covingtongallery.com

Covington Fine Arts Gallery is a Tucson, Arizona gallery specializing in 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, fine prints, watercolors, and drawings. It is relevant to you if you are looking to buy, sell, consign, or appraise art from roughly 1800 to 1950, or if you want restoration, framing, or art consultation rather than a general contemporary gallery experience. The gallery describes itself as wheelchair accessible and emphasizes customer service alongside the art it sells.

What the Gallery Focuses On

The collection centers on American works by well-known artists of the period, with a smaller holding of Western art. According to the gallery, its American paintings and prints span:

• The Hudson River School
• New England and the Mid-West
• California and the Northwest
• Regionalist works and art of the South and upper-Midwest
• Other fine works dated roughly 1800 to 1950

On the European side, the emphasis is on listed European artists. The showroom is organized into three browsing categories: Paintings, Watercolors & Drawings, and Prints.

The Print Collection

If prints are your interest, the gallery states it handles etchings, lithographs, mezzotints, dry points, screen prints, and block prints including woodblocks, woodcuts, and linoleum cuts. This breadth matters if you are searching for a specific printmaking technique rather than a specific artist.

Services Beyond Selling Art

Covington is not only a sales floor. The gallery lists the following support services:

This combination is useful if you own a period work and want one place to handle valuation, condition, framing, and eventual sale.

Who It Suits — and Who It Doesn't

A good fit if you:

• Collect American or European art from the 19th or early 20th century
• Need an appraisal, whether for estate, insurance, or sale purposes
• Want to consign or sell a period painting, print, or watercolor
• Are looking for period-appropriate Newcomb Macklin-style framing
• Prefer a small, service-oriented gallery over a large institution

Probably not the right fit if you:

• Are shopping for contemporary or living artists
• Want a broad Western art selection — the gallery notes it carries little Western Art
• Need a quick online checkout; the site presents a virtual showroom for browsing artists, with contact, call, or visit as the stated next steps

How to Start

1. Browse the virtual showroom by category — Paintings, Watercolors & Drawings, or Prints — to see whether the inventory matches your interest.
2. Search by artist or artwork using the site's search function if you have a specific name in mind.
3. Contact the gallery by email, phone, or in person for special requests, availability, or pricing. The owner, Wayne Kielsmeier, invites direct inquiries, and the gallery presents itself as a welcoming, wheelchair-accessible space.
4. For appraisals or consignment, reach out with details about the work — artist, medium, size, and condition — so the gallery can tell you what it needs and whether an in-person review is required.

Practical Notes Before You Go

• The gallery describes itself as "an oasis and true gem in the desert," positioning a visit as a showroom experience rather than a transactional stop — worth planning time for.
• Appraisal and restoration timelines, fees, and consignment terms are not published on the site; ask directly when you contact them.
• Because inventory in a specialist gallery turns over, confirm that a specific piece you saw online is still available before making the trip.

Covington Fine Arts Gallery in Tucson treats appraisal as an ongoing, day-to-day service rather than a one-off event: the gallery says it conducts appraisals continuously as part of its buying, consignment, and brokerage work on 19th and early 20th century American and European art. To start, contact the gallery by email, phone, or in person and describe the piece you want valued. The site states the gallery has an accredited appraiser and is a member of the American Association of Independent Appraisers, but it does not publish appraisal fees, turnaround times, or whether appraisals are offered for art the gallery isn't buying or selling.

What the appraisal service covers

The gallery's appraisal work is tied to its core specialty: original oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and fine prints (etchings, lithographs, mezzotints, dry points, screen prints, and block prints such as woodblocks, woodcuts, and linoleum cuts) from roughly 1800 to 1950. Its stated collecting focus is American work from the Hudson River School, New England, the Mid-West, California, the Northwest, the South, and the upper-Midwest, with some European pieces as well. The gallery notes it carries little Western art.

That scope matters for expectations. A piece that fits the gallery's period and regional focus is squarely in its wheelhouse; an object outside that range may still be appraised, but the site gives no indication either way, so ask when you make contact.

How the appraisal connects to buying, selling, and consignment

Appraisal isn't a standalone desk at Covington — it's the front end of several services the gallery lists:

• Purchase: the gallery will buy quality 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, fine prints, and watercolors.
• Consignment: it will take such works on consignment for sale.
• Brokerage: it will broker works on a client's behalf.
• Related support services: restoration, art consultation, and custom hand-made frames in the Newcomb Macklin style.

In practice, an appraisal is often the first step in one of these transactions: you bring a work in, the gallery evaluates it, and you decide whether to sell, consign, or keep it. If your goal is a formal valuation for insurance, estate, or donation purposes, confirm with the gallery that the appraisal you receive is suited to that use before you rely on it.

How to request an appraisal

The site points visitors to a contact button for email, and also lists phone and walk-in visits as options. Owner Wayne Kielsmeier is named as the contact for special requests and questions. The gallery is wheelchair accessible.

A practical request includes:

1. Artist name (or "unknown") and any signature, mark, or label on the work.
2. Medium and dimensions — oil, watercolor, print type, and size.
3. Photos of the front, back, frame, and any inscriptions or gallery labels.
4. Provenance — purchase records, prior appraisals, family history.
5. Your purpose — selling, consigning, insurance, or general curiosity.

The gallery also offers an artist or artwork search on its site, which is useful for checking whether an artist already appears in its inventory before you call.

What the site does not tell you

No pricing signals appear on the page, so don't assume appraisals are free or that any service is included without asking. Fees, appointment requirements, and the format of the written appraisal (if one is provided) should be confirmed directly with the gallery. For high-value or legally sensitive valuations, a second opinion from an independent appraiser is a reasonable precaution.

Covington Fine Arts Gallery in Tucson focuses on original 19th and early 20th century American and European art, with a strong emphasis on American paintings and prints made roughly between 1800 and 1950. If you collect or are searching for Hudson River School, New England, California, Midwest, Southwest, or Northwest regional works, its inventory is aimed directly at that period and geography. If you are looking for contemporary art or Western art, the gallery states it carries little Western Art and does not present itself as a contemporary gallery.

Media and formats the gallery handles

The gallery's inventory and brokerage work center on original works rather than reproductions:

• Paintings, including original oil paintings
• Watercolors and drawings
• Fine prints, specifically etchings, lithographs, mezzotints, dry points, screen prints, and relief prints such as woodblocks, woodcuts, and linoleum cuts

The gallery describes its specialty as 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, fine prints, watercolors, and drawings, with the emphasis on well-known American artists from that period.

Regional and stylistic strengths

According to the gallery, its collection spans several American regional traditions within the 1800–1950 window:

European artists are also part of the mix, particularly listed European artists from the same period. The gallery's stated focus is on "listed" artists—those with documented exhibition or auction records—rather than unknown or decorative pieces.

How to check whether a specific artist or work fits

The gallery's site includes an artist or artwork search, so the practical first step is to search the name you are considering before making a trip or inquiry. The site also offers a virtual art showroom organized by category—paintings, watercolors and drawings, and prints—which lets you preview the inventory's range before contacting the gallery.

If your interest is a specific school or region, the more useful question is whether the gallery currently holds works from that category, since inventory in a specialized gallery turns over. The gallery invites special requests and questions by email, phone, or in person, which is the appropriate route for confirming availability of a particular artist or period.

Services beyond buying art

The same period expertise supports several services the gallery lists:

• Fine art appraisals, including ongoing daily appraisals; the gallery states it is a member of the American Association of Independent Appraisers and has an accredited appraiser
• Restoration
• Brokerage and consignment—the gallery will purchase, take on consignment, or broker quality 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, fine prints, and watercolors
• Custom hand-made frames in the Newcomb Macklin style
• Art consultation

This matters if you are deciding where to take a inherited or previously purchased work: the gallery's appraisal and brokerage functions are built around the same 1800–1950 American and European material it sells.

Who this gallery is and isn't for

It is a good fit if you are building or completing a collection of 19th or early 20th century American regional painting and prints, or if you need appraisal, restoration, or resale help with works from that period. It is a poor fit if you are seeking contemporary art, most Western or cowboy art, or high-volume decorative reproductions. The gallery is wheelchair accessible and is located in Tucson; contact details and current hours should be confirmed directly, as the site does not publish pricing or detailed visiting information.

You can explore Covington Fine Arts Gallery remotely through its Virtual Art Showroom, which sorts the collection into Paintings, Watercolors & Drawings, and Prints, or visit the physical gallery in Tucson, which the site describes as wheelchair accessible. For a specific piece, a special request, or questions before traveling, the gallery asks you to email, call, or stop by using the contact button on its site.

Browse the Virtual Art Showroom

The site's Virtual Art Showroom section is the main online entry point. It presents the collection in three categories:

The gallery states that its emphasis is on American works by well-known artists from roughly 1800 to 1950, with pieces connected to the Hudson River School, New England, the Mid-West, California, the Northwest, and other regional schools. It also carries listed European artists and some art of the West and Southwest, though the site notes it carries little Western Art.

A practical way to use the showroom: pick the medium category first, then narrow by artist or region based on the descriptions. The site also includes an Artist or Artwork Search box, which is useful if you already have a name in mind.

Plan a Visit to the Tucson Showroom

The gallery describes itself as "an oasis and true gem in the desert" and as Tucson's premier gallery experience, and states that it is wheelchair accessible. The site does not publish opening hours, admission details, or a street address in the material available, so confirm those directly before making the trip.

Before visiting, it helps to:

1. Identify one or two artists or works you want to see, using the online showroom or search.
2. Contact the gallery to confirm the piece is on view and that the timing works.
3. Mention any accessibility needs or special requests in the same message.

Contact the Gallery for Specific Requests

The site explicitly invites special requests and questions through its contact button, by phone, or in person. This is the right channel for:

• Availability and condition details on a specific painting or print
• Appraisal inquiries — the gallery offers fine art appraisals and states it is a member of the American Association of Independent Appraisers
• Restoration, brokerage, custom hand-made frames in the Newcomb Macklin style, and art consultation
• Selling or consigning quality 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, prints, and watercolors

Because the gallery handles appraisals through ongoing daily work, an appraisal request is best raised directly rather than through the online browsing tools.

What to Expect From the Collection

The gallery specializes in selling and brokering 19th and 20th century art, with original oils, watercolors, drawings, and fine prints. Its stated focus is listed European and American artists, including regionalism, the South, the upper-Midwest, and the Northwest alongside the Hudson River School and California works. If your interest is strictly contemporary art or Western art, the site's own description suggests this collection is not the best match.

For most visitors, the efficient path is: browse the Virtual Art Showroom by medium, use the artist or artwork search to check a specific name, then contact the gallery to confirm details and arrange a visit or appraisal conversation.

Yes. Covington Fine Arts Gallery states that it will purchase, take on consignment, or broker quality 19th and early 20th century American and European paintings, fine prints, and watercolors. The gallery describes these transactions as running through ongoing daily appraisals, and it invites owners to contact the gallery directly about a specific piece. The practical condition is fit: the work should fall within the gallery's stated period and categories, and the gallery decides what it will accept after evaluating it.

What the Gallery Will Consider

The gallery's own description sets clear boundaries on what it handles for sale, consignment, or brokerage:

• Period: 19th and early 20th century, with the collection spanning roughly 1800 to 1950.
• Origin: American and European works, with an emphasis on American artists of that period.
• Formats: Original oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and fine prints. Prints specifically include etchings, lithographs, mezzotints, dry points, screen prints, and block prints such as woodblocks, woodcuts, and linoleum cuts.
• Regional focus within American art: Hudson River School, New England, the Mid-West, California, the Northwest, the South, upper-Midwest, regionalism, and some art of the West and Southwest.

The gallery notes that it carries little Western Art, so a Western piece is a weaker fit than an American painting or print from the listed regions and period.

The Three Routes: Purchase, Consignment, or Brokerage

The gallery lists three distinct ways it can handle a work, and they differ in who takes the risk and who holds the piece:

The site does not publish commission rates, fee schedules, or contract terms. Those details have to come from the gallery directly, so treat the table as the set of questions to ask rather than a statement of the gallery's terms.

How the Appraisal Fits In

The gallery describes appraisals as ongoing and daily, and presents them as the mechanism through which it evaluates works offered for purchase, consignment, or brokerage. It also lists fine art appraisal as a service in its own right and states membership in the American Association of Independent Appraisers.

For a seller, the appraisal is the step that produces the information needed to decide among the three routes: what the work is, what period and artist it belongs to, and what condition it is in. Expect the gallery to look at the piece before any purchase, consignment, or brokerage arrangement is discussed.

How to Start the Conversation

The gallery's About Us section invites owners with a special request or questions to email through the contact button, call, or stop by. A useful first message covers:

1. Artist and title, if known, plus any signature or mark.
2. Medium and format — oil, watercolor, drawing, or a specific print type.
3. Approximate date and origin — American or European, and the region if American.
4. Dimensions and condition — including any restoration, tears, or fading.
5. Provenance or documentation — prior sales records, certificates, or exhibition history.
6. Which route you are open to — selling outright, consigning, or brokerage.

Clear photos of the front, back, signature, and any labels help the gallery judge fit before a visit. The gallery is described as wheelchair accessible, which matters if you plan to bring a work in person.

Common Sticking Points

• Period mismatch. A contemporary piece or a work outside the 19th to early 20th century range is outside the stated specialization, even if it is high quality.
• Format mismatch. The gallery lists paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints. Objects such as sculpture or decorative arts are not mentioned.
• Assuming published terms. No commission, fee, or contract details appear on the site, so do not plan around assumed percentages.
• Skipping the appraisal step. The gallery frames appraisal as the basis for its purchase, consignment, and brokerage activity, so lead with the piece and its documentation rather than a proposed price.
• Condition surprises. Restoration or damage affects both value and whether the gallery will take the work on; disclose it up front.

For a specific piece, the reliable next step is to contact the gallery with the details above and let the appraisal determine whether purchase, consignment, or brokerage is the right route.