Cassie Brehmer, MacPherson’s Account Manager In my time as a buyer and retail manager, before I came to MacPherson’s, a dedicated member of our retail team actively worked on building and maintaining kit business for at least five months out of every year. From reaching out to teachers and following-up, and following-up…and following-up, to picking brands and price points for professors unfamiliar with the options available, to ordering and finding appropriate replacement items, to assembling, spot checking and labeling kits, to distributing them to students and their parents unfamiliar with the uses or costs of materials…it’s tough work. With every kit success comes many (many) failed attempts at cultivating that…
-
-
Who’s Who: Preston Arts Center
Who’s Who celebrates a member of our industry community. If you would like to nominate someone, please email us at artdogblog (@) macphersonart.com with their name, position, company and a short description. Kathy Brennan and Don Preston, the owners of Preston Arts Center in Louisville, KY, celebrate owning their family business for 40 years this month. They are major players in the independent world, and they have been able to thrive in a city with major competition. This month, Andrew Preston, Kathy and Don’s son, will be hosting a two hour reception for vendors and their best customers, some of whom have been shopping with them since they opened their…
-
A Closer Look: Kensington Art & Calligraphy
Catherine Monahon, Copywriter, MacPherson’s When we called Annette Wichmann, owner of Kensington Art Supply, about a recent POSCA demo by Kerri Forster, our conversations led to a deeper understanding of the symbiotic relationship between niche communities and art supply retailers, as well as a lesson in calligraphy we won’t soon forget. We decided to delve deeper into the hows and whys of their tightly knit community. Learn more about the POSCA and calligraphy demo that sparked this conversation in the first place. Kensington Art Supply & Instruction carries a wide array of products, with two 1,000 sq ft studios and instructors who either rent space or run workshops. Annette knows…
-
A Letter From Opus Art Supplies
David van Berckel, Opus Art Supplies Opus is an independently-owned local business, supplying the visual arts community with art materials, digital printing, picture frames, art education, community support, and more. Founded in 1974, they have grown from a single location framing company to seven stores throughout BC and a Canada-wide mail order service for online & phone orders. To our valued vendors, I have known so many of you for decades while I managed to turn a small framing production workshop in Vancouver into a sizeable and important art supply business over the past 50 years or so. But time continues taking a toll on my body and mind and…
-
Ben Franklin Bonney Lake & Montana Cans
Catherine Monahon, Copywriter, MacPherson’s Ben Franklin Crafts & Frame Shop Bonney Lake, Washington, collaborated with Montana Artist Devin Finley to transform the formerly drab graffiti walls of the local Skate Park in town into an outdoor gallery of street art! In collaboration with the community of Tehaleh and Montana Artist Devin Finley, Ben Franklin Bonney Lake’s goal was to get more people aware of the Montana spray paint in the community while improving a community space with art. Staff member Colleen coordinated the event with the community director of a local skate park. Over 50 people attended the event, which featured live painting by Devin, music, snacks and of course…
-
LenzArts’ 50th Anniversary, a.k.a. “Lenz Arts Week” As Pronounced By Santa Cruz Mayor
Catherine Monahon, Copywriter, MacPherson’s LenzArts went all out for their 50th Anniversary August 4th. Their family business has survived and thrived despite fire, flood and earthquake. Over the decades they have become embedded in the community. Three generations of the Lenz family participated in the event, which included a Vendor’s Fair and a storewide sale. They set up twelve interactive stations of different make and takes as well as demos with reps and artists. People enjoyed free face painting, raffles, a homemade fishing booth and a Wheel of Fortune. They also invited Santa Cruz Art League rep to talk to community members; the current generation’s great-grandmother, Leonora Naylor Penniman, was…
-
New Location, New Name: South City Art Supply, Now St. Louis Art Supply
Catherine Monahon, MacPherson’s Copywriter South City Art Supply, now St. Louis Art Supply, is moving to a larger location in Central West End at 4532 Olive St. in St. Louis, Missouri. They have expanded their inventory by about 40%, with additions in nearly every department. “Our focus areas are painting, drawing, reading (we sell books, too), and writing, so most of our additions are in those areas,” owner Carson Monetti explains. “Some highlights of the expansion include Masterpiece canvases and stretchers, POSCA markers, Cobra water-soluble oils, Golden High Flow, Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens, LAMY pens and pencils, and quite a few new notebook and planner lines.” St. Louis Art Supply…
-
Lasting Impact: Make It A 2-Day Event – Community Engagement at Dots ‘N Doodles
Catherine Monahon, MacPherson’s Copywriter Dots ‘N Doodles Art Supply in Astoria, Oregon recently hosted a two part event honoring the work of Vincent Van Gogh and encouraging modern day oil painters! Staff kicked off the event by showing the movie Loving Vincent on Friday night, with a workshop led by artists Charlene Mosely and Tiffanie Mang, who worked on the set of the movie. The event sold out, and there was so much interest that they added an additional workshop later in the weekend. With an Art Alternatives canvas roll, Rembrandt oil paints and effusive enthusiasm, artists created a large scale painting in the iconic style of Van Gogh. Dennis…
-
Jerry’s Artarama of Hartford, CT Turns 25
Catherine Monahon, MacPherson’s Copywriter Jerry’s Artarama of Hartford, CT celebrates its 25th anniversary! Owners Jeff and Susan Shoham were featured in the Hartford Courant in an article that details their incredible journey, from building their business from the ground up to becoming a community staple as the go-to art supply store for creative endeavors in Elmwood. They celebrated the big 25 with a 25% off sale over the weekend, door prizes and of course, cake. When thinking back on the the years of hard work that brought the business to where it is today, Jeff reflected on the rewarding moments that make everything worth it. “Talking with customers. My time…
-
Concrete Jungle Sparks Imagination: New Forstall Art Mural
Catherine Monahon, MacPherson’s Copywriter Murals are a wonderful way to support local artists, draw attention to your store and jostle people out of their everyday routine. A drab concrete wall becomes a photo opportunity, an invitation to reflect, or a celebration of your town or city’s personality. Phillip Forstall, owner of Forstall Art Center in Birmingham, Alabama, recently installed a mural in collaboration with Shane B., a local muralist and tattoo artist. The jungle scene is vibrant and full of life. We wanted to learn more about how the mural came to be and its effect on the community and gave Phillip a call to learn more. Who created this…
-
R&F Handmade Paints Celebrates 30th Anniversary
In 1988, Richard Frumess, founder of R&F, started the business in the basement studio he rented in Brooklyn, NY. His interest in encaustic painting as an artist, and the lack of a significant source for quality encaustic supplies, led him on a path that eventually developed into what is now R&F Handmade Paints. For R&F’s first 2 years, Richard focused on being an encaustic paint manufacturer. In 1990 artist and Williamsburg Paint manufacturer Carl Plansky, a close friend of Richard’s, suggested R&F start making an oil stick. Carl felt that the natural synergy between wax/resin materials used in encaustic and the wax/oil materials needed for the oil sticks seemed like…