Sunday, December 27, 2009

This Week @ BINDERS - December 28 - January 3

SALES • ART CLASSES & WORKSHOPS • ART HAPPENINGS

Ring in the New! Wring out the Old! -- it‘s all happening this week at BINDERS -- with Clearance Sales, Bargain Offers & Special Discounts. We’re getting ready for another year of money-saving service to our art-making customers. So come in soon and save. And see our recent “Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Artists” for items you might have missed. For example, we’ve knocked 20% OFF orders placed online by December 31 - see full details and be sure to use the coupon code! From all of us a BINDERS, we wish you Joy, Peace & Art -- and a very Happy New Year 2010!

Monday, December 28:
Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
10:30am-2pm • Every Monday
Fee: $15/session. No sign up needed. Please pay the instructor.

Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
6:30-8:30pm • see details above.


Tuesday, December 29:
No special art events today.

Wednesday, December 30:
No special art events today.

Thursday, December 31:
No special art events today.

Friday, January 1:
New Year's Day! -- Our wish is that 2010 is the very best year ever for you and yours. Happy New Year! The store will be closed today.

Saturday, January 2:
No special art events today.

Sunday, January 3:
No special art events today.

Please note: Classes on this schedule are in our Atlanta store unless otherwise indicated. For more information please email or call Eli Pelizza at 404.237.6331 ext. 203.


Check out the full list of our upcoming art classes and art workshops!


EXHIBITS AT THE LIMELIGHT GALLERY

Winter Solstice Exhibition by Shadowline Artist Group, a coterie of Atlanta-area visual artists, runs through December 30.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

BINDERS Best Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Artists

Finding the perfect gift at the last minute may be difficult, but BINDERS comes to your rescue. Our experts in art materials, in consultation with countless artists have compiled this Top 10 Gift List for procrastinators. It proves you don’t have to spend lots of money to make an artist happy. (Even if that artist happens to be you!)

Lighting is a wide category that includes task lighting, light boxes and projectors, as well as floor and table lamps. An ideal example is this Naturalight Compact Lamp with its 13w Full Spectrum tube. This compact, lightweight lamp gives the best color rendering ever! Very simple to use, it switches on when opened. On Sale now under $40.

Sign-up for Art Classes and Workshops at BINDERS. To help artists continue their education we offer a variety of art classes and workshops for all skill levels. Daytime, evening and weekend sessions are available. See our list of upcoming 2010 Art Classes and Workshops. And be sure to sign-up now before they fill up. Also, every Monday at BINDERS, Instructor Kay Powell leads two separate Guided Open Studio sessions, no sign-up required.

Art Books. Books for artists, by artists, about artists -- BINDERS book selection runs the full spectrum of informative and inspiring art volumes. These great resource books teach about color, art techniques, anatomy, perspective, figures, framing, art business guides, and the lives of your favorite artists. And for kids of all ages there are Art Games and Art DVDs too. From $5 up.

Colour Shapers are useful, inexpensive, and highly versatile new painting tools, like a brush with a flexible tip instead of bristles. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and degrees of flexibility and you’ll want keep several on hand. Use colour shapers to move paint easily, apply pastel, carve images in wet paint, sculpt clay and creatively decorate walls and furniture. And because they do not absorb paint like a brush, you can simply wipe them clean. Assorted sizes $5-18.

Journals, Sketchbooks, Diaries. Since we never know where or when we’ll be inspired, it pays to keep at least one within easy reach. BINDERS has them in all sizes -- from large sketchbooks for drawing and watercolor, to blank and lined notebooks, to pocketsize journals with rounded corners that fit comfortably in your blue jeans. By famous makers such as Moleskine, Rhodia, Frabriano and Lama Li, many are crafted with imported papers and decorative covers. A gift welcomed by both artist and writer. From under $10.

Brushes. Whether they prefer the finest Kolinsky sables or the inexpensive economy kind, every artist would like to have more brushes. And BINDERS has every kind from natural bristle to synthetic, from tiny to huge, for painting in oils, acrylics, watercolors and tempera, as well as for lettering, crafts and calligraphy. Also look for Brush Sets containing several types in useful sizes. Cheap thrills from $1 up.

Manikins: Action Figures for Artists. With manikins you never have to worry about your models taking a break. They hold that pose while you learn more about drawing the human figure. Accurately proportioned and flexible enough to mimic many human positions, each is made of seasoned hardwood Choose from full male and female figures in various sizes, as well as hands, dogs, cats, lizards and dragons. Magnetic manikins can even do handstands or "climb" other metal surfaces. Priced $7 to $33.

Stylish Storage. An Alvin 10 Drawer Mobile Storage Cart makes a practical gift that is exciting to give. Drawers feature metal pulls with label slots. Glides easily into narrow spaces on 4 casters. Each drawer can hold up to 3 lbs. of paint tubes, jars, rags, bottles, brushes and more. The top is ideal for resting a palette on, or used as a palette. Come in to see our complete selection. Available with 3 to 20 drawers per cart, in Smoke $39.99 and up, or Multi-Colors $49.99 and up.

Flat File Drawers. This beautiful light oak flat file is sturdy piece of furniture. The fronts are solid oak and the tops and sides are an oak veneer. Each of the drawers is large enough to hold full sheets of artists’ paper. Inside drawer dimensions are 38.625 in. x 25.5 in. x 3 in. Shipped
unassembled. The 3-drawer Oak Flat File Package comes complete with a top cap, base and handles. Five-drawer and 8-drawer units also available. From about $350.

BINDERS Gift Cards. Art pros and amateurs alike agree that BINDERS Gift Cards are just the ticket for this or any season. These versatile little gems are available in values of $25, $50, $75, $100, $250 and $500. To give or to receive, everybody loves BINDERS Gift Cards.

Any way you picture it, BINDERS is a Dickens of a way to spend Christmas!

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

This Week @ BINDERS - December 21-27

SALES • ART CLASSES & WORKSHOPS • ART HAPPENINGS

When it comes to Sales, we like to say “The More, The Merrier!” BINDERS has a lot of sales during the Holidays, and this week we squeeze in one more: 20% OFF $25, $50 and $100 Gift Cards when purchased online! Remember, Gift Cards are an easy way to get or gift our Number 1 artist-pleaser. And if you’ve been thinking about taking any of BINDERS 2010 Art Classes and Workshops, be sure to sign-up now before they fill up. Meanwhile, through the Holiday Season and the New Year we wish you Joy, Peace & Art. From all of us at BINDERS, have a very Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 21:
Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
10:30am-2pm • Every Monday
Fee: $15/session. No sign up needed. Please pay the instructor.

Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
6:30-8:30pm • see details above.


Tuesday, December 22:
No special art events today.

Wednesday, December 23:
No special art events today.

Thursday, December 24:
No special art events today.

Friday, December 25:
Merry Christmas Day! -- To you and yours, all the happiness and health this heartfelt wish can bring! The store will be closed today.

Saturday, December 26:
No special art events today.

Sunday, December 27:
No special art events today.

Please note: Classes on this schedule are in our Atlanta store unless otherwise indicated. For more information please email or call Eli Pelizza at 404.237.6331 ext. 203.


Check out the full list of our upcoming art classes and art workshops!


EXHIBITS AT THE LIMELIGHT GALLERY

Winter Solstice Exhibition by Shadowline Artist Group, a coterie of Atlanta-area visual artists, runs through December 30.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Musical Art: America’s Favorite Song for The Holidays

This time of year Holiday music seems to be everywhere. From songs to symphonies, from sacred to secular, from sentimental to silly, your choices are endless.

As we browse this musical art form, we note that the best-selling record of all time is Bing Crosby’s 1942 recording of “White Christmas” written by Irving Berlin.

Berlin, a Russian immigrant, was born Israel Baline. When Berlin penned this Christmas classic, he was already a recognized American songwriting genius. His credits included hits like “God Bless America,” “Blue Skies,” “How Deep Is the Ocean” and hundreds more.

For “White Christmas,” Berlin uses just 54 wistful words to express an optimistic yearning for happier times. The song was originally intended as escapist Depression-era fare—a mournful satire, according a Wall Street Journal article. But instead Berlin decided to use it for the movie "Holiday Inn," which was in production when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

Just days later, on Dec. 24, 1941, Crosby performed it publicly for the first time on the "Kraft Music Hall" radio program. The following September the Decca 78 rpm was released. According to WSJ’s Roy J. Harris, “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” sold more than 50 million records, with album and other sales taking the total above 100 million.

“What had inspired Berlin?,” Harris asks. “As a Jewish youth in Brooklyn, he experienced Christmas as an outsider, at neighbors' homes. But Berlin loved Christmastime, hating only how his film work often made for holidays away from his family back East.” With the nation at war, much of America shared that melancholy sentiment.

In 1942, American poet Carl Sandburg wrote: “This feeling is caught in the song on a thousand juke boxes and whistled in streets and homes, 'I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.' When we sing that song we don't hate anybody. Away down under, this latest hit of Irving Berlin catches us where we love peace."

On that note, we at BINDERS sing out our Best Wishes to you for a Happy Holiday Season!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Every Artists Needs a Good Easel

“Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth,” said Archimedes. Or as most painters today would say, “Give me a good, easy-to-adjust, sturdy easel . . . please!”

Whether you prefer to stand or sit when you paint, your easel becomes part of you and your painting. Indeed, your easel’s potential can often liberate or limit your creative output.

At BINDERS, easels range from small table top easels to large, professional studio easels, plus everything between. The easel that’s best for you depends on your working methods and artistic goals. Here’s an overview:

Studio Easels are floor-standing easels designed mainly for oil and acrylic painting. They vary from small to extra large, with some being able to support weights of over 200 lb. and canvas over 8 feet tall. Studio easels make it easy to adjust the up/down position and tilt of your painting, and many include winches, multiple masts and casters. Pastelists favor easels with forward-tilt features to let the pastel dust fall away.

Paintbox Easels, also called French, Sketching and Pochade Box easels, are excellent for painting outdoors, en plein air. These easels, usually mid-sized or small, have telescoping, tripod legs and are easy to set up on location. Their built-in box is a handy place to store painting supplies. Most have a convenient handle or straps so you can carry it like a briefcase or a backpack. Paintbox easels are great for watercolor painting too. They are often the first easel for beginning painters.

Display Easels are lightweight, portable and easy to set up. They tend to be very simple in design with less concern for the stability needed by a working artist. They are ideal to display artwork when wall space isn’t available. At BINDERS, our very smallest display easels are just 5-inches tall.

Tabletop Easels are an excellent choice when space is an issue. Yet they are perfectly suitable for small and medium canvas sizes. Easy to set up, transport and store away, a tabletop easel can be placed on your kitchen table and folded up and put away when you are finished paintings. An excellent and inexpensive choice for beginning artists.

A new easel is a fabulous gift for any artist. And BINDERS offers a wide and wonderful selection of quality easels, work tables, lighting and accessories by some of the finest name-brand manufacturers: Mabef, Best, Winsor & Newton, Art Alternatives, Avanti, Cressida, Guerilla, Napoli, Testrite, Lyptus, Berkley Classic, BelAire Neuvo, Americana, CraftMaster, Creative Center, and more.

To summarize, painting easels are designed to hold your canvas while you paint. Stability is very, very important. You don’t want your painting to move around just when you’re laying down that final master stroke.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

This Week @ BINDERS - December 14-20

SALES • ART CLASSES & WORKSHOPS • ART HAPPENINGS

“Deck the halls with lots of bargains!” -- that’s the spirit at BINDERS again this week as the money-saving festivities continue. Remember that art supplies make wonderful gifts for that artist in your life. And our ever-so-versatile gift cards are always a welcome fall-back option. Now is also a good time to reserve your spot for January 2010 Art Classes and Workshops. On Saturday and Sunday, Rebecca Nagel conducts two separate Holiday Workshops for Children -- great times for kids and extra shopping time for parents. Best Wishes to you for healthy and happy Holiday Season from all of us at BINDERS!

Monday, December 14:
Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
10:30am-2pm • Every Monday
Fee: $15/session. No sign up needed. Please pay the instructor.

Guided Open Studio with Kay Powell
6:30-8:30pm • see details above.


Tuesday, December 15:
Painting - Design and Technique with Charles Y. Walls
1-4pm • 6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • Fee: $140

Bookmaking with Anne Elser
6-8:30pm • 6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • Fee: $140

Painting - Design and Technique with Charles Y. Walls
6-8:30pm • 6 sessions, Tuesdays, Nov. 3-Dec. 15 • Fee: $140

Wednesday, December 16:
Copperplate Calligraphy with Anne Elser
6-8:30pm • 6 sessions, Wednesdays, Nov. 4 - Dec. 16 • Fee: $140

Thursday, December 17:
No special art events today.

Friday, December 18:
No special art events today.

Saturday, December 19:
Children’s Holiday Workshop Ages 5-7 with Rebecca Nagel
10:30am-3:30pm • Fee $95 • Please remember to bring a sack lunch.
Sign up now!

Sunday, December 20:

Children’s Holiday Workshop Ages 8-11 with Rebecca Nagel
11:30am-5pm • Fee $95 • Sign up now!

Please note: Classes on this schedule are in our Atlanta store unless otherwise indicated. For more information please email or call Eli Pelizza at 404.237.6331 ext. 203.


Check out the full list of our upcoming art classes and art workshops!


EXHIBITS AT THE LIMELIGHT GALLERY

Winter Solstice Exhibition by Shadowline Artist Group, a coterie of Atlanta-area visual artists, runs through December 30.

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Fine Art of Gift-Giving

Leave it to BINDERS to elevate gift-giving to a fine art. And the truth is it doesn’t necessarily take lots and lots of money. For starters, BINDERS makes it easy to bring a smile to everyone on your list with our huge selection of artful gifts and great discount prices!

And, as our gift to you, BINDERS slashes 20% off select gift cards -- now $50 Gift Cards are just $40 and $100 Gift Cards are just $80 when purchased in store til December 31, 2009. These little gems, available year-round both online and in store in values of $25, $50, $75, $100, $250 and $500, make terrific gifts because recipients get to buy whatever they please. Whatever they choose, they have only you to thank. To give or to receive, everybody loves BINDERS Gift Cards.

Just as sweet, BINDERS enables you to create your very own Wish List for Holiday Art Supplies. Simply shop BINDERS website to find the items you most want and click “Add to Wish List.” Then just click “Tell a Friend” and we will send a tasteful email to each of your listed friends and family to tell them exactly what art supplies you really want from BINDERS. Subtle yet effective, it surely beats writing to the North Pole.

Great gifts, great prices, discount gift cards and wish lists at BINDERS -- beautiful ways to wrap up the Holidays!

Visit the BINDERS website at www.bindersart.com!