Frequently Asked Questions

Sometimes you refer to 'We' or 'Us'. Who are you talking about?
Okay, usually when we say "we", we are referring to Dolan and Ali Marie. It's a hard habit to break, since we work together 24/7. Trust me, it's hard on me, I mean we, I mean us.

Who am I talking to here?
You're talking to Dolan.

How do you pronounce your last name?
The name is uber macho: GUY-MEN. Intimidating, I know.

Is your studio open to the public?
While we are always eager to meet and greet, we have a schedule that keeps us quite busy. When we are in the studio we are generally preparing for the next show, and during our show season, which runs from February to December, we are on the road most weekends. So, we're hard to nail down! But, if you would like to schedule a studio visit, we would be happy to try and oblige. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.

Are all available works posted to Etsy or do you have additional works at the studio?
Each and every available work is posted to Etsy. If you'd like to view a work in person that you've seen online, contact us to schedule an appointment. For all studio visits, we ask that you e-mail us the title(s) of the work(s) of interest. Because of our art fair schedule, we keep all works packaged in boxes and bins between shows, but are happy to unwrap and hang a few selections in preparation for a studio visit.

Why Etsy? Why don't you sell through your website?
Etsy is made for business-minded artists like ourselves, who want to give clients an opportunity to purchase from a safe and respected online showplace. Etsy is also a great way for us to network with other artists and creative businesses.

Why do you sell at art fairs versus galleries?
Art fairs give us the opportunity to interact on a personal level with people all over the nation and it has been these live interactions that have helped our business grow. Our preference also has to do with the audience and the diversity of people who regularly attend and purchase work at art fairs, versus buying artwork from a gallery. Plenty of our original and reproduced artworks are made to be affordable and are imagined upon creation to hang in spaces like family living rooms, bedrooms, and even the bathroom. The ability to self-represent greatly appeals to us as well.

Is Dolan Geiman represented at any major trade venues, such as Merchandise Mart?
Not at this time. However, our hope is that with our new website, things will begin to change and you'll start to see us in more of those locations.

What venue currently provides the largest showcase for all manner of your artwork?
To see the largest selection of available works, visit our booth at any of our nationwide art fairs. We bring all available originals to each and every show. Some shows prohibit the sale of reproductions, but you can shop for all available box and paper prints online at dolangeiman.etsy.com.

What is your returns policy?
With the exception of works damaged during transit, all sales are final. For more customer service related information, visit our Etsy shop policies.


Do you both make artwork?
I make all of the artwork, and sometimes the dinner, and Ali Marie is the secretary, treasurer, VP, and fills a handful of other roles. Although she denies any creative abilities, I've seen some high school sketches that might prove otherwise.

Did you study art in school?
I studied various art techniques in school, but learned how to use my creativity mostly from my mother. I have also been fortunate to have a handful of friends who have pushed me into new areas of thinking about art, among these are Walker Tufts, Ben Shaffer, Matthew Grimes, Leo Charre, Joshua Miller, and Michael Merck. In college, Jack McCaslin taught me how to screenprint skillfully while also introducing me to all of the good music I now enjoy. William Tate taught me the importance of details in all facets of design and the necessity of grand ideas. Both instructors were beautiful individuals with huge hearts.

What's with all the birds?
I have had a fascination with the avian world since childhood, when I used to create fieldguide-esque journals with my brother and sister. Birds continue to inspire me daily. Recognizing the bird as a popular motif in my artwork, we decided to incorporate the bird into our logo when we rebranded ourselves in 2006.

Please explain your tag line.
So, as you probably know by now, I was born and raised in Virginia. The tag line comes from my experiences during my first year in Chicago where, upon meeting any new person, I was met with the exclamation, "Where are you from? Is that a Southern accent I am hearing?" This clear, and later, hint of a Southern twang seemed like an appropriate analogy for my artwork. Hence the tag line "Contemporary Art with a Southern Accent."

What are the works featured in the subpage header graphics?
These header graphics are as follows:
* About: North Carolina Postcard, acrylic and silk screen on wood, sold.
* Artwork: Louisiana Miracle, framed mixed media collage, sold.
* Press: Mystery at the Chinese Palace, found paper collage with watercolor and graphite on wood blocks, sold.
* Locator: Songbird Construction, found wood and objects with acrylic and silk screen wood cutout, sold.
* Art Placement: Jukebox at the Honkytonk, acrylic and silk screen on wood, original sold; available as BOX PRINT® reproduction.
* Newsletter: September Song I, acrylic and silk screen on wood, original sold; new versions in series regularly released.
* Friend & Sponsors: Journal, Page II, framed mixed media collage, sold.
* Policies: Barber Shop Annie, acrylic and silk screen on wood, sold.

How can I stay up to speed on new artwork and your upcoming events?
Your best bet is to join the Dolan Geiman e-mail newsletter. You might also consider subscribing to the Daily Dolan Geiman Blog via e-mail.

Can I exchange links?
We'd love to exchange links. Visit our Link Exchange page for more information.

I really like one of your works that is already sold. Do you ever make the same piece twice?'
While no two original works are the same, I do create similar pieces from time to time. When I find a theme or a subject that I particular enjoy, I will often create a series of similar works. For inquiries on previously sold works, please complete the Commissions and Special Project Questionnaire available on the Downloads page.

Do you ever create works on commission?
Yes indeed. Please complete the Commissions and Special Project Questionnaire available on the Downloads page.

Can Dolan Geiman create a silk screen from a photo (for example, if I wanted a silkscreen image of my dog)?
Yes, but we do have price minimums for all commissioned work. Please complete the Commissions and Special Project Questionnaire available on the Downloads page.

Can I use your artwork for personal uses like wedding invitations?
All artwork is copyrighted by Dolan Geiman and must be licensed for commercial and personal use. Please complete the Commissions and Special Project Questionnaire available on the Downloads page.

What is the difference between a screenprint and giclee print?
A screenprint is an original work that is hand-printed by yours truly here at the studio. Giclee prints (including our BOX PRINT reproductions and paper prints) are archival, inkjet reproductions, available in limited-editions, that are produced by a local professional here in Chicago. The key point is that all works listing silk screen as part of the description are being produced by hand using the silk screen printing process. Here are Wikepedia's definitions of screenprinting and giclees.

With the original mixed media collections, I notice that you make multiple works using the same image. Is that considered a print?
Well, yes and no. While the guitar, rooster, trees, bird, and other motifs are reoccurring images used in my original artwork, each work is painted and printed (using the silk screen process) by hand. Each work is original, featuring a unique (though sometimes subtle) set of paint colors, background patterns, and overall composition. We try to stay away from the word 'print' when describing these works to avoid confusion with the BOX PRINT reproductions and paper prints. Again, the BOX PRINT reproductions and paper prints are reproductions created via inkjet printing technology.

Many works on Etsy list having a back-frame. What is that?
A back-frame is simply a lightweight wood frame that is attached to the back, allowing the piece to stand off of the wall, giving the work a contemporary, raw, yet finished look. All back-framed work comes ready to hang.

What is the Dolan Geiman Art Machine?
The Dolan Geiman Art Machine was first unleashed aboard the Anita Dee II for Bridge Magazine's Artboat 2003 (Chicago, IL). Built from an assortment of salvaged doors, mixed media works, silk screen and acrylic paintings, found objects and re-envisioned fabric scraps, the Art Machine was built to create unique collage pieces in less than three minutes.

In detail, the Art Machine is a portable, booth-like structure with a carnival-esque facade. The four sides of the machine are constructed from wooden doors with collaged found objects and handmade adornments. The canopy of the structure consists of a papier-mache rhinoceros head centerpiece, a wooden billboard sign, and a wire framed dome covered with fabric and cloth. The art machine became famous during its appearance at the Kentuck Festival when a small child was turned into a flying grasshopper after receiving his Art Machine gift. Check out these pics of the grand ol' machine.

Are you still involved in fashion design?
Rescued Clothing has been put on the back burner for now, but I still occasionally make clothing, mainly for myself, Ali Marie, and friends. I enjoyed creating clothing for Habit and other stores, as well as offering the Rescued Clothing fashion makeover service, but since I couldn't grow a few more arms, I had to cut back on some of my creative endeavors. For now...

Would you consider yourself a folk artist?
I am an American Ruralist.

What is that?
The American Ruralist Movement was founded by myself and a handful of other fellows as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the over-categorizing of folk artists. American Ruralists are from the South, are self-aware, and sell their artwork. That's the criteria. We're kind of like hip folk-artists.

Who was involved with the creation of this website?
Sidedown is the official designer of Dolan Geiman. The website was programmed by Pete Akins, an affiliate of Sidedown. The previous website (2005-2008) was designed and developed by Leo Charre.

The majority of the images on the Artwork pages (read - the good images) were provided by David Ettinger.

What are your future plans? Do you intend to open your own retail store a la Johnathan Adler?
While we'd love to open a retail store, for now we're spending our hard-earned dough on greening our business and increasing our online presence. We can promise this though: we're not getting any smaller!