How can I buy your art?

Short answer: If you really want something you see on my website, let me know! Send an email to mail@archelonstudios.com or message me on Facebook @archelonstudios.

At this time, I sell by direct arrangement only. As a multi-freelancer, I’m often on the road, which complicates shipment & regular exhibition. Shipping very large framed art is expensive, so I usually promote it in other ways. I’ll be offering shipping for small-format pieces in the near future.

What is the Archelon brand?

Glad you asked! Read about the Archelon Studios brand & the origin of the signature glyph here: Why Archelon?

What makes pastel paintings on suede unique?

Excellent question! Each painting requires a variety of soft and hard pastels. I use Sennelier soft pastels, Prismacolor Nupastels, and Art Spectrum most frequently. The suede has a deep pile that allows the chalk to blend deep into the surface for a more permanent finish. Paintings are custom-framed immediately on completion to protect & enhance, placed directly against non-reflective UV glass without the use of any chemical fixative. This creates a static bond and prevents any loosening of the chalk.

After making a preliminary drawing, I apply a chalk layer of deep color to the larger areas in a technique similar to base-coating in oil painting. This helps create depth and texture and prevents the background from showing through. Most paintings require several layers in different shades of color, blended by hand or paper stumps to shape the areas of shadow and highlight for a smooth, even texture – almost like airbrush! The last fine details are usually with hard pastels or pastel pencil.

What are the sources for your paintings?

Historical archives, public domain collections, professional and amateur photographers (Creative Commons or used with permission), and my own photographic reference works.

Many of the Native American portraits are based on photographs from the Edward Curtis collection. Curtis spent decades during the late 19th and early 20th centuries traveling across the United States and eventually took more than 40,000 photographs of Native American people. His work is now in the public domain.

Do you accept commissions?

No, but there are plenty of talented artists who do! If you have a subject that you would love to see as a handmade artwork, you might do a local artist search to find someone in your area who can capture the look & style you want.

Do you offer prints of your paintings?

No- each is hand-crafted and unique. Since pastel pigments do not fade, a painting – when handled properly – may last for hundreds of years. Unlike printed mediums, pastel originals that are not mass-produced have a high long-term investment value.

TIP: You can find lots of interesting creative merchandise from Archelon Designs from the vendors listed on the Studio page!

Why are the artworks signed differently?

Maiden name (signature), married name, and brand symbol – you might see any of these on Archelon drawings, paintings, & digital designs, depending on how recent they are.

Didn’t answer all your questions?

Not a problem! Ask away. Send me an email at mail@archelonstudios.com or via @archelonstudios.