•  FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

     

     

     

    HOW DO YOU ACQUIRE YOUR ARTWORKS?

    Here at This Is Aboriginal Art, we strongly believe in the self-determination of artists, which includes accommodating how artists choose to work. We have an on-site studio space where artists can come to paint, while some artists prefer to paint at home. We also work with Aboriginal-owned art centres, receiving works on consignment from artists living in remote communities. We prioritise nurturing working relationships with artists in the community, and proudly work with both established & emerging artists. 


    ARE THE ARTWORKS AUTHENTIC?

    All artworks in our gallery space and online store are original and hand-painted by Aboriginal artists. All paintings are signed by the artist, and we supply a Certificate of Authenticity and other relevant documentation to demonstrate the authenticity of each artwork. 

    ARE THE ARTWORKS ETHICALLY SOURCED?

    This is an incredibly important question! We encourage all customers and visitors to our gallery space to do their own research and to ask the necessary questions, so they can feel confident that they are purchasing artworks that are authentic and ethically sourced. 

    This Is Aboriginal Art is an independent small business that places ethics at the forefront of our business practice. We strive to uphold ethical standards as they continue to evolve with the contemporary industry. We are a member of the Aboriginal Art Association of Australia (AAAA), an organisation that promotes ethical industry practices, including fair payment, fair working conditions, and ensuring a supportive and respectful working environment. For more details, you can view the Code of Ethics and our responsibilities as a member via the AAAA website. 

     

    WHAT IS ‘PROVENANCE’?

    The ‘provenance’ of an artwork refers to the chronology of that artwork’s ownership, as well as any accompanying documentation, such as certificates of authenticity, sales receipts, and photos of the artist painting the artwork. Provenance is an important way of ensuring the authenticity of an artwork, and keeping a record of the changing of hands provides a means of proving that ethical trading practices have been adhered to. Ensuring that artworks have a clearly traceable history creates a system that can also work to prevent exploitation of artists. In the auction market, ‘good’ and reputable provenance can also add value to an artwork.


    DO YOU SELL PRINTS?

    No - all artworks in our gallery space and online store are original. Each piece is wholly unique, hand-painted by Aboriginal artists using high quality, professional materials. 

     

    ARE THE ARTWORKS READY TO HANG / WILL THE ARTWORKS ARRIVE STRETCHED ON A FRAME?

    All artworks will be sent unstretched and rolled securely into a postal tube. This is because any artwork that is stretched onto a frame is at much greater risk of puncture or damage during transportation. This is the safest way for an artwork to be stored or transported, and it can remain rolled in a tube indefinitely. Stretching an artwork onto a frame is a straightforward process and a widely offered service that any trusted picture framer in your local area will be able to provide. We do not provide quotes on stretching.

     

    APART FROM STRETCHING, WHAT ARE MY FRAMING OPTIONS?

    There are many options available - choosing a frame can be a fantastic way to tie an artwork into your desired space. We recommend consulting with your local picture framer to discuss your budget and desired aesthetic. Box frames and floating frames are examples of popular options. 

     

    DO You HOLD ARTWORKS?

    For paintings that have had no payment made towards them, we will place them on a 24-hour hold before returning them to our gallery space.

     

    DOES THE ARTWORK NEED TO BE CONSERVED BEHIND GLASS? 

    The majority of our artworks are painted with high quality, professional use acrylic paints that are resistant to UV damage, and therefore do not require protection behind glass to prevent fading or discolouration.

    An exception to this would be watercolour paintings. Watercolour as a medium tends to be more susceptible to fading after prolonged exposure to sunlight, and we recommend keeping any watercolour paintings behind UV resistant glass or Perspex to preserve the integrity of the colours.  

     

    WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LINEN AND CANVAS? 

    The term ‘canvas’ is a general term for woven fabric, and is often used as a general term for any painting. Painting canvases can be made from fibres of the flax plant, referred to as ‘linen’, or while regular ‘canvas’ is made from cotton. 

    Linen and canvas are widely used by professional artists. Both professional-grade mediums have been rigorously tested and offer the same archival qualities. This Is Aboriginal Art guarantees the use of high quality, professional materials to ensure that we source paintings that will stand the tests of time. Whether an artist paints on linen or canvas solely depends on the desired aesthetic outcome, and each will be selected accordingly.

    The pores of flax/linen are always open and therefore are more susceptible to changes in humidity. Regarding stretching the two mediums, linen may require your framer to add ‘wedges’ to the inside corners of your stretcher bars to tap out to increase the tension on the painting, if the linen sags a little in higher moisture environments/seasons. Cotton canvas Duck (used by the Dutch Masters) is a more stable medium, whereby the pores are closed and therefore will not require your framer to add wedges to the stretcher bars. From an environmental impact point of view, cotton uses significantly more water to grow than linen.

     

    I WANT TO SELL A PIECE OF ABORIGINAL ART, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH IT IS WORTH? 

    We are not licensed to assess an artwork’s value, and we do not resell artworks from private collections. We recommend seeking an approved valuer of Aboriginal art. Please contact an auction house with an Aboriginal art department such as Cooee Art Auctions or Deutscher Hackett for resale of artworks, or visit www.acaa.org.au for a list of accredited valuers.

     

    CAN I USE IMAGES FROM YOUR WEBSITE FOR PERSONAL USE? 

    All images on our website have been uploaded with permission from the artists and staff. Copyright for the artworks displayed on our website belongs to the respective artists under the Australian Copyright Act. Images may not be downloaded and/or reproduced for any reason without explicit permission from This Is Aboriginal Art. Our complete copyright policy can be found on our website. 

    In order to protect artist copyright, we cannot provide high-resolution images of artworks. Our website has an interactive zoom function to enable a closer look at an artwork image. After selecting the artwork you wish to view, simply hover your mouse over the section of the painting you would like to see more closely, and this will trigger the zoom function.

     

    WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

    We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Stripe payments. Card payments can be completed securely via our online store, or we can process them over the phone. We also accept payment by direct deposit - please contact us for details.

    We are also partnered with Art Money - a similar concept to Afterpay, Art Money allows payment for artworks to be completed in 10 interest-free instalments over 10 months. Once approved, shipment can be commenced immediately - you can enjoy your beautiful new painting while the monthly instalments are completed safely and securely. This payment option is available to artworks valued $500 AUD and above. You can visit artmoney.com for further details. 

     

    DO YOU OFFER LAY-BY? 

    Yes - our lay-by agreement consists of a 20% non-refundable deposit, with the remainder of the payment amount to be completed over a 3 month period. We require payment to be fully completed before commencing delivery of an artwork to its recipient. You can visit our gallery or contact us to organise a lay-by.

     

    WHERE DO YOU OFFER SHIPPING?

    We offer domestic and international shipping, with a flat rate of $35AUD for postage within Australia.

    International shipping rates are calculated at the checkout of our online store, and will vary depending on where you live. Please note that your shipment may incur an import tax, payable by the receiver. Please check your country’s tax laws for up-to-date information. 

    Stripe payments via the website take up to 3 business days to process. Once payment has been received, we endeavour to have your artwork sent on that same day or on the following business day. Delivery times vary depending on the destination. All shipments are dispatched via courier or Express delivery with Australia Post. The time frame of delivery can be estimated using the AusPost postage calculator - the dispatch postcode is 0870. 

     

    IS MY PURCHASED ARTWORK INSURED?

    Yes, all artworks are fully insured, and we will provide tracking information upon shipment. 

     

    CAN I RETURN MY ONLINE PURCHASE AND GET A REFUND? 

    Your satisfaction with a purchased artwork is a priority to us, and though we strive to present as close a likeness as possible to the original paintings, we understand that viewing images of an artwork online is not the same as experiencing them in person. If you decide you do not wish to keep an artwork once it has been received, please contact the gallery to advise us of your intention to return the painting. We will refund the full cost of the artwork if it is returned to us within 14 days of purchase.  

    In order to receive the refund, the artwork must be returned in its original condition, complete with its accompanying documentation. The cost of return postage is the responsibility of the buyer. We also advise insuring the artwork for its full purchase amount, as it remains the buyer’s property until it has been returned to our gallery.

    Please note that refunds and returns are NOT available for sale items.