FAQ

Questions Collectors Ask

How do I purchase a painting?
Click "Inquire" on any available painting. I'll respond personally as soon as I can — usually within a few days — to discuss the piece and arrange payment. For prints, you can purchase directly through the website.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. For purchases over $2,000, I offer a payment plan: 50% upfront, with the remainder paid in 3 equal monthly installments. The painting ships after the first payment.
What is Chalkline Figuration™?
It's a visual language I created that builds each painting in three passes: an acrylic chalkboard background, a chalk layer for memory and symbols, then oil for the figure. Oil is permanence; chalk is memory; symbols carry meaning from a fixed vocabulary. Visit the Symbol Map page to learn the full vocabulary.
What do the symbols mean?
Each symbol has a fixed meaning — the upward arrow means aspiration, the spiral means memory, the triangle means stability, and so on. Visit the Symbol Map page for the complete vocabulary of 30 symbols across 6 categories.
Can I commission a painting?
Yes. I accept 2–3 commissions per quarter. Visit the Commissions page to learn about the process, pricing, and current availability.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes. Originals ship worldwide with insurance and customs documentation. Prints ship internationally for $15–$30.
Are prints signed?
Yes. Every print is hand-signed and numbered (for example, 12/50). Each print includes a mini certificate of authenticity with the painting's symbol key.
What is the Studio List?
The Studio List is my email list for collectors and art enthusiasts. Members see new paintings before they're published, receive exhibition invitations, and get the story behind each piece. Sign up at the bottom of any page.
How do I care for a Chalkline Figuration painting?
The chalk layer is sealed but should not be touched or cleaned with wet cloth. Hang away from direct sunlight. Dust gently with a soft, dry brush. Visit the Shipping & Care page for full details.
Do you offer trade pricing for designers?
Yes. Visit the Trade page or contact studio@gavinjordanart.com for trade pricing on orders of 3+ pieces.
What is the difference between a print and an original?
A print captures the composition and colour. An original holds the texture — the raised chalk, the weight of the oil, the physical surface. Both are worth owning. Prints start at $200. Originals start at $2,200.
Can I see the paintings in person?
Studio visits are available by appointment in Miami, FL. Inner Circle collectors (3+ purchases) have standing invitations. Contact studio@gavinjordanart.com to arrange a visit.
What is Afro-Caribbean art?
Afro-Caribbean art encompasses visual work made by artists of African descent whose cultural reference points are shaped by Caribbean geography, history, and diaspora experience. My work sits in this tradition. The subject matter — childhood, resilience, memory — is specific to Afro-Caribbean life, while Chalkline Figuration (acrylic chalkboard ground, chalk, then oil) is a visual language I developed to carry that specificity without explaining it.
Why is it called Chalkline Figuration?
"Chalkline" refers to the chalk layer — the memory layer — drawn on the acrylic chalkboard ground before the oil goes down. "Figuration" names what the paintings are: figurative, bodies, people. Not portraiture, not abstraction. Human figures with inner life. The name was trademarked in 2026 to distinguish the practice from adjacent figurative work in contemporary art.
How long does a commission take?
10–14 weeks from first conversation to delivery. Two weeks for the brief and symbol selection, six to ten weeks for the painting itself, one week for chalk setting and photography, one week for framing and shipping. Rush commissions are not accepted — the chalk layer needs time to set, and shortcuts compromise the work.
What are the typical dimensions of a Chalkline Figuration painting?
Works come in three scales: Companion (24×36 or 30×40 inches), Core (36×48 inches), and Anchor (42×56 inches). Commissioned works match your space — Companion and Core scales read well in most residential rooms; Anchor scale carries lobbies and larger walls.
Does the chalk layer fade or smudge over time?
No. The chalk is set with a clear archival fixative before the painting leaves the studio. This locks the chalk into the surface without altering its visual quality — it still reads as chalk, still catches light like chalk, but it cannot smudge or transfer. Paintings should not be cleaned with water or harsh cleaners, but normal display is safe indefinitely — the fixative is the same archival grade used to stabilise pastel and charcoal works that museums have held for decades.
How do you pack and ship an original painting?
Originals ship crated for most destinations — a custom wood crate with archival foam, corner protection, and moisture barriers. Domestic (U.S.) shipping uses UPS Capital-insured service with full replacement value coverage. International shipping uses fine-art carriers with customs documentation included. Transit time: 7–14 business days domestic, 14–21 business days international. Installation support through shipping partners is available for larger works.
What is the difference between a Chalkline Figuration painting and other figurative art?
Most figurative paintings are one layer: what you see is what's there. Chalkline Figuration is three passes: acrylic chalkboard ground, chalk for what is remembered (what the body carries but no longer sees, including symbols from a fixed 30-symbol vocabulary), then oil for what is real (the figure, the place). The surface literally shifts through the day as light changes the chalk layer's visibility. A purchase is a painting that rewards long looking across years, not one that you hang and forget.
How do I verify a painting is a genuine Gavin Jordan?
Every original ships with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artist. The COA lists the unique ID, title, year, dimensions, medium, and the specific symbols embedded in the painting — information that only I have at the time of creation. The COA is registered in the studio's provenance database. For secondary-market verification, contact studio@gavinjordanart.com with the unique ID; I confirm authenticity against the original record.
Do you work with galleries?
Yes, selectively. The studio maintains direct relationships with galleries whose program aligns with African diaspora contemporary practice — priority markets are Miami, Atlanta, New York, London, and Paris. If you represent a gallery interested in exhibiting, contact studio@gavinjordanart.com with your program focus and current roster.
Are commissioned paintings tax-deductible for businesses?
For hospitality, corporate, and design-firm purchases, consult your tax advisor — depreciation rules for art as a capital asset vary by jurisdiction and intended use. The studio provides the invoice and COA your accountant needs. We do not provide tax advice.

More questions? Reach out at studio@gavinjordanart.com.