soul to be as transparent as possible with you all and I promise I will not utilize mind-games to convert you into a patron or collector. You can calculate your personal shipping costs while in the shopping cart.

If your country is not listed as a location I ship to, please message me and I will update my gallery shop to include your location. I tried to anticipate as many locations, variables and requests as possible but if you need help or have a shipping question, please shoot me a message.

Another great perk of buying a fine art painting directly from the artist is, we can be a creative as we want to be when it comes to getting you your painting.

If I am traveling to the country you're located in, your painting can go with me on the plane.
If I have another art patron that is located near you, I can arrange a carpool carrier situation that will decrease costs as well as lower our overall carbon footprint. 
Likewise, if I can get enough patrons in one area, I can even try to eliminate the shipping costs all together and take on the bulk of the financial burden if possible.  
Or, if you live in or around the Netherlands, we can arrange a time to meet up and make a physical transfer.

I'm not Amazon. I'm not Saatchi Art. We can communicate what is the best arrangement to get you your work of art as quickly, efficiently, safely and affordable as possible. I'm here for you.

Question 3

Is my shipment tracked and insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all painting shipments will also include a track and trace link that we can both monitor and will be insured for up to $5,000. Unless we decide on a different carrier that is more convenient, your painting will be shipped via PostNL.

Question 4

Does my painting come with a Certificate of Authenticity?

Accepted Answer

Yes, all paintings I create come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Being the sentimental fool that I am, you will also receive a love letter that can be stored behind the painting or with your important documents to provide further provenance.

As my work grows and becomes more popular, I also yearn to enter the NFT space at which time I will also find a way to incorporate provenance of past works within the blockchain.

Question 5

What Type of Paint Do You Use?

Accepted Answer

For the time being, all of my paintings are painted with acrylic paint. The brands vary but I am usually pretty loyal to Winsor & Newton.

Question 6

What surface is my painting created on?

Accepted Answer

Always be sure to review the painting specifications for the work you are considering. I currently offer original paintings on:

Stretched Canvases 
Rolled Canvases 
Canvas Boards
Heavyweight Paper

Question 7

Is the Painting Varnished?

Accepted Answer

I currently do not apply a varnish to any of my paintings until I speak with my collector. Varnishing has great advantages, like protecting the painting's surface for archival purposes and making colors more vibrant. It also creates a gloss and slightly changes some colors; at times appearing shiny, sometimes cloudy and can take away a matte finish.

I can varnish if my collector would like that service add-on and pricing will be discussed; as each painting varies in size, texture and color. Please add two weeks to any estimated delivery time for the varnishing process.

Question 8

What is your return policy?

Accepted Answer

If you are not satisfied, you have 7 business days from receipt of the work of art to return the piece in its original packaging.
With any returns, you will be responsible for shipping costs.

For a full refund, a painting must be returned in the same condition that you received it in, in the original shipping container, and be returned with all accompanying certificates and paperwork you received with your acquisition.  To complete your return, I will require:

A receipt or proof of purchase.  
A trackable shipping service and that you purchased shipping insurance for the full value of the artwork (just as it was shipped to you). You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your painting. Shipping costs are non-refundable.

Question 9

Will my painting include hanging hardware?

Accepted Answer

Your painting will not include hanging hardware. I believe each patron will have their own hardware preference and I want to keep each piece free of any markings for future framing or other desired hanging options.

Question 10

Is my painting signed?

Accepted Answer

With the exception of one of my pieces, I do not sign my paintings until I speak with the collector. I consider this another benefit to buying original artwork directly from the artist.

In my mind, when I sign a painting, I am inscribing; I am dedicating; I am endorsing it over to another person. And so that final sendoff can be done on the front of the painting or simply on the back.

If you'd like my signature on the front of the painting, I will sign in white paint on the bottom righthand corner: de Groot.  We can discuss any hanging intentions you have and if the painting allows for it, I can be sure to leave room for the style of your frame; ensuring the signature can be seen when showcasing.

All of my paintings include my signature and the following information written on the back in black permanent marker.

Full Name
Title of Painting | Year of Completion
Your Travel Artist

*Talking to the Moon, Straining to Hear It's Whisper, is the only pre-signed painting that is currently available for purchase.

Question 11

Methods of Payment

Accepted Answer

My preferred method of payment online is through PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to purchase your painting and can always opt to pay as a one-time guest.

I am not Amazon. I am a person. More specifically, I am an artist that yearns to share pieces of myself with you. If you have another form of payment you would like to inquire about, shoot me a message. Let's chat and see if I can accommodate.

Question 12

What is your traveling schedule?

Accepted Answer

Please check out my traveling schedule here to see if I'm scheduled to be in your country anytime soon. If we're lucky, I will be visiting soon and will be more than happy to travel with your painting. Once I land, I will be in a position to offer a better shipping cost.

Shoot me a message and let's discuss how we can arrange a customized shipment to get you your painting efficiently and affordably.

Question 13

I love your style, how can I help you grow as an artist?

Accepted Answer

If you're reading this FAQ, let's take a moment to celebrate you. Thank you, my lovely. Some people may not understand how extremely difficult it is to be an artist that puts their soul onto a canvas, and then follows up that vulnerability with placing a price tag on it.

Something happens when you decide to sell your art; like a shift on a molecular level or something. It's as if putting a "value" on her de-shields the painting and now she's exposed to all kinds of elements and chemicals attracted to her nucleus. She transforms from an idea; a feeling, to a commodity.

It took a lot of soul searching to decide to sell my art. So you, once a stranger, wants to ask me, a sentimental artist, how they can help me grow. That's a patronage that leaves flutters in my stomach, a sweet tightening in my heart, and forces out mini giggles in my exhale. I mean, it leaves me geeked.

Collectors, patrons and enthusiasts fuel my inspiration by providing the funds, recognition and inspiration to keep this train going. If you're looking to become a noble patron of the arts, here are some small ways that would drastically help my art move forward:

Purchase a piece and love her... just love her and I will somehow feel that love wherever I am in the world and know that a connection between us lives and breathes. 
Take your time in my Art Gallery and really consider my descriptions and suggested playlists when viewing the painting. I painted this for your eyes; for your heart; for your brain. Honor me with a gift by sending me a message back to let me know what "you" see, feel and hear. Seeing my artwork take shape and mold to each person's needs and desires, well, it thrills me.  
Share a painting that really speaks to you and share it with your own interpretation. Again, seeing my artwork take flight gives me such a shot of serotonin and really propels my inspiration forward. Don't forget to tag me or send me the link so I can step into your mind for a moment as well! 
If you see a painting that you believe will inspire or delight someone you know, send them to my website so they can take a look. And if you do that, please let me know. If your friends and loved ones purchase a painting because you brought them into this world we're creating together, I want to send you a thank you. Maybe I can use my creative mind to come up with a perfect token of my appreciation.

There are countless ways you can help me and I believe there are a number of ways I can help you. Let's do a one-on-one chat and brainstorm how we can help each other. Because, "dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Electric world life, it means forever and that's a mighty long time."

I got you, lovely and I'm humbled to hear that you possibly have my back too.

*And yes, I just quoted Prince & the Revolution.

Your Travel Artist

A Sentimental Storyteller

What You Need to Know

When buying an original painting from me.