NEW - KINSTLER MEDIUMS - NEW!!!!!

KINSTLER ALKYD and STUDIO PAINTING MEDIUMS

A number of years ago I had the honor of meeting one of today's greatest living portrait painters. It is a name I am sure many of you know...Everett Raymond Kinstler. The event was the third annual Art of the Portrait Conference. I was working the booth when a hush came over the room. In swept a man who is bigger than life. You instantly knew you were in the presence of greatness! My Dad - Jack had known Ray for sometime and brought me over for a personal introduction. It was an honor I will never forget.

A few years later, I had the privlege of visiting Ray's studio on Grammercy Park with my dad. It was an experience that defies explaination. To see a studio of Everett Raymond Kinstler.....AWESOME!!!!!!

To think that now our company has available Alkyd and Studio Painting mediums under the Kinstler name is truly exciting. For more information or to find out where you can purchase, please e-mail me at colleen@richesonart.com

PARTIAL BIO -

EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER is a native New Yorker who began his career at age 16, drawing comic books and hundreds of book and magazine illustrations, as well as covers for paper back books. As one of the "golden age" era of comic book artists, his illustrations for magazines, including The Shadow and Doc Savage, have influenced the pop art school.

Mr. Kinstler has painted more than 50 cabinet officers, more than any artist in the country's history. Six Presidents--Richard Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton have posed for him. His portraits of Ford and Reagan are the official White House portraits.

Mr. Kinstler is currently painting the official mayoral portrait of former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Recently complete portraits include Sen. Robert Dole for the U.S. Senate; Neil Rudenstine, former president of Harvard University; Judith Rodin, former president of the University of Pennsylvania; and Donald Trump.

For Mr. Kinstlers complete Bio go to - http://www.everettraymondkinstler.com/

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

UK ON SATURDAY

MARATHON ON SUNDAY!!!!

I suspect when most people think about "Life in the Fast Lane", they are thinking Fast Cars, lost of money, and parties. When you are involved in a family business, life in the fast lane takes on an ENTIRELY different meaning!

Saturday morning I was gazing out a Hotel window in the UK....at 2:30pm I boarded an overseas flight for Minneapolis. I got home about 10pm Saturday night. Sunday Morning at 5:15 am we were headed for the Fox Cities Marathon where my husband Greg and I did a 13.1 mile walk and my son Scott(pictured with us above) did a 26 mile run. This is MY life in the fast lane.

In a family business you sometimes can't just walk out the door at 5pm...sometimes work overflows into the evening and weekends.....still to keep life in order and meaningful, Family and those issues in life one is passionate about MUST have a Priority. Sometimes that means a smidge less sleep and a craziness at times. It is a balance I often fail to achieve but know deep in my heart must be strived for.

I am grateful for the craziness.....thankful for family and that in a crazy world, we have work!

MAKING PROFESSIONAL WATERCOLOR PAPER

THE PROCESS

The visit to the Mill that makes our paper was amazing. Although I had seen it before, l learn something new with each visit. The images above give you just a glimpse of the process. The top image shows all the ingredients being broken down in a large VAT. The middle image shows the process a bit down the line as the newly formed paper is being heat dried. As the paper moves along the rollers the heat intensifies. The bottom image shows the paper coming off the machine The cream colored surface is the felts that give the papers their amazing surface.

The Papers made for Richeson are "Mould Made Papers". This process creates a paper as close to hand made as psossible without being hand made. The lifting ability and strength of this paper is phenomonal....another great feature is the paper does not emit an order when wet.

If you are interested in more information on the Mould Made papers offered at JRC please e-mail me at

colleen@richesonart.com.

PAPER MILL VISIT

WATER INLET FROM THE RIVER AXE

Today was a fantastic day! I spent the day at the Mill that produces our Premium Watercolor papers. If you had asked me when I was 25 if I would enjoy spending a day at a factory, I would most likely have looked at you as if you had lost a few marbles. Today I LOVE exploring the factories we use for our specialized product!

This day was a day of learning! The picture above is from a small inlet that draws water from the River Axe. This particular river is especially suited to making non alkeline papers for the fine art market due to the mineral deposits in the water from the Limestone located in the Mendip Hills. It is from these Hills, the river obtains run off containing mineral deposits

More tomorrow on other stages of the paper making process!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

BEAUTIFUL WELLS ENGLAND

Yesterday I left home for beautiful Wells England. Seems like I was just in this part of the world! Oh yeah! I was!!!!! After being home for a little over a week from our Scotland workshop an opportunity presented itself for me to visit our paper mill and attend a Printmaking Conference in Bristol England. I arrived in London this morning and drove to wells.

The pictures above are from this classic medevial style town. The Cathedral in Wells is known arounf the world. I love walking the grounds and enjoying the trip back in time. The last picture is from the courtyard of my hotel. You can almost imagine ladies walking in long gowns and horses tied near by.

Tomorrow I will post some images from the tour of the papermill.

NEW! ECO FRIENDLY GESSO SLUDGE!!!!

f GESSO RESPONSIBLY!

100% Recycled Waste Pigments!!!

Here it is! Hot off the Presses! This Cool exciting new product has not even hit OUR shelves yet. Our first order is due in two weeks. We are excited beyond belief!! Tri-Art of Canada produces this HIGH quality gesso from 100% recycled waste pigments remaining from runs of acrylic production. Instead of disposing of the "waste", the material is used to manufacture a VERY high quality "Green Product". The end result is an amazing gesso with more pigment solids!

The Gesso Sludge will always be made to a neutral shade of grey. Colors will vary from batch to batch. Call our office at 800/233-2404 to learn which dealers are climbing on the early roll out. I am convinced once you try this product you will never want anything else.

THOUGHTS ON A CRAZY WEEK

ST ABBS HEAD

SCOTLAND

If you have been following the blog you know I recently returned from a few weeks in the Scottish Highlands with Maggie Price's Pastel Workshop. Like most folks after an extended time away from the office, chaos reins at my desk. Everyone who has ever taken a vacation or had to travel away for business knows, life does not stop because you are away.

The bills pile up, the list of calls to return has grown to unbelievable lengths, and life has gone on in our absence. This week has been full of tying up loose ends for the upcoming Learning and Art Expo in Pasadena, preparing for 6 other upcoming trade shows, introductions of new product....all on a deadline.

As I was on a call, my cell was ringing, a line of staff stood at my desk and I hear the page overhead for me to call another department on an urgent issue. As the dust began to settle, I poured myself a cup of hot tea, pulled a Shortbread from my recent trip from the desk drawer, closed my eyes and dreamed about my trip next year back to Scotland. The image above of the Pirates cove area near St Abb's Head in Scotland is one of my very favorite places in Scotland.

If all goes well, Maggie will be taking a group there next year. Dreaming a little dream goes a long way to settling a stressed mind and body on a day like today. Consider joining Maggie in St. Abbs for the real thing in September 2010.

OUR LAST 24 HOURS IN SCOTLAND

COACH DRIVER GRAHAM AND BILL CANRIGHT
DINNER THE LAST NIGHT

It has been a week since I have been able to post anything. Unfortunately the trip back, jet lag and the Labor Day weekend all played a part in keeping me from my appointed task! I returned to the office on Tuesday after the Holiday weekend to a stack of work and e-mails that I suspect require 24 hours a day for a month to weed through (Ok..Richeson's exaggerate!).

Our last evening in Scotland as you can see from a previous Blog we were treated to a Piper bringing in the Haggis and making the Traditional Scottish Address to the Haggis. The pictures I have posted above are from a couple of our tables at the last night dinner.

Last is a picture of Maggie's Husband Bill and our Faithful Coach driver Graham. Graham was great...always on time and ever patient...he would go where few coaches are ever asked to go....places such as Sma'Glen in the Highlands covered with heather...just so a bunch of dedicated pastelists could experience something most only dream of.

Maggie is looking at coming back to Scotland in 2010 and working in the coastal fishing Village of St Abbs. Follow this blog and her web site to the right for details as they are available. This is a trip you won't want to miss!

LAST NIGHT IN SCOTLAND

PIPER

ADDRESSING THE HAAGIS

THE 2009 WORKSHOP GROUP

Last night was so much fun! At 1:30pm yesterday afternoon we started packing up all the painting gear for shipment back to the U.S. Painters came into our staging room in groups of four where we carefully packed up all the painting supplies. After 10 days in Scotland and lots of gifts to hand cary home I think everyone was thrilled they did not need to cpoe with getting gear on a plane on top of it all.

At 5:30pm we all met in the bar for a last night drink before dinner. At 6:00pm our Piper Stewart piped the goup into dinner in traditional Scottish style! One could not help but have goosebumps as the Piper played traditional Scottish music and the group followed through the hotel to the dining room.

After "Starters" (appetisers) the Piper returned with the chef who carriers the Haggis. The Piper marched the chef around the room as all stood in awe and paid tribute to the Haggis. Upon depositing the tray with the Haggis on a specially laid out table the Piper and the Chef toasted the Haggis with a "Wee Dram of Whiskey" then proceeded to address the Haggis with a traditional Scottish "Address to the Haggis" by Robert Burns.

Before retiring to bed we had a group photo. Unfortunately we were missing Jack & Linda Richeson, Anne, and Annette all who could only be with the group for part of the trip.

It was off to finish packing and an early night for all as the coach would be heading to the airport at 6:30am.

Kenmore Hotel Staff

RECEPTION DAY STAFF

The staff at the hotel in Kenmore has been amazing. Anything we need is their pleasure to provide. I encorage anyone traveling in the area to stop and spend the night.