New offering to work with Artists, Art Galleries and MuseumsArt.com, the leading onlineretailer of posters, fine art prints, and custom frames unveiled its new Original Art & Photography service at the 14th Annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival, held near Denver July 3 - 5. The initial rollout of Art.com's Original Art & Photography service includes portfolios of more than 100 artists and 10 art galleries. Art collections include Solo Exhibitions by Alfred Gockel, Lisa Grubb, and a Special Collection from the North Carolina Museum of Art, featuring works by Monet, Degas, Botticelli, Hicks and more.

"With this Original Art & Photography service, we are driving a true democratization of art by empowering Artists with tools to market and sell their work, and by providing customers with easy access to unique, compelling works of original art," said Joshua Chodniewicz, CEO of Art.com. "Ultimately, Art.com is wrapping its experience and expertise in technology, eCommerce and merchandising into an offering that enables artists to focus on their true passion of creating art." Through the Original Art & Photography service, Art.com will showcase work by both established and emerging artists working in the mediums of drawing, mixed media, painting, photography and watercolor. Individual artists can join the Open Studio for free or upgrade to the Select Studio membership level. Galleries, art dealers, museums and other entities can join as Exhibiting Partners.

Membership provides artists with the unique opportunity to maintain full control of image display and pricing, and retain an unprecedented 100 percent of proceeds on the sale of all original works. Art.com member artists can also access fine-art reproduction services that utilize state-of-the-art print-on-demand technology. Thus Art.com enables artists of varied financial means to develop and sell high-quality reproductions of their work and gives Art.com customers access to an expanded selection of truly unique art. "Art.com's far reaching advertising programs and its existing customer base almost guarantees that the exposure I'll now get, especially as I'm relatively unknown, will be far higher than trying to do it myself, even with the nicest Internet site or with exhibitions in some of the better known small galleries," said Philip Winestone, Toronto-based member artist. "It's very comforting to have a company like Art.com behind me."

Art.com's Original Art & Photography service will also include a Special Collections area reviewed by a curator where artists can submit to calls for art and customers can experience bodies of work on select topics. The first call for art is for The Impact of War Exhibition -- a collection that explores how war impacts daily life, politics, policies and cultural norms; and how art can be used as a conduit for discussing this important and provocative topic. Submissions will be accepted from July 13, 2004, to August 17, 2004.

About Art.com

With more than 5 million unique visitors each month, Art.com is the world's leading online art marketplace. A trusted art resource, Art.com leverages technology to provide consumers the largest selection of wall art, including reproductions, original works and pre-framed art selections, as well as high-quality custom framing services. Founded in 1995 and based in Research Triangle Park, NC, Art.com is dedicated to providing consumers with high quality art, along with an excellent customer shopping experience. In 2004 Art.com was awarded the prestigious "Stevie Award" by the American
Business Awards for Best E-Commerce website.

New offering to work with Artists, Art Galleries and Museums at http://www.art.com/