Impressions Newsletter

December 2009

Happy Holiday Season to Everyone! Our Christmas decorations are up and we’re in a festive mood.

A highlight for me in November was going along to the opening of the Broadgreen Intermediate School’s student art exhibition. Art Teacher Jeana Packer had organised the display of at least one work by every student culminating in the display of over 1000 paintings, drawings, sculptures, and assemblages. Along with WOW, Impressions was pleased to sponsor this exhibition to honour and recognise the work of our fledgling artists of the region. It was an inspiring display on all levels and our congratulations go out to Jeana and all the students.

 It may not actually be the holiday yet, but it is rushing up very quickly. We have been flat out filling people’s framing and art supplies orders, extending the range of stock and generally trying to keep on top of everything – which is absolutely fantastic! With the recession having hit many businesses very badly, we are relieved to report after a shaky May and June, that the rest of the year has seen record-breaking results for Impressions. Consequently, we have extended some staff hours and have Robyn, a former employee back to lend a hand to help us stay keep up to date.

As we gear up to Christmas, we are setting out a number of products which will appeal to artists as gifts – some products are new to the market, and others are just new to us. See the list of some of these items below, or pop in and browse around the displays if you are looking for inspiration. We have more new stock expected after this newsletter is distributed too. As always, we are happy to pack and freight to our out-of-town or district customers.

Please take a note of our holiday hours as this year (first time ever in 26 years) : -

 Impressions will be closed from Christmas through till Monday 4 January.

 This is traditionally a very quiet time for us in art supplies, and on this occasion I have family visiting from Australia who we will be taking around the South Island for a week. So please remember to top up your holiday art supplies before Christmas. I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and trust that you will understand our need to have a little R&R with our nearest and dearest occasionally. You can be assured of attentive service on our return.

Our Holiday trading hours are therefore: -

Please also be aware, that many of our suppliers close over the holiday period and early January, so orders cannot always be filled during that period if we have run out of stock, or if it is a non-stock item for us. 

  New Stock

There are a number of new items in stock now that will make great gifts.

In addition to those items listed below, we have also added more book titles to how “How to” book selection, modelling tools and Silver wire mesh for sculpting projects. I’ve also had a few requests for fountain pens. In line with our policy of concentrating on fine art supplies, I have not gone for “stationery” items, but have just found a supplier of Rotring Artist Fountain Pens. You can choose between Extra Fine Sketch, Fine Sketch, Medium Lettering or Broad Lettering. ($51.70 each) The pens take any standard pen cartridge or you can purchase the Art Pen Converter ($61.65) to allow you to use any ink from a bottle.

  Old Holland Classic Oil Colour stock in store shortly!

We are very excited to announce that we will be receiving a range of Old Holland Classic Oil Colours any day.

These colours are produced according to the 16th century methods under the supervision of artists. They contain no fillers and only the purest virgin cold-pressed sun-bleached linseed oil of the fist pressing made in the Windmill is ever used in Old Holland Oils. The resulting benefits to the artist are:

SPECIAL OFFER Buy 3 and get a 40ml Titanium White for free until 31st January or while stocks last.

  Gift Ideas

Artist’s Organiser – a portable freestanding adjustable shelf unit, ideal for positioning adjacent to your easel, on which you can set out your art equipment for easy access while painting. $158.30

Easel Shelf – this shelf simply fits over the ledge on your easel for you to rest brushes, paints etc. $40.10

Travel Brush – These brushes have a metal handle extends to reveal the brush head for use, but protects the bristles when not in use $23.70 & $36.05

Jasart Sketch board Set includes tin of sketching pencils and A4 Cartridge Pad $25.00

Artists Bags – a range of soft bags, designed by artists for artists – use to carry your art materials. There is a range of sizes and formats to choose between. Prices range from $92.20 to $31.65

Paint Sets – sets to introduce budding artists to watercolour, oils, acrylics, gouache, drawing media, paint sticks and pastels are available in professional artist’s quality through to play level.

Art Accessories such as brush wallets, collapsible water bucket, paint saver jars, pencil cases, etc are available from just $2.30 - the perfect stocking fillers.

Artists Tools such as brushes, block and lino cutters, palettes, adjustable manikins in a range of sizes including hand and horse manikins.

And much more...

 Take time out early, before the stock is picked over to pick out the right gift.

Gift Vouchers – of course if you don’t know what to buy (or to request), a gift voucher may be just right. All the artists I know just love to browse to find the perfect item – often something they’d love but can’t afford under usual circumstances.

Christmas is the perfect time for a treat! 

Impressions Art Club Members

Will Receive a Gift with every Purchase

When they Present their Members Discount Card

 During December.

So remember to present your discount card and celebrate Christmas early!

Hint

The following is excerpted from “Brush with Watercolour – Painting the Easy Way” by Terry Harrison and is one of the new titles on our book shelf. ($71.70)

 “Thanks to my years of experience, I usually have a clear idea about what I want to see in a picture. Even so, I often begin with a thumbnail sketch, because I believe it is no good relying on a happy accident. One good tip is always to have a selection of sketches of small details to hand. If – after you have finished planning your painting – it still looks somehow incomplete, you can add one or two of these details to bring it to life. A family of ducks on a stretch of water can really lead the eye into a picture, or a group of old farming implements leaning against a wall can be a charming addition to a painting of a barn.”

 

Exhibitions

Rebus – NMIT Graduating Class exhibition at the Suter, Bridge St, Nelson until 6 December. (I recommend you take the time to visit this exhibition to see the extensive talent that is represented in this exhibition.) 

Cindy Flook and Errol Shaw have an exhibition at Reflections Gallery at WOW until 20 December.

 If you’re quick you may just catch “Presents for the heART” at Art @ 203, 203 Trafalgar Street. The partners of Art @ 203 have put together a selection of small paintings and other works ideal for gifts. 

 Candy Clarke presents “HOT”, her new paintings on Perspex at Catchment Galley 255 Hardy St, Nelson from 8 December to 9 January.

Artists Workshop

VAST (Visual Arts in Tapawera) is offering a weekend workshop with Mark Spijkerbosch, New Zealand’s foremost trompe l’oeil (trick the eye) muralist, (www.murals.co.nz) on 16 and 17 January 2010.

The subject is the classic trompe l’oeil window and landscape – composition, perspective, colour-mixing etc. The venue will be in Tapawera, and details are yet to be finalised. However, there are limited places available, so register your interest early to secure a place. Email vast.tapawera@gmail.com or phone Marguerite 522 4537 for further information.

 That brings us to the close of another month and another year. Thank you to everyone who has chosen to shop at Impressions over the past year. Your patronage is sincerely appreciated and we wish you all a New Year filled with prosperity, creativity and contentment.

 Best wishes for a lovely Christmas and New Year, however you choose to spend it.

 Glenys, Lewis and the Team