FAQ’s
Questions Frequently Asked by Artists and Crafts People Seeking a Distributor for their Crafts, Reproductions, Posters and Art Cards
1. Who is Greetings from Newfoundland?
GFN is a wholesale distributor of books, crafts, art cards, posters, Giclees and limited edition reproductions by artists with a connection to Newfoundland. We are based in St John=s, and have been in business since 1996.
2. How do you promote the work of Newfoundland artists?
We have an on-line catalogue at http://NewfoundlandArtonLine.com, and we encourage you to visit the site to check us out. We also email all our customers every time we have a new product. Those customers without email get a quarterly faxed newsletter. We also take the collection to wholesale trade shows in Halifax, Toronto and in St John=s Newfoundland.
3. How do I get included on your website?
Artists who have signed a contract with us giving us exclusive rights to distribute pieces of their work are included on our website, with a web page featuring their photograph and a short biography as well as copyright protected images of their work.
4. How do you get paid for distributing my work?
When we sell a piece of your work we pay you 70% of the wholesale price, with a cheque dated the end of the month following the month in which the sale took place. We keep the balance to cover costs.
5. Can I continue to sell my work myself?
You can continue to sell your work at agreed upon retail prices, but we would have the exclusive right to wholesale sales.
6. Who is involved in Greetings from Newfoundland?
The business is owned by Leslie Bella, Christina Murphy and Lloyd Pretty. With Christina acting as President and Leslie and Lloyd as Directors. We also have part time employees in peak periods.
7. How can I contact Greetings from Newfoundland?
You can email us at sales@newfoundlandartonline.com, or phone at our office at (709) 895-6869 during office hours or fax us at (709) 579 6196. We are open Monday to Friday between 8.30 am and noon, and 1.00pm and 4.30pm. If you want to show us your work, please phone for an appointment, so we can give you the attention you deserve. Our office is at 11 Ivydale place, 3.5 kilometers down on St. Thomas line from Topsail Road. You would take the exit for Paradise off of the Outer Ring Road.
8. Can you advise me about producing and marketing my work?
We provide free consultation services to artists considering reproducing and marketing their art work. Artists on board with us also receive a quarterly newsletter with information and advice about marketing their work. If you want a consultation, we ask that you phone for an appointment, so we can give you the attention you deserve. For a small fee we can also supervise the reproduction process for you.
9. Do you accept all artists?
No. We select artists (and works) with the most likelihood of success in our market and which meet our artistic standards.
10. Will you pay to print my work?
No. We are a distributor, not a publisher.
11. How do I know I can trust you?
We value our reputation for honesty and good service. Please check with other artists or with our customers in the industry (galleries, framing shops, gift shops, tourist outlets) to confirm our efficiency and integrity.
13. Can you help me with my record keeping and taxes?
Our computerised system allows us to give you accurate monthly and annual statements of the sales we have made on your behalf, including HST if applicable. It is still your responsibility to keep a record of your costs, and to complete you various tax returns.
F. A. Q.'s About Reproductions
About "prints"
The term Aprint@ is often used for any reproduction of an original art work. However, we reserve this term for pieces produced through craft process which involved skilled work by the artist. A serigraph is one example of such a process. A Serigraph is a reproduction process that more closely mimics original art, but it is still a reproduction. They are usually done in significantly smaller edition sizes and are done much like a silk screen print. Layer after layer of ink is applied, one colour at a time, until it is finished. Thirty, forty or even more screens are applied to achieve the desired results. The finished print is more brilliant in colour and has a more Aoriginal@ look to it. They require a much higher degree of work This technique does not lend itself well, however to every artist's style. Edition sizes vary, but are usually no more than a few hundred. At this time we do not carry serigraph prints.
What Are Offset Reproductions
An "Offset Reproduction" is the most common type of fine art reproduction, often mistakenly called a "print". Also known as "offset lithographs", the process begins with the original painting being photographed and separated into 4 negatives; red, blue, yellow, and black. From the negatives, special light sensitive plates are created or "burned" for each colour. The plates are fastened to drums on a printing press and partially submerged in the corresponding ink colour. The inks are rolled onto the sheets of paper as they=re fed through the press. The majority of printing is done this way and is what most people refer to as "prints". An offset lithograph is an entirely mechanical process. Most of the work sold by Greetings from Newfoundland is in this form.
What Is A Signed & Numbered Limited Edition Print?
A "Signed and numbered" reproduction is one from the edition that was published and individually signed by the artist. Each reproduction will have its own number. If you owned a reproduction that was numbered 25/1500, this means that out of 1500 reproductions that comprise the edition, you have the 25th one that was signed by the artist. These can be found under "limited edition reproductions" on our site.
What Is A "Remarque"?
This is a small original sketch or painting that is done somewhere in the margin of a limited edition reproduction. Usually an interesting detail from the painting is chosen and drawn as the remarque. These are time consuming for artists and command a higher price.
Art Posters or Open Edition Reproductions
Often, an artist or publisher will decide to make an image available to the public in unlimitedquantities. There is no predetermined edition size. Occasionally, it is a smaller sized versionof one that was previously published as a limited edition print. Sometimes it may be a vignette,or just a section of the original. We discourage both of these practices. Most often, the art will not have been previously published. Our posters use the same quality paper and inks as those used for limited editions reproductions, the artist can then decide to sign the name of the reproduction on the image but does not number the reproductions . As a result our posters are less expensive, but still not cheap as mass market posters.
What Is An "AP", or Artist's Proof?
It is a select part of a limited edition reproduction run, where the artist & publisher select out a certain number of reproductions (typically less than 10% of the total edition). The quality is the same. If 50 reproductions were set aside for the artists proofs, they will be numbered AP 1/50, (or 1/50 AP) up to AP 50/50. Some collectors prefer AP's because they consider them a separate, small edition, but in actuality, it's not.
What Is A "Giclee" (Pron: zheeclay) Reproduction?
This is a new and sophisticated, computer aided reproduction technique, printed with special ink. Much has been said about this process in recent years, particularly in regard to the longevity of the inks used. However, newly developed inks have been tested to show a "life" of 70 to 100 years eliminating much of the concern over this issue. The colours of these reproductions are particularly bright and pure, and the accuracy to the original exceeds that in any other reproduction process. The papers used are quite heavy water colour paper or canvas and edition sizes are usually small. These are more expensive than reproductions from the offset process but not as expensive as an original.
How about Art for Investment?
Buying art for investment is not usually recommended. The person who buys a work of art because he/she really likes it will never be disappointed. If it is a reproduction or original that does indeed go up in value over the years, it is an added benefit. Some believe that collecting an "emerging", living artist's work, has much greater potential for investment appreciation, than past artists' works.
What Is Proper Care For A Reproduction?
As with any piece of art careful attention to handling and placement are important for best preservation. In a few words, keep out of direct sunlight and away from extreme heat and moisture. If a print is purchased with the idea of reselling it at some point, it needs to be kept in perfect condition. Handling in such away as to avoid any creasing is necessary.
FAQ's about reproductions adapted from Tom Sierak's comments at http://www.stsfineat.com/faqs.htm