Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Who is Equestrian Art Ltd (EAL)? EAL is a private limited company which was born out of the need to better promote the work of the best equestrian artists and satisfy the increasing demand for original contemporary equine art.  In the three and a half years since its inception, EAL has acquired a ‘stable’ of established internationally known equestrian artists including Neil Cawthorne SEA, Roy Miller SEA AAEA, Martin Williams SEA, Richard Barton SEA, Elizabeth Sharp SEA, Louise Mizen SEA and Margaret Barrett SEA as well as discovering exciting new talents including Alasdair Banks, Elizabeth Armstrong ASEA, MA and Vineta Sayer ASEA.

EAL is focused solely on equestrian art – racing, eventing, dressage, hunting and polo. It has conducted exhibitions throughout the UK, Ireland and the US and has sold original artworks to over 400 clients across the globe through its exhibitions and ‘virtual gallery’ on the web.

  1. Will I pay more for my artwork from EAL than from a conventional art gallery? EAL does not operate like a conventional art gallery which normally has to support all the overheads associated with having gallery premises fixed in one location.  Instead EAL by exhibiting at major equine sporting events takes the art to the enthusiast and collector or sells on-line through its virtual gallery at www.equestrianartuk.com. In so doing the prices for similar artworks can be up to two thirds less costly than an up market city gallery.
     

  2. Do I pay more by purchasing art from EAL rather than directly from the artist?  EAL places no restrictions on the artists that it works with, with regard to exclusive agreements.  There are none of the restrictive contracts between EAL and its artists that exist with many galleries and fine art dealers.  As such the collector is free to purchase artworks directly from the artist.  Because EAL has developed good relationships with our artists over time, EAL usually gets first refusal on new work, has an influence on new works undertaken and most importantly receives preferential discounts on the price of artworks purchased from its artists.  The effect of this, is that it is very rare that the price the customer will pay EAL for the artwork, will be more than the price asked by the artist.  Indeed it is often the case that EAL has negotiated a special price with the artist for a particular work which is then passed on to the customer.
     

  3. Can I see the art before I buy?  EAL positively encourages this.  We are delighted when a prospective customer wants to see a selection of work that he has seen in our virtual gallery.  We are happy to put on a private viewing at his or her address and there is no obligation to purchase.
     

  4. How do I know the painting is genuine (i.e. an original painted by the artist)? A very good question!  Firstly EAL only sells originals. Some artists like Roy Miller for example have reciprocal marketing agreements to sell prints (copies) of their originals with other art dealers.  In Roy’s case Sally Mitchell Fine Arts produce limited edition prints, Xmas cards, etc. of his originals.  Usually in the case of oils it is fairly obvious whether a painting is an original or a print.  With watercolours it is less easy to tell especially when the painting is framed.  So beginning in March of 2008, EAL is introducing a certification process which provides evidence (provenance) for the painting purchased in the form of a certificate signed by the artist.
     

  5. Am I buying an original or a print? This question has partly been answered in 5 above. But it is worth noting that EAL sees no merit in selling copies of the original.  There are plenty of other dealers doing it and have been for some time.  It is one of the things that separates EAL from the rest.  We have often been asked to value or resell a print.  Regrettably, we have had to say that the resale market for prints, even limited edition prints by well known equestrian artists, is non-existent.  An original on the other hand is a one off and many of the paintings that EAL have sold have found themselves into the sporting auctions at Sothebys and Bonhams.
     

  6. When I purchase a painting from EAL, what is included in the cost? Apart from the painting itself!, with the exception of box canvasses, the frame is also included in the cost together with all relevant taxes.  Paintings can be purchased unframed and an appropriate discount is applied when a customer wants to custom frame himself.  Paintings bought off the on-line virtual gallery may also attract a shipping charge depending on the value of the purchase and destination.  In the majority of cases where the order value is in excess of 500 GBP sterling shipping costs are included in the price of the artwork.
     

  7. Can I change the frame? Yes and usually at no cost or a nominal amount for reframing.
     

  8. How can I pay for the artwork?  You can pay by cheque or most major credit cards with the exception of AMEX.  We will also be introducing a new credit scheme from February 1st 2008, whereby customers wanting to buy a particular artwork can reserve the work by paying a 25% deposit, the balance to be paid on delivery to the customer to be made not later than six months from date of initial payment.  As is often the case certain new works attract a lot of interest with collectors and this scheme will help to provide a credit line for our loyal customer base.
     

  9. Will my art be an investment (ie appreciate over time)?  Another good question!  We have found that people buy a particular painting because they like it or fall in love with it and in extreme cases cannot bear not to have it!  At EAL we often feel the same way and sometimes find it difficult to part with a special painting!  All we can say in answer to this question is that in the main, when you buy from us a painting by an artist with an established reputation, for example an artist with SEA (fellow of the Society of Artists of Great Britain) or AAEA (member of the American Academy of Equine Art) after their name then works by these artists continue to command good prices at reputable art auctions.  They are the ‘blue chip’ stock equivalent.  The ‘new kids on the block’ are more speculative.  Their paintings are the equivalent of the tech stocks.  Some will rise spectacularly in value in the future, but some may fail to make the grade.  In the specific case of Alasdair Banks for example, when we first discovered Alasdair’s work it could be purchased for less than 100 GBPS.  Today, Alasdair’s work sells from anything between a few hundred pounds and several thousand pounds for commissions.  Vineta Sayer is another case in point, where her work in all media represents a talent beyond her years, but which is still priced very reasonably. To sum up, art is bought for art’s sake, not just as an investment.