ColArt USA has announced some pending personnel changes: Customer Service all-star Marlene Upchurch has decided to retire after a stellar 25 years with the company. She will be truly missed by all those who had the opportunity to work with her over the years and especially by those of us at MacPherson’s. We wish her all the best! Also Customer Service Manager extraordinaire Kathleen Slaski has resigned her position effective December 18th. She accomplished a great deal at ColArt and is leaving the Customer Service Department with an excellent foundation. We wish her and husband Erv all the best.
Lyra: MacPherson’s is delighted to report that our E’ Brand Lyra Pencil, imported from Germany, will continued to be offered by us for the foreseeable future. FILA of Italy who owns both Lyra and Dixon/Prang had original planned for Prang to take over the North American distribution. That has all changed and we now are pleased to report that there will be no interruption in service.
Here’s a great art supply story in the news. The headline is “Small Business Owner Defies Recession, Keeps Employees”, the man is John Wiseman and the store is Searle/Artmax in Monterey, CA. The story was reported in the Monterey Herald and then picked up by the news wires and CNN! Here is the what they reported: “Small businesses are also feeling the impact of the recession, but while many of them are shutting their doors, one man in Monterey, CA is coming out of retirement to save jobs this holiday season. John Wiseman walked away from his art supply store after he sold it 14 months ago to an investor. When he heard last week that it will be closing, he took action, buying it back. Some 16 people have their jobs back because of Wiseman. He plans to hire more people as the business grows.”
Wilson Zhu, Sr. Vice President of Strategic Sourcing for Michaels, will be the keynote speaker Friday morning, May 8 at the NAMTA Annual Convention & Trade Show in Louisville, KY. He will discuss the challenges of importing from China as well as the viability of the Chinese domestic market for art materials in the most populous country in the world. Also speaking at the convention is Sunil Iyengar, the Director of the Office of Research & Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), on artists in the workforce. Renowned marine life artist Wyland will also discuss how art can play a vital role in inspiring people to become more aware of the issues facing our planet. There is no charge and the Thursday and Friday General Sessions will be well worth your time in what you will learn and experience. Be on the lookout for the 2009 Attendee Brochure, which goes in the mail in January, and…see you in Louisville!
MacPherson’s and Guerrilla Painter, makers of pochade boxes and plein air supplies, have decided to end the exclusive distribution arrangement effective December 31, 2008. Going forward these fine products may be purchased directly from Guerrilla Painter:
Mailing Address:
Phantom Canyon Ranch Co.
Old Schoolhouse Road
851 CR76H
Livermore, CO 80536
Toll free: 1-877-493-0217
Phone: +1 (970) 493-0217
Fax: +1 (970) 221-9045
In a bold move reflecting our tough economic times, Princeton’s Howard Kauffman has announced that he is rescinding his winter price increase. This courageous move is explained in the letter you see here:
Elliot Shulman of Exaclair, makers of the best selling Rhodia pads, reports that this French-based company will be holding the line on pricing for 2009. “Due to the current economic conditions we have re-evaluated our pricing for 2009 and have decided to bite the bullet and keep 2008 retail prices, when at all possible. The recent strengthening of the dollar versus the Euro has also been a factor in allowing us to do this.”