For artists
Paint. We find the collectors.
Maestra is an invitation-led network of painters around the world. We handle the concierge side — finding collectors, shipping work, running bespoke commissions. Artists handle the painting. That's the deal.
Most artists join by invitation from someone already on the roster. Cold applications are read personally and answered within a week.
What we are
A concierge, not a marketplace.
Most ways to sell art online are either scale-first (millions of pieces, no curation) or dealer-mediated (galleries that take half the sale and set their own schedule). Maestra is the third path.
Our roster stays small, on purpose. Every artist is introduced — by another painter, a gallerist we trust, or a direct approach we followed up on. Collectors reach us through editorial, referrals, and our concierge. We find them. You paint.
The money
You keep 60%. Paid directly.
A traditional gallery takes half the sale of every piece you show with them. Most big online marketplaces take 40% or more after fees. Maestra takes 40% — every other dollar goes to you.
Concretely: a $5,000 original → $3,000 to you, paid directly to your Stripe Connect account (supported countries) or via Wise / bank transfer (everywhere else). Usually within days of the sale.
Bespoke commissions use the same split — we take 40%, you take 60%, paid in milestones as the work progresses.
What we do
The part that isn't painting.
Buyer concierge
Every inquiry, price question, bespoke brief, and follow-up runs through our team — not your inbox. You meet the collector when it matters; we take care of the rest.
Rolled + insured shipping
Originals ship rolled in a protective tube, fully insured door-to-door, anywhere in the world. You don't touch a courier.
Certificate of Authenticity
Every piece ships with a signed COA — signed by you, sealed by Maestra, with a unique identifier. Primary Work (original) vs. Artist's Variant (Made to Size) is recorded clearly.
Tax + payout paperwork
1099s (US), invoices, VAT where applicable, and payouts in 40+ countries via Stripe Connect — or Wise and wire transfers where Stripe doesn't go.
Marketing + editorial
Curated collections, studio visits, inspiration articles, featured placements. You'll be introduced as a hand, not a product SKU.
Framing introductions
We don't mark up framing. When buyers want a frame, we introduce them to a local framer we trust, in their city. Their relationship, not yours.
What stays yours
Non-exclusive. Full copyright. No lock-in.
You retain full copyright to your work. Maestra holds a non-exclusive license to display, market, and ship pieces you list with us — nothing more. You can show the same work with a gallery, post it on Instagram, sell it directly to a collector you met at a dinner. None of that is ours to block.
Either side can end the relationship with 30 days' written notice. In-progress commissions finish under their original terms, then we go our separate ways cleanly.
How we pick artists
A quiet door.
There's no open submission form. Most artists join Maestra through a personal introduction — from a painter already on the roster, a gallerist we work with, a curator, or occasionally a direct approach we followed up on after seeing work we couldn't stop thinking about.
If you're certain your work belongs here, apply through the door at /apply. Our concierge reviews every application personally. We come back within a week — either with an invitation, or an honest note on why the fit isn't right yet.
Most applications are declined. That's by design.
For working painters
A week at Maestra.
You paint. The concierge might forward a bespoke brief or two — vetted, realistic, and routed to you because the buyer's vision sounds like your hand. You either accept or decline, honestly. A sale notification lands sometimes. Payouts arrive on Stripe's schedule, or on ours if you're paid manually.
You don't answer the buyer's questions directly. You don't handle returns, shipping, insurance, taxes, or pricing negotiations. You don't need to maintain a storefront or write captions for Instagram at 11pm. The studio is yours.
The expectations
What we ask of you.
Reply within 5 business days.
When our concierge reaches you about a bespoke brief or a buyer question, we need a real reply within five business days — even if it's just 'yes, I'll write back Friday.'
Bespoke means milestones.
If you accept a bespoke brief, you agree to share a concept sketch, a work-in-progress photo, and a final photo before we ship. The buyer approves at each stage.
Honest pricing.
Price your work at what it actually sells for — not inflated for Maestra, not discounted. The same piece should cost the same in every channel you sell through.
Real studio practice.
This is for working painters, not weekend artists. We can tell the difference, and we look for output, consistency, and a studio you actually spend time in.
Next step
Come in.
Apply if you're new. Sign in if you're already with us.