1. I have an older Des McCaffrey print and wanted to know what it is worth?Des receives many inquiries asking about the current value of a piece of art. Unfortunately we are not in the art appraisal business, which is entirely its own area and we cannot provide this information, even on one of our own pieces. Typically homeowner's insurance policies will provide for contents. This includes everything in your house - books, photos, computers, furniture and art. If you feel the total contents in your home, including precious items (art, jewelry etc.) exceeds the amount specified in your policy, then you should get a rider on your policy. Insurance companies will require an appraisal for any "fine art" listed on a rider. Professional appraisers cannot legally appraise any item they have not personally inspected. Therefore, in order to obtain a valid appraisal, the work must be seen in person by a professional; photographs will not suffice. There is some good information on the Internet regarding this topic, so it should be fairly easy to calculate an approximate value. If that value exceeds the amount of insurance you currently have, then you should get the item professionally appraised. You may locate an appraiser in your local area or by contacting a gallery or museum online. 2. What is a Gilcee Print?Giclee comes from a French word which means a "spray of ink". With the aid of modern technology artists can now produce incredibly high quality prints and canvases in their own studios. Des produces his Giclees individually in his studio using a large format inkjet printer. This allows him to precisely monitor every detail of the printing process and ultimately create prints that are a true representation of the original painting. Paper Giclees are allowed to dry overnight then given a final inspection before they are signed and numbered. Canvas Giclees are allowed to dry overnight then coated with a varnish which gives the colors a rich look in addition to protecting the surface from air born particles and UV damage. Although the inks used on our prints are the finest on the market with lightfast qualities, we suggest that you not display your art where it can come in direct contact with sunlight, because over time this will fade some of the colors. This should apply to all artwork whether its original works or reproductions. 3. What is the difference between a limited edition giclee, an open edition print and a limited edition print?Giclee prints are individually produced by Des in his studio, where open edition and limited edition lithographic prints, because of the larger quantities required, are produced in a commercial print house under his personal supervision. They are then all individually inspected with the limited edition portions signed and numbered. All of Des' prints, either giclee or lithographic, are produced using only acid free, museum quality archival stock and printed with the finest lightfast inks. The limited editions are signed while open editions are unsigned. 4. What are your edition sizes?Generally our limited edition quantities are 450-950 for lithographic paper prints and giclees, and only 50 for canvases, with 10% of prints allocated as "Artists Proofs. Open editions are unlimited and unsigned but are printed on the same archival stock with the same attention to detail and quality as all of our prints. Limited editions simply carry a higher collectable value. 5. Do you offer framing?We do some framing here at the gallery for local pickups but we do not ship framed artwork at this time. We have found that the risk of damage to prints framed with glass is very high no matter how well it is packaged. We suggest that you have this type or framing done locally after it arrives which also gives you the opportunity to pick the framing combination that you prefer and best suits your decor. 6. How is my art shipped?Your paper giclee or print will ship in a 4 inch diameter cardboard tube to decrease the curling of the print when it arrives to you or your framer. Curling is not an issue with canvas therefore they are shipped in a 3 inch tube. This also greatly reduces the cost of shipping while giving the print better protection from potential damage on its way to you. It will come with a biography and a certificate of authenticity, which we recommend should stay with the print by securing it to the back of the framed artwork in an envelope. 7. What is your return policy?If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, just return it to us within 30 days in new condition for a full refund. 8. How long does it take for Des to finish a painting?Based on an 8-10 hour painting day, Des generally works on his larger pieces for about 4-6 weeks, and up to 8 weeks for the really large works. 9. Does he use photographs for his paintings?Des uses some of his own photographs for reference on his paintings but he relies mostly on field work and his extensive study of nature and animal anatomy. He continuously draws on the knowledge gained from his past experience as a taxidermist when working out the structure of his wildlife subjects. His backgrounds are usually selected from unique photos he has taken in the field of interesting lighting situations or elements then re-orchestrated and used as a guide in the composition of the painting. 10. How long has Des been a painter?He has been a full-time artist since 1989 but has worked at expressing himself creatively by drawing, painting & sculptures since he was a child. 11. Does he do commission work?In the early part of his career he would do some, but now because of time constraints and his need for personal expression he no longer accepts commissions. 12. Does he paint other subject matter?Des paints what he is most passionate about, and that is wild animals and birds that he encounters and knows intimately. He on occasion paints people or landscapes but very infrequently
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