Archives of the Art Dog Blog from MacPherson's

Help! We at MacPherson’s have begun the search for a replacement for Steve Iantosca in our New England sales territory. This is a great opportunity for the right person who possesses both sales and art materials industry experience. We offer full benefits including the ability to join the ESOP program and be an employee-owner of MacPherson’s. Interested candidates should contact Neil McIntyre (neilm@macphersonart.com) or our Human Resources department in Emeryville (natashan@macphersonart.com).

Congratulations to the NAMTA Art Materials World 2013 award winners!

• Best Small Booth – BLUM formerly Milan USA (Blüm’s website) (Canson took over Milan’s distribution in the United States)

• Best Medium Booth – Masterpiece Artist Canvas

It’s a Masterpiece!

• Best Large Booth – Chartpak

Team Chartpak!

• Best New Exhibitor – Miira Artist Tools

• Judges Special Recognition – ColArt Americas’, Try it Table

Try it Table

• Best Point of Purchase – Canson’s Roll Rack (available via Drop Shipment, see your MacPherson’s contact for details)

• Best Packaging – HK Holbein, Half Pan Set

• Best New Product – Pebeo’s Liquid Art Panel (in stock at MacPherson’s, look in our OEX catalog for items beginning with PO777…)

• Best New Kids’ Product – Faber Castell USA’s Connector Paint Box (see MacPherson’s item number FC125029)

A note from Greg Daniels, Da Vinci Brush: “We had the great pleasure of spending a week in April with Professor Stephen Hawking, who was lecturing at Cal Tech in Pasadena on the “The Origin of the Universe”. My wife, French artist Olivia Barratier, is Stephen’s first cousin. They hail from a great old Scottish family descended from King James IV of Scotland. Also pictured is my nephew Reef Oldberg, who was just accepted into USC’s Film School. He made all of us and especially his grandfather, Peter Daniels of Graphaids, very proud. It was a wonderful week.”

Art Alternatives Marker Sets are in the news!  Dylan Lauren, daughter of fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and owner of Dylan’s Candy Bar, recently shared a list of her favorite things with O, The Oprah Magazine. Included on her list was our “oh so cool” Rainbow Fan Marker set, which is featured in the current June issue! A direct quote says it all, ”The spectrum is pretty enough to hang on my wall, but I use the set to sketch new projects…”  Check out review in O, The Oprah Magazine pages 3 and 30, or better yet order some today. AA Fan Markers Sets at OEX.

FYI… New video from DMOTE in Australia using Montana BlackLine. Came out pretty cool.

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iAMart has recently welcomed three new members:  Artist’s Guild of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin;  Endeavours of New Brunswick, Canada; and Herweck’s of San Antonio, Texas. iAMart serves proudly as the voice of 30 Independent Dealers to the Art Materials Industry.

Ex-Marine and Manager in MacPherson’s Elgin DC Marco Auriene wants to point out that Montana Paint was used at the Camp Pendleton branch of West Coast Customs in Oceanside, CA. They sport 3 garage bays to help our service men and women customize their cars! Click here to see the website.

In NYC, Long Island City artists are demanding a local planning review board block a plan to tear down a world-renowned graffiti mecca known as 5Pointz to make way for a luxury housing project. Read the entire Queens edition of the Daily News article here:  Artists howl as developer moves to tear down Long Island City graffiti palace 5Pointz.

More possibilities. Less compromise.

After years of work and testing, Gamblin has brought out the best solvent free oil painting medium ever invented. Solvent-Free Gel is the only solvent-free oil painting medium that supports a broad range of painting techniques with minimal compromise. Made from safflower oil and alkyd resin, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel is non-toxic and contains no Gamsol or petroleum distillates.  In comparison to other solvent-free mediums, Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel supports the broadest range of painting techniques with the least compromise across color, dry time, texture and mark-making. With Gamblin’s oil colors and Solvent-Free Gel Medium, artists can work with complete confidence in the safety of their studio and the permanence of their work.

Gamblin Solvent-Free Gel Medium solves real problems for artists and open-stock tubes are available to order now. Item #GB01600, 150ml size, $19.95 list. Receive an additional 10% off during  MacPherson’s Fall BTS promo.

For more information, get in touch with your MacPherson’s sales contact, Pete (pete@gamblincolors.com) or Kaitlin (kaitlin@gamblincolors.com), or call 503-235-1945.

Strathmore Artist Papers™ is pleased to introduce a complete new product line – Skills Series, paper for practice. The Skills brand is part of the 200 Series offering, and the papers and pads are developed specifically for artists to practice, develop and improve their skills.

Practice is essential for artists to learn and progress, which is why Strathmore developed an affordable, recycled paper line that delivers key performance characteristics for specific media techniques. Inviting formats and features add convenience, ease of use and durability for frequent usage and lots of PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Some benefits and features of the Skills Series:

• Includes sketch, drawing, mixed media and watercolor.

• Paper contains 30% post-consumer fiber content.

• Acid free.

• Appropriate paper weights keep product affordable yet practical for practice.

• High sheet counts, flip-over covers, heavier chipboard, and larger 7/8” wire.

• Drawing pads feature a soft ivory color.

• Made in the U.S.A.

Pads are available in a variety of sizes:

• Sketch:
5.5”x8.5”  |  9”x12”  |  11”x14”  |  18”x24”

• Drawing:
9”x12”  |  11”x14”  |  18”x24”

• Mixed Media:
5.5”x8.5”  |  9”x12”  |  11”x14”

• Watercolor:
6”x9”  |  9”x12”  |  11”x15”  |  18”x24”

An end-cap is an excellent way to merchandise this new product line. A colorful header sign and coordinating shelf labels are available to support the suggested end-cap. Visit the retailer tools section of Strathmore’s website at Skills Series for more planogram information.

GOLDEN participation at NAMTA was a great success! For those of you who were able to attend the show in Minneapolis, GOLDEN appreciates you stopping by their booth. The folks at GOLDEN enjoyed catching up with each of you and walking you through the various new product launches and marketing initiatives they’ll be focusing on for the remainder of the year.

If you weren’t able to attend the show, these photos give you a glimpse of GOLDEN’s unique booth design this year. It focused on applications using the new High Flow Acrylics, which you can learn more about by going to Golden Highflow Acrylics Website.

If you have questions, please contact your GOLDEN or MacPherson’s sales representative.

GOLDEN will also be at the MacPherson’s Dealer Workshop in June!

For those of you who couldn’t attend NAMTA this year but are attending the Dealer Workshop, GOLDEN will be sharing information about new product launches and promotions. Maybe you’ve already heard through the grapevine about the exciting new High Flow Acrylics, a product that has an ink-like consistency that is perfect for refillable markers, but also works great with an airbrush, dip pens, and brushes. What’s more, GOLDEN has a BTS promotion running in conjunction with Catalyst tools, as well as some new materials available in continued support of OPEN Acrylics. See you there!

Sharpie NEW Digital Catalog & Mobile APP!

Check out Sharpie’s new digital catalog! Sharpie Digital Catalog

Sharpie Mobile APP

iPad & iPhone users, have you downloaded Sharpie’s mobile App? The mobile App is a fantastic tool to view all things new Sharpie; with product details, tips and techniques, and a full online community where you can upload your Sharpie creations. Check it out today! Use your iPhone to scan this QR code  for easy access (QR scanner app required).