Table of Contents
Who We Are
Shimmer Watercolor Studio is an independent digital art education studio founded by Mary. We create and sell online watercolor workshops and related digital resources.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit our website, make a purchase, or engage with our content. We are committed to handling your data with care, transparency, and respect.
For any privacy-related questions, you can reach us at [email protected].
Information We Collect
We only collect information that is genuinely necessary to provide you with a great experience. Here is what we may collect and why:
When you make a purchase
Name, email address, and billing information. Payment details are handled securely by our payment processor — we never see or store your full card number.
When you visit our website
Basic analytics such as pages visited, time spent, and browser type. This is collected in aggregate and is not personally identifiable.
When you contact us
Your name, email address, and the contents of your message so we can respond to you.
When you subscribe to emails
Your name and email address so we can send you course updates, new workshop announcements, and creative inspiration.
We do not collect sensitive personal information such as government IDs, health data, or financial account details.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To process your purchase and deliver your course access
- To send you receipts, order confirmations, and course-related communications
- To respond to questions, support requests, or feedback you send us
- To send you our newsletter or updates about new workshops — only with your consent
- To improve our website, courses, and customer experience
- To comply with legal obligations where required
We will never use your information in ways that you would not reasonably expect, or in ways that are not disclosed in this policy.
How We Share Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Full stop.
We may share limited information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our business. These include:
- Payment processors — to securely handle transactions
- Course delivery platforms — to host and deliver your course content
- Email service providers — to send transactional and marketing emails
- Analytics tools — to understand how our website is being used
All third-party providers are carefully selected and required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable privacy laws. They are not permitted to use your data for their own marketing purposes.
We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of our studio, customers, or others.
Cookies & Tracking
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to help the site function and to understand how visitors use it.
- Essential cookies — required for the site to function (e.g., shopping cart, session management)
- Analytics cookies — help us understand page visits and improve content (e.g., Google Analytics)
- Marketing cookies — used to show relevant ads if you have opted into this
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect how the website functions.
Email Communications
When you purchase a course or subscribe to our mailing list, you may receive emails from us including:
- Order confirmations and receipts
- Course access details and onboarding
- New workshop announcements
- Creative inspiration and studio updates
Transactional emails (receipts, course access) are sent as part of our service and cannot be opted out of while you are an active customer.
Marketing and newsletter emails are always opt-in. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email, or by emailing us directly at [email protected].
Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:
- Purchase records are kept for as long as required by applicable tax and legal obligations (typically 7 years)
- Course access data is retained for as long as you have active access to the course
- Email subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Support enquiries are retained for up to 2 years
When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data. We honor all of the following regardless of your location:
- Right to access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Right to correction — you can ask us to correct any inaccurate information
- Right to deletion — you can ask us to delete your personal data, subject to legal obligations
- Right to opt out — you can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
- Right to portability — you can request your data in a portable format
- Right to object — you can object to certain types of data processing
To exercise any of these rights, simply email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
Third-Party Services
Our website and course delivery may involve links to or integrations with third-party platforms. These include but are not limited to payment processors, video hosting services, and email platforms.
When you interact with these services, their own privacy policies apply. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use in connection with our courses.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services that are linked from our site.
Children's Privacy
Our courses and services are designed for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 16.
If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at [email protected] and we will promptly delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
For significant changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify active customers by email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Your continued use of our website or courses after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please reach out. We genuinely care and we read every message.
Email: [email protected]
We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 5 business days.