Frequently Asked Questions about Gordon Currie’s Art

  1. When did you start painting?

    I started painting in about 2003. My wife gave me a gift certificate to attend some paint lessons at the local Art Museum in Dawson Creek, BC. I then took private lessons with Marjorie Henn ( watercolorist from Beaverlodge, Alberta ) and Cal Cameron (Moberly Lake, BC and Comox Valley, BC). I took a number of online painting courses and studied traditional art for over 10 years. Both my father and younger brother paint watercolour and acrylics. I have a great uncle on my mother’s side that was a full-time painter. I had a brief hiatus from painting in 2010 after being involved in a car accident and then 2 years later when I suffered a stroke. But as of 2018, I am painting every week.

  2. What is your primary motivation to paint?

    I find painting very rewarding, enjoyable and relaxing. My mind is 150% focused on painting, and not money, family, work or politics. Its the one thing stable in my life that gives me hours of pleasure.

  3. Why paint flowers, gardens, fantasy, steampunk, European buildings etc…

    I paint things that are bright, cool textures, historic, action packed….you name it. I do NOT normally paint portraits, children or pets. Maybe one day.

  4. Do you use special paints or have favourite brands?

    I use a variety of paints from a variety of manufacturers. They include name brands but also brands associated with companies like Opus Arts in Canada. I have painted with paints and mediums from Atelier (from Australia / New Zealand ). The majority of brands are professional and not student grade for the quality of pigments and light fastness.

  5. What are you influenced by when painting?

    I am heavily influenced by areas I lived or grew up in ( Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island etc), or images I have collected ( Architecture from Europe) and the experiences I have had. For example, I painted a few paintings of Firefighters on the fire ground. As a retired firefighter, I spent 6 years full-time fighting fires. many influences are tied to books, games and fantasy that I have read or been exposed to.

  6. How long does it take to paint a typical painting?

    Watercolours and Acrylics – Every painting takes different times based on the size, colours chosen and mixed. I can average anywhere from 20 hrs to 45 hrs or more. I typically paint about 3-4 paintings a month with the rest of the time used to research paintings, designs, concepts and themes. Sometimes I will develop colour studies or tonal studies as part of the research phase. The actual painting time is only a part of the big picture.

    Digita Paintings – These take about 10-12 hours depending on the level of detail and effects. Most images size wise are 3000px by 5000px. Thats about 10″ x 16.6″ at 300 dpi – This resolution is print quality.

  7. Do you sell prints of your original work?

    Yes. But I limit the acrylic prints sizes, print runs. In the past 5 years, I have chosen about 50-60% of my work to provide prints. But in small numbers (less than 500 in most cases). I do NOT make prints of paintings that are gifts, commissions or artwork donated to auctions or special events.

    Digital Art Prints – I do sell Digital Art Prints as well. These images and art are created on a iPad Pro tablet and are digital watercolours and oils.

  8. Who typically buys your art?

    The market for my work really varies. Paintings and prints for garden / outdoor scenes are normally men and women in the 25-65 age group with many buyers collectors over 50. That said, I have sold work (primarily fantasy, architecture, firefighter paintings to those in the 20 – 35 age group. You don’t have to be a certain age or gender to buy my art. My prices vary from $250 to $3000 depending on size and theme.

    Digital Artwork – in 2019, I started painting alot of Steampunk artwork and Japanese Gardens / Streams.

  9. Do you sell your work outside Canada? or North America?

    I normally sell the majority of work in Canada and the US. But I have sent prints overseas to Japan and Europe. But it depends on the size and also the particular company that ships. Each situation is unique.

    UPDATE: I am working on selling my Art more and more to collectors in Europe. I may have prints printed in Europe. Just setting up the business connections. Watch my blog for updates!

  10. Do you paint commissions?

    Yes, I do print commissions but prefer to review the image or pictures before committing. In order to paint a piece of art that the clients like, there is a process for coming up with some initial designs. Also, I have a payment process with a deposit in advance.

  11. Do you number and sign your prints?

    The majority of prints are signed and numbered. If they are part of a batch of artist proofs, they will include “AP” for artist proofs ahead of the number. Artist Proofs are normally smaller than the original image.

  12. Do you do anything special to preserve the acrylic paintings before shipping?

    Yes, I spray varnish or a protective finish to prefer fading and ultraviolet light. This spray not only protects the art but can brighten up the colours and offer a nice look. As indicated below, prints are shipped in protective sleeves.

  13. Do you mount and frame your watercolour prints?

    My watercolour prints are shipping in a protective clear plastic bag mounted on cardboard for shipping. I do NOT frame them or provide mats as most buyers of art prefer to mat and frame to match their walls and display locations.

  14. Do you insure prints and original paintings before shipping?

    I can provide shipping insurance depending on the distance I am shipping artwork and the size of an original. I don’t normally insure prints under $200 unless a client requests it. I will normally insure original artworks for loss or damage. If a client has a concern about shipping, please contact me in advance of the final sale.

  15. How long do your watercolour prints last?

    The majority of watercolour prints today will last 100-150 years. They use special archival paper and inks that are designed to last years and not fade or degrade.

  16. What is a Giclée print?

    The word Giclée (pronounced “g-clay”), is derived from the French verb gicler meaning “to squirt or spray”, Giclee, is used to describe a fine art digital printing process combining pigment based inks with high-quality archival quality paper to achieve Giclée prints of superior archival quality, light fastness and stability.

  17. Are you related to artist David Currie from Whistler, BC.

    Yes, David Currie (www.currieartworks.com ) is my youngest brother. He lived in Whistler for 25 years and is living in Squamish, BC. He is an accomplished acrylic painter with a large group of collectors. His work is west coast BC themed and highly collectable.

  18. Do you sell your prints or originals through galleries?

    At this time I do not currently but would LOVE to. I am looking at establishing relationships with galleries in western Canada and possibly US based galleries. If you are a gallery owner, please feel free to contact me at the contact information below.

  19. Do you offer your clients first chance to purchase new paintings before going public?

    Yes. If clients purchase a painting or print, I will ask them if they wish to be notified when new art is available. These clients will have one week to contact me before I go public with artwork for sale. Every effort is made to give existing clients first access to purchase.

  20. How can I pay for my artwork I purchase from you?

    I accept cash, money orders, e-transfer and in some cases Paypal. I do not accept cheques or transfers from certain countries with fraud risks. Shipping is typically quoted and included in the purchase price.

  21. What is the easiest way to reach you? Are you on social media?

    The easiest way to reach me is via the following:

    Gcurrie@eldoren.com
    
(250) 784-8383 (8am till 9pm Pacific
    timezone)
1512-113th Ave.
Dawson Creek, BC V1G 2Z5


     

    Website: www.gordoncurrieart.com

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Mediterranean

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About Gordon

Gordon Currie has been painting watercolours, acrylics for over 15 years. Gordon has painted Digitally on an iPad for 4 years/ His work has been displayed all over Canada, the US in private collections.

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