Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a custom artwork cost?
Prices vary depending on size, medium, subject matter (pets, landscape, etc.), composition and requested design elements. The turnaround time after discussing your requests and placing your deposit is generally 2-3 weeks. Your price includes shipping or local delivery within 45 miles of our Yucca Valley studio.
What do you charge for live painting events?
Akcara Studio charges $50 per hour for live painting demonstrations or hosting a collaborative painting, plus $0.66 per mile round trip outside the 92252 & 92284 zip codes. You may choose to provide your own supplies, or Akcara Studio will provide them at their cost price.
For painting workshops or classes, prices vary, but include $50 per hour for up to 10 people, $0.66 per mile round trip outside the 92252 & 92284 zip codes, and an additional $10 per person for 11 or more participants. You may choose to provide your own supplies, or Akcara Studio will provide them at their cost price.
What do you charge for private lessons?
Private lessons are $45 per hour for ages 6 years to adult, plus $0.66 per mile round trip, outside the
92252 & 92284 zip codes. Up to 3 additional participants may join the lesson for $10 per person, per hour. Lessons are conducted by Cara Calvert-Thomas at the participant’s home or other venue of their choosing.
Cara is a State of California licensed and credentialed visual art educator. However, for liability reasons, private art students under 18 years must have an adult present on the premises.
You may choose to provide your own supplies, or Akcara Studio will provide them at their cost price.
For larger groups, please refer to live painting event pricing.
What do you charge for freelance work and consulting?
Pricing will vary, depending on the size and scope of the projects, but generally starts at $50 per hour, plus $0.66 per mile round trip when meeting in-person more than 30 miles outside of the 92252 & 92284 zip codes.
Where are you located?
Akcara Studio is near Yucca Valley, California, a picturesque Mojave high desert town that serves as a gateway to Joshua Tree National Park, along with a multitude of other preserves and natural monuments. It is the traditional land of the Yuhaaviatam Maara’yam (Serrano) and Chemueve people, later colonized by miners & prospectors, homesteading ranchers in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. In the mid-20th Century, it became a spot for celebrities to get away from it all; Frank Sinatra used to fly into the Yucca Valley Airport regularly for cocktails, and Hollywood filmmakers regularly used the surrounding areas as sets. Yucca Valley is also a bedroom community for the nearby military bases, a last stop for gas and groceries before entering Joshua Tree, and it continues to evolve with a lively local art, music, vintage retail and dining scene.
How far do you travel for live painting events and private lessons?
Akcara Studio works mainly out of Southern California, but is able to travel to all 50 United States and its territories, as well as nearly anywhere else in the world when travel expenses are fully covered. Please contact us for additional information and to arrange out-of-SoCal events and residencies.
How much does a pet portrait cost?
Prices for custom pet portraits vary based on the style, level of detail, medium, and number of pets in an image. Generally speaking:
Acrylic painted pet portraits on canvas in Cara’s signature style* starts at $65 for an 8”x10” to 11”x14” stretched canvas, and go up in price with size and number of details and custom requests.
Ink portraits on paper generally start at $65 due to the amount of time and precision involved in completing a custom piece. However, looser, more gestural works and contour drawings* may cost less.
Watercolor portraits begin at $45, and again, will go up in price with size and level of detail requested.
Digital works start at $25, and the price increases with the level of detail requested, the number of hard copies printed, the surface chosen for your prints, and whether you would like to purchase licensing rights to print the digital file for your personal or commercial use.
*Please see our Pet Portraits for specific examples of different styles.
Prices for custom pet portraits vary based on the style, level of detail, medium, and number of pets in an image. Generally speaking:
Acrylic painted pet portraits on canvas in Cara’s signature style* starts at $65 for an 8”x10” to 11”x14” stretched canvas, and go up in price with size and number of details and custom requests.
Ink portraits on paper generally start at $65 due to the amount of time and precision involved in completing a custom piece. However, looser, more gestural works and contour drawings* may cost less.
Watercolor portraits begin at $45, and again, will go up in price with size and level of detail requested.
Digital works start at $25, and the price increases with the level of detail requested, the number of hard copies printed, the surface chosen for your prints, and whether you would like to purchase licensing rights to print the digital file for your personal or commercial use.
*Please see our Pet Portraits for specific examples of different styles.
Where do you deliver?
We will hand-deliver custom artworks for free within 45 miles of the 92252 & 92284 zip codes, for $0.66 per mile round trip up to 75 miles from the 92252 & 92284 zip codes, or ship anywhere in the world. Books, prints, stickers and in-stock fashion pieces can be hand-delivered within 5 miles of the 92252 & 92284 zip codes, or shipped anywhere in the world using USPS First Class or Priority Mail.
Do you ship internationally?
We do! Depending on the size of artwork, desired delivery time and most competitive shipping rates, Akcara Studio ships through USPS or UPS.
Can I get signed copies of your art and books?
Absolutely! Contact Akcara Studio directly to order your personalized, signed items.