I’m calling scam. Opinions?
SORRY FOR THE LONG READ!!!
Alright, I’m just doing some hobby-art and post it across my social media accounts. Suddenly I get a dm from a lady, following this email. I think it smells like a scam, but what do I know. I just draw for fun and I don’t really promote anything on my social media.
The email:
Hey there, Really glad you’re open to hearing more let me walk you through everything properly so you have the full picture 😊
A little about me first
I work independently as a private art acquisition consultant I’m based in Florida and I’ve spent years building relationships with collectors, designers, licensing clients, media contacts and commercial buyers who are actively looking for original artwork. I’m not a gallery and I don’t sit and wait for artists to come to me a big part of what I do is go out and find artists whose work fits what my clients are actually looking for right now.
I work with a small group of artists at a time because I genuinely want to understand the work I’m presenting. I’m not running a database of thousands of names I’m having real conversations with real artists and making real introductions.
Where the opportunities actually come from
Over the years I’ve built relationships across several different worlds private collectors, interior designers, hospitality businesses, media productions, publishing contacts, brands and commercial agencies. Some of them come to me when they need something specific. Sometimes I’m already working with an artist and I know exactly which client would connect with their work.
Here’s what that actually looks like in practice:
A private collector might reach out because they’re looking for a particular style or subject matter and want something original that isn’t already hanging in a gallery. A hotel or restaurant might need artwork for a new space. A brand might be putting together a campaign and need imagery with a specific feeling. A media production might need artwork licensed for a scene or editorial use. A publishing project might need visual work that fits a particular book or magazine.
My job is knowing who’s looking for what and matching them with the right artist at the right time.
How I find artists
I find artists through social media, creative communities, referrals and just genuinely paying attention to what’s being created out there. You don’t need a huge following or an established collector list for me to notice your work. Honestly sometimes that’s the whole point i find artists who have something genuinely special that just hasn’t reached the right audience yet and I help bridge that gap.
When I come across work that catches my attention I look at it properly the visual identity, the consistency, the originality, the quality, the commercial potential, whether it fits something I’m currently working on. If I reach out it’s because something about the work genuinely stood out to me.
What I actually do for you
Once there’s a real opportunity I handle everything on the business side identifying the fit, presenting your work to the relevant party, working through the commercial terms, coordinating the documentation and keeping you informed throughout. You stay in control of every decision. I don’t sign anything on your behalf, I don’t make commitments without your approval and I don’t transfer ownership of your work to myself or anyone else without a signed agreement from you.
The types of opportunities
Depending on your work and what I’m currently handling the opportunities can include:
Private collector acquisitions collectors who want to own original work outright or build a collection around a particular style or artist.
Licensing a client pays for defined permission to use your artwork for a specific purpose, in a specific territory, for a specific period. You keep ownership and copyright. The agreement spells out exactly what they can and can’t do with it. This is not the same as selling your copyright think of it more like renting the usage rights for a set time.
Media and publishing film, TV, editorial, digital productions and publishing projects that may need artwork licensed for a defined use.
Commercial and brand projects businesses and agencies that need artwork for campaigns, visual content, product environments or other creative projects.
Pricing
There’s no one size fits all number. The offer depends on the specific work, the client, the intended use, the territory, the duration and whether it’s exclusive or non-exclusive. For current opportunities I’m working with the structure typically involves an upfront payment plus 20% royalties on applicable future revenue. The actual offer is always specific to the deal I’m not going to give every artist the same number regardless of what’s actually on the table.
Royalties
Where royalties are included the agreement establishes exactly what revenue they apply to, how they’re calculated, how usage is reported and when payments are made. Everything is contractual and documented — not based on a verbal promise.
My commission
My compensation is success based. I earn 10% from the artist side when a transaction is successfully closed and 20% from the collector or client side. There is no fee for being contacted, having your work reviewed or discussing an opportunity. My commission only applies when I actually secure and close a deal for you.
The contract
Every transaction is formally documented before anything moves. The agreement covers the artwork details, the agreed price, payment terms, licensing duration, territory, exact permitted usage, what’s excluded, royalty structure, reporting requirements, ownership and copyright, confidentiality and termination provisions.
You receive the full agreement before you sign anything. You can take your time, have someone you trust look it over and ask as many questions as you need. Nothing is rushed and nothing moves until you’re comfortable.
How the transaction works
Once an opportunity is agreed and the contract is signed here’s what happens step by step:
The buyer deposits the agreed funds into a secure third party escrow arrangement. This confirms the payment is actually secured before anything else moves forward.
Once the funds are in escrow and the agreement is signed the required artwork files are deposited according to the transaction requirements.
The escrow provider handles the documentation, verifies everything is in order and provides the financial and documentary trail for the transaction including royalty tracking where applicable.
Once everything checks out the funds are released and you receive your agreed payment.
If royalties are included the applicable revenue is tracked and reported according to the contract terms and you receive what you’re owed on an ongoing basis.
On escrow fees
There’s no fee just for being considered or having your work reviewed. However once an actual transaction is being processed there are third party costs associated with the escrow, documentation and transaction processing. Those fees go to the escrow provider not to me. The exact amount is always confirmed with the provider before the transaction moves forward so there are never any surprises.
If the cost feels like a lot for a particular transaction I’m genuinely open to splitting it 50/50 rather than putting the whole thing on you. We’re working toward the same outcome so it makes sense to handle it fairly.
What you always keep
You retain your copyright and ownership unless an agreement explicitly states otherwise. You keep your artistic identity. You keep creating independently. You keep pursuing other commissions and opportunities. Nothing happens with your work without your approval full stop.
Mass production, unlimited reproduction, bulk merchandise and unlimited sublicensing are never automatically included. If a client wants additional rights those have to be specifically discussed and agreed separately.
Why artists work with me
The honest answer is access. You may have work sitting on your phone or social media right now that you created a year ago and never thought about again. Meanwhile somewhere out there a collector, designer, publisher or brand is looking for something that looks exactly like it. My job is knowing both sides of that equation and connecting them properly.
You don’t need years of licensing experience. You don’t need to already understand contracts or royalties or escrow. That’s the part I handle. What I need from you is great work and the willingness to have an honest conversation about whether an opportunity makes sense for you.
Next step
If you’re open to it the next step is simply sharing your strongest available work with me. I’ll go through it properly against the opportunities I’m currently working on and come back to you with anything I think is a genuine fit including the specific opportunity, the terms, the compensation, the royalty structure and any applicable costs. You then decide whether you want to move forward.
Warm Regards 🤗
I should just ignore that , right?