Archives of the Art Dog Blog from MacPherson's

7/21/2015

Kyle Richardson

Royal Talens is excited to announce that as of January 1st, 2016, they will be importing directly through their own entity here, Royal Talens North America, into the United States and Canada.

They would first like to thank Canson Inc. for their years of support with the Royal Talens lines.

Below are some points which will help you in addressing initial questions during this transition period:

• Supply Chain – Canson, Inc. has agreed to continue to supply product for North America throughout this transition. Orders placed from now until the last shipping day of 2015 will be handled by Canson Inc. and it’s distribution partners such as MacPherson’s. They expect no disruptions in service and they will support Canson Inc. and it’s distribution partners throughout this transition. After the end of the year, shipments will come from their location in Western Massachusetts. The goal of both companies is to ensure a seamless transition.”

With this change, they will have a dedicated Royal Talens North America distribution center, inside staff, as well as sales support. More details of this new team will be released over the next several weeks and months.

• Communication – For the next 6 months, aside from your Canson sales or distribution partner account manager, your primary contact with Royal Talens North America will be Kyle Richardson.

For questions about business matters in 2015, continue connecting with Canson or your distribution partners.

• Team – A core team with experience in setting up new Royal Talens affiliates in other countries is already here working on this transition, those individuals are shown below. This team is supported by an excellent team in the headquarters in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands.

As they build this new team here in North America, they will be evaluating best practices in sales, marketing, finance, logistics and service within this new model. As these developments happen, they will update the trade as to new members of the team, new programs and new products frequently and throughout this process.

If you feel that you would like to discuss any of these changes, their doors are always open, and they welcome your thoughts and appreciate your ongoing support.

Sincerely yours, 

Kyle Richardson, Business Manager

• Royal Talens North America
• www.royaltalens.com
• k.richardson@talens.com
• 413-505-9007 

Sander Kuiper, Export Manager

• Royal Talens BV
• s.kuiper@talens.com

Luis de Alfonso, Financial Director

• Royal Talens North America
• dealfonso.l@talens.es

The great thing about this exploding trend is that the more these books continue their meteoric rise, the more the companion art supplies sell. Savvy retailers make fresh consumer’s in-store navigation easier by building prominent end-caps complete with the latest books and coloring materials (colored pencils, markers and media).

MacPherson’s has put together a spreadsheet containing our complete selection of these books to make validating and refreshing your product mix all that easier. Click here MacPherson’s Adult Coloring & Zentangle Books

Here is a video showcasing one of our more recent additions, the Pictura line from Walter Foster

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Mix More Media – New Content Added!

Last month GOLDEN shared their new Mix More Media website with you. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the site yet, please do so. They’re adding content regularly and just added a new video detailing the use of Gels & Pastes for creating impasto effects. This example focuses on a landscape. You can find the video here:

Impasto Landscape with Gels & Pastes

Impasto Landscape : Golden A-Z Set from Golden Artist Colors on Vimeo.

Patti Brady demonstrates painting using texture and colors. She mixes Fluid Colors with Gel Medium and produces a basic landscape using a wet-on-wet technique with Light Molding Paste, and a Sgraffito technique with Heavy Gel Gloss. You can find more projects and ideas on the A-Z Sets page: http://www.goldenpaints.com/A-Zsets

Each A-Z Acrylic Set exercise is also available on the website as a downloadable lesson plan in PDF format. Share these with local workshop teachers, or print copies to have as hand-outs.

A-Z Sets Lesson Plan

Here is the PDF for the Impasto Landscape application referenced above in the video.

Impasto Landscapes

All of this great content is part of the new Mix More Media section of GOLDEN‘s website, dedicated to the sharing of mixed media ideas and techniques using GOLDEN products. From videos to step-by-step written instructions, this section of the website holds a host of stimulating, creative opportunities.

The mixed media page can be accessed through MixMoreMedia.com or MixMoreMedia @ Golden

New High Flow Drawing Set Video

A video highlighting the new High Flow Drawing Set is now up on Vimeo and the GOLDEN Facebook page. Illustrator Beth Post uses the colors in the set with brushes, markers and dip pens. Recently posted, the video is already very popular!

Facebook Link

GOLDEN Celebrates Art Educators with Artist Residency

Congratulations to the 2015 GOLDEN Educator Residents!

• Cristina Gonzalez from Santa Fe, New Mexico
• Jeffrey Deane Hall from Richmond, Virginia
• Claire Lerner from Santa Cruz, California

These three talented and inspiring teachers have been selected to attend the first Golden Artist Colors sponsored Educators Residency Program at the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts.

All teachers, whose students received the Scholastic Arts Award for visual arts, were offered an opportunity to apply for this Residency. Scholastic and the NAEA (National Art Education Association) conducted the difficult task of reviewing over 180 applications for the selection process. The three selected art teachers will attend a 10-day retreat in upstate New York, hosted at the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts Residence Barn in New Berlin, N.Y.

To learn more about the Scholastic Program, GOLDEN and the Golden Foundation Residency, visit

Golden Residency Information

Golden Web Site

Golden Foundation Web Site

Strathmore Artist Papers is excited to announce the introduction of their project in July, 2015! In an effort to support the NAMTA “Art Matters” initiative, and to help promote art in their local community, Strathmore will be participating in what they’re calling “paper drops” at local events this summer.

They’ve loaded up a pick-up truck with Strathmore products, supporting art materials and colorful signage to excite event participants about art. Their first event was held on July 15^th in Appleton, WI, the city in which Strathmore is headquartered. At each paper drop event, they will be handing out a bag containing free art supplies to event participants. Limited to one bag per present person, each recipient will receive a Strathmore product, plus other art materials for attendees to start creating art right away.

They are hopeful that this gift will inspire people in their community to make something real, and share it with others. They are encouraging gift recipients to consider paying it forward with a gift of their artwork, or by purchasing art supplies for someone they care about. Additionally, they are encouraging folks on social media to also participate in these “random acts of artistic kindness” as well, so that many more can experience the emotional benefits of creating art.

After materials have been given out in their community, they are excited to see what consumers are going to make! They are asking Create More, Share More recipients to share their work and stories on Facebook and on Twitter and Instagram using @Strathmoreart and the hashtag #CreatemoreSharemore. Additionally, they are reminding participants about their 2015 Online Workshop Series, so if they are having trouble getting started, they can participate in free video lessons online.

Strathmore is excited to be able to support this project in their community, and they’d like to give a special thanks to General Pencil Company, Inc. for their help supporting this project!

If you’re interested in this program but might need some ideas on how to start, please feel free to check out the images and content on Strathmore’s social media page. Feel free to share content on your own social media outlets or with others in your community. They are hopeful that others are inspired to put together their own program at their retail stores, with their friends, and within their own communities. Please consider how you might be able to help make a difference in your area, and participate or sponsor your own “random act of artistic kindness”. Contact your MacPherson’s representative today to determine how you can increase your sales with Strathmore products and promotions!

Ginny Biondi

Virginia (Ginny) Biondi, co-founder of University Art Center in Redwood City, CA and art material industry pioneer passed away peacefully in her home on July 24th. She was 91. Ginny was born in the Bronx, NY on May 1, 1924. For a woman of her time, she had a successful and varied business career: first as one of the first women to work at the American Stock Exchange in New York, to co-owning a lingerie shop with her sister, Laurie, in Yonkers, and then to co-owning University Art Center here in the Bay Area and Sacramento.  Ginny is survived by her 4 children Daniel Biondi (Vivian), Frank Biondi (Mari), Cornelia Pendleton (Nathan), Toni Conway (Devin) her five grandchildren and her two devoted dogs. She is also survived by her sister, Lauretta Cappiello. – See more at:  Obituary

Kathyrn Lampkin, well regarded manufacturer’s sales rep and co-owner of KC Sales Group in Seattle, Washington passed away on July 15 after a year-long battle with cancer. She passed peacefully surrounded by family and loved ones. She will be greatly missed by the industry.

Dennis Metcalf, Pebeo’s USA Sales Director for the past 11 years has left the company effective July 24, 2015. You can reach Dennis at dmetcalf@live.com

Bob Stone, former Blick manager at their Roswell, GA location has become the store manager at Sam Flax in Atlanta.

Forstall’s Art Supplies a family owned business serving the artist of New Orleans, LA since 1976 has closed their doors as of July 25^th, 2015.

Karin Börjesson O’Connor has joined ColArt‘s London office as their Global Corporate Communications Director.

Take an intriguing and beautiful portrait time lapse creative journey with Cuong Nguyen as he creates an amazing portrait using STABILO CarbOthello pencils.  This video shows the transformation of 20 hours of work in 3 minutes, and features an interesting technique of using green as a foundation for skin tones.

Tristan Eaton is considered to be one of the most prolific artists and muralists of our time. Follow him and the progress of his latest masterpiece at POW! WOW! Long Beach. Hear him discuss the city, art and his usage of Montana Cans.

Upcycling is the gold rush of junk; giving trash a second life and making a fortune for thousands of Americans. Whether its designer labels crafting couture from cast offs or savvy stay at home moms making millions on Etsy, there’s big money to be made. In FYI channel’s “TRASHFORMERS,” four designers, who are on the forefront of the upcycling movement, are given the biggest challenge of their lives as they are tasked with transforming a school bus, airplane and ferris wheel from junk to high end, high value products…in only three days! But turning trash into cash isn’t going to be easy. Parts are in short supply and the designers will have to battle it out against each other to seize the best pieces. Using skill, imagination, and Montana Cans, they’ll roll back years of decay and transform these rusty objects into pieces of design magic. TRASHFORMERS, will be airing on  on Friday, July 10th at 10 & 11PM and on Friday, July 17th at 10PM on the FYI channel.