Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Most Recent Update December 2025

COPYRIGHT

I retain full copyright to all paintings I produce. Clients may not reproduce, sell my work or use it for profit in any way without my consent. Portrait paintings I create for my clients will never be used for saleable prints or on other websites without their permission, but I reserve the right to use them on my own website and for advertising purposes unless the client prefers I don’t.

RETURN/CANCELLATION POLICY

I will happily accept cancellations and exchanges with the following terms:

1)  You can cancel a portrait order within 2 days of purchase and have your deposit refunded, but there will be NO returns or refunds on portraits.

2)  Deposits are non-refundable after 2 days.

3)  A painting (non-portrait) may be exchanged if I am contacted within 14 days of delivery, but must be shipped within 30 days of delivery.  The painting being used for exchange will not be shipped until I receive the returned work. 

4)  The buyer is responsible for the shipping costs of both returns and deliveries. 

5)  If the painting is not returned in its original condition, the buyer will be responsible for its loss of value.  

SHIPPING POLICY

Shipping is an additional charge. You will be notified by email when your painting has been shipped and given a tracking number.  I cannot be responsible for Canada Post shipping delays beyond my control.  If your painting doesn’t arrive within 15 business days after the expected delivery date, please contact me within 5 days of that date so that I can confirm that the package is, indeed, lost before I replace it.

If the post office provides proof of delivery or if the buyer fails to contact me within 5 business days of the expected date of delivery, I reserve the right to refuse replacement.

In the unlikely event that your package arrives damaged, take detailed photos front and back BEFORE you open it.  If the painting is damaged, take detailed photos and send them to me immediately (within 5 days), and return in the original package (at your own cost).  Given sufficient proof, I will create a new portrait for you, but the lead time will depend on my current list of commissions. 

ORDER PROCESS: WHAT TO EXPECT

Custom portraits take time to create.  It is common to require a down payment (50%) to secure the work.

For custom portraits, you will be asked to send me photos (see tips for photography). After I have verified that your photo(s) is/are suitable for a portrait, I will send you the first invoice for 50% (non-refundable after 5 days). 

After I have received that payment, I will add your portrait to my schedule of commissions and give you an estimated date of completion. 

I will contact you by email when the painting is finished and send you a final invoice, which will include the additional shipping fee. 

At this time, I will send a watermarked copy of the painting.  You might be able to suggest changes at this point, but they would need to be very minor, as watercolour is a permanent medium. 

When I receive payment, the painting will be shipped with tracking information.

PRIVACY POLICY

This privacy notice governs this website, operating out of London, Ontario, Canada, and informs you of my policies regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data when you use our service and the choices you have associated with that data.

Privacy is as important to me as it is to you.  Your personal information (name, email, address, phone number) will not be sold or shared with anyone.

WHAT IS COLLECTED

While using my site, I may ask you to provide me with certain personal data that can be used to contact or identify you (“Personal Data”). I require only the information that is reasonably required to enter into a contract with you. Personal Data may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address

  • First name and last name

  • Phone number

  • Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City

“Personal Data” is information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household, not including publicly available information or de-identified or aggregate consumer information.

When you visit this site, some information about your computer hardware and software is inherently automatically collected, such as your IP address, domain name, browser type, access time and referring website addresses.

HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS USED

The information that is collected about you may be used to:

  • Provide our products and services and process payments and/or refunds;

  • Communicate with you. Responding to your requests or questions, including support questions, service requests and other inquiries.

  • Other. Your information may be used to comply with legal or regulatory obligations, or perform functions as otherwise described to you at the time of collection.  Your information may also be used to resolve disputes or troubleshoot problems, or request feedback.

SHARING AND DISCLOSURE

I do not share your personal information with others except as indicated within this policy.

We will share your information in the following ways.

  • With third-party service providers, agents, or contractors.  We use other companies, agents or contractors (“Service Providers”) to perform services on our behalf or to assist us with providing services to you. For example, we may engage Service Providers to process credit card transactions or other payment methods.  Or, we may engage Service Providers to provide services such as shipping providers. These Service Providers may have access to your personal or other information in order to provide these functions. In addition, some of the information we request may be collected by third-party providers on our behalf. We do not authorize them to use or disclose your personal information except in connection with providing their services.

PAYMENTS

Payment Providers: This site uses third-party services for payment processing (e.g. payment processors).  I do not store, have access to, or collect your payment card details. That information is provided directly to third-party payment processors, whose use of your personal information is governed by their own privacy notice. The payment processors we work with are Squarespace payments, PayPal and/or Stripe.

Retention

Your Personal Data will only be retained for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Notice. Your Personal Data will be retained and used only to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

COOKIES and EU RESIDENTS:

This site aims to take reasonable steps so you can correct, amend, delete or limit the use of your Personal Data.

  • Cookies.  Your browser’s help function should contain instructions on how to set your computer to accept all cookies, to notify you when a cookie is issued, or to not receive cookies at any time.

  • If you are a member of the European Union (EU), you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted under the GDPR. Additionally, if you are a European resident, your information is processed in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example, if you make an order through the Site).

TRANSFER OF DATA:

This site is operated in Canada.  If you are located in another jurisdiction, please know that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in Canada. By using this site and providing us with information, you consent to this transfer, processing and storage of your information in Canada.  It is important to note that the privacy laws in Canada may not be as comprehensive or the same as those in other countries, such as the European Union. Our service providers use appropriate safeguards to transfer your personal data to Canada.

SECURITY

Reasonable administrative, logical, physical and managerial measures are used to safeguard your personal information against loss, theft and unauthorized access, use and modification. Unfortunately, no measures can be guaranteed to provide 100% security. Accordingly, we cannot guarantee the security of your information.

CHANGES TO POLICY

This policy may be changed from time to time, and if it does, any changes will be posted on this page with the date of the last update. If you continue to visit our site after those changes are in effect, you agree to the revised policy.

CONTACT

If you have any questions or comments about this policy, please contact me: expressionswatercolour@outlook.com