Are you going to do any traveling this summer?  Do you need to give a graduation gift?  Do you hang onto your old sketch books like diaries?  You need a Moleskine journal!  We have a wide range of them in stock and we’re kicking off summer with a 20% off Manager’s Special on your choice, no limit!  If you haven’t yet figured out why these things have a nearly cultish following then that’s because you haven’t owned one yet.  The legendary notebook of Hemingway, Picasso, and Chatwin to name a few will bring tears to your eyes when you see how this super high quality paper takes pen, pencil, gouache, etc.  Don’t miss out as this offer is only while supplies last and since these guys never go on sale they won’t last long (Special ends on May 31st).

It may not be spring yet according to the calendar, but it feels like spring here in Berkeley. Things are sprouting and growing. (Both plants and ideas.) Those of us who like to paint or sketch outdoors are raring to go (in between the rain showers, that is.) 

We have a great Spring Sale going on, including such popular items as Arches and Utrecht cotton watercolor blocks, stretched canvases, and Utrecht brand oils, acrylics, and watercolors.  Those of you who are on the Artsmart mailing list should be receiving a really good coupon in the mail. (Those of you who aren’t on the mailing list yet: Why not? You can register online, or we can easily set you up next time you’re in the store.)

There are also some exciting Berkeley-only specials!  That’s right, our manager got spring fever and decided that certain items should be 1/3 off!  This is not 1/3 off the manufacturer’s suggested price, this is actually 1/3 off our already low everyday price!  Currently this special applies to selected Drawing, Printmaking, and Sculpture supplies, including selected charcoal and pencil sets, sketchbooks, zinc etching plates, small unmounted lino blocks, Roma Plastalina, casting plaster, and other exciting supplies. 

Look for the items marked with a fluorescent green “1/3 off” sticker!

Despite the sunny skies we’ve had lately, it is December! And this can mean any number of things… The days are getting shorter and darker.  People get an irresistible compulsion to light candles and put up pretty colored lights.  Christmas is coming up (December 25th.) Hanukkah starts December 21st.  Winter Solstice (the shortest day of the year) falls on December 22nd. It’s a great time for having parties and giving one another gifts. We’ve got some wonderful gifts for artists and aspiring artists. Or perhaps you want to give yourself a gift.  (C’mon, you’ve earned it.)

There are some particularly good sales out there for the painters. A number of popular easel styles are substantially discounted from their usual prices, whether you are looking for a small tabletop easel like the Winsor Newton “Eden” (item# 39263, sale price $29.99) or a massive studio easel like the “Utrecht Master’s Easel” (item# 56224, sale price $459.99)  For a very solid mid-range studio easel, I would recommend either the Winsor Newton “Shannon” (item# 39267, sale price $129.99) or the “Utrecht Artist’s Easel” (item# 42638, sale price $199.99.)  Both are sturdy H-frame designs- The Shannon has the advantage of compactness, and comes already assembled.  The Artist’s Easel has the advantage of being convertible, so that you can tilt your canvas anywhere between a fully horizontal or fully vertical position. (Assembly is required.)

For people who like to sketch, we have all kinds of great pencil and pen sets on sale. Colored pencils, watercolor pencils, graphite pencils… you pick….  And for young aspiring artists we have box sets put out by Reeves and Color & Co. that come with everything you would need to get started.  (just add paper and imagination.)

We are all artists here, so we’re always happy to provide advice.  And as always, we offer gift cards in any amount that you choose.

The time has come to unveil our dramatic new sale… (pause for drum roll) 

The day after Thanksgiving,

Friday, November 28th, from 9 to noon only:

50% off all Utrecht Brand Brushes

Saturday, November 29th, from 9 to noon only:

50% off all Utrecht Brand Canvas

And finally…

Sunday, November 30th, from 10am to 2pm only:

50% off all Utrecht Brand Paint.

Get your painting supplies at prices you haven’t seen before, and are unlikely to see again… 

Sale good only during times specified, for specified Utrecht brand items only. (No rainchecks or special orders.) Here’s your incentive to get out of bed (reasonably) early on the holiday weekend.

Hello all!  We’ve got some great in-store specials going on right now. A great selection of items for painting, drawing, drafting, and matting are all on sale for 25% off our everyday low price.  Just look for the items marked with the big red dots. (Why are they on sale? Just because we have a LOT of them.  So come on in & take advantage of the deal.)

Our Winter Holiday Sale has also just started. (Yes, it is already that time of the year.)  We are bringing in some new gift sets… great for giving to that special someone for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, or just because…  If you are unsure what to give them, you can always give them an ArtSmart card loaded with whatever amount of credit that you choose. (Trust me on this: All artists LOVE free art supplies.)

We will be closed on the the day of Thanksgiving (November 27th.)  The day following, we will reopen with some new limited-time holiday specials. I’m not allowed to tell you what they are yet: They are still top-secret. Watch this space…

Utrecht is introducing a new ArtSmart card promo.  If you purchase a $100 gift card, or place $100 credit on your existing Artsmart card, you get a FREE Utrecht brand item priced at $10 or less.  What can you get for your $10? 

Well… there are plenty of choices:

You have the choice of hundreds of Utrecht brand items throughout the store, but here is a sampling:

The ever-popular black hardbound 8.5 x 11″ Utrecht logo sketchbook (item# 48824 -$9.19)

 A set of 12 Utrecht Premium Fine Art Pencils (item# 47163 -on sale for $7.99)

A 5oz tube of Utrecht Artists’ Acrylics (Series 1 $7.19 or Series 2 $9.49)

Any of hundreds of Utrecht oil, acrylic, or watercolor brushes

Or, interested in papers by the sheet? Pick out 10 sheets of our new Utrecht Miliani fine pastel paper, currently on sale for 99 cents a sheet.

Our Back to School sale is still going on, through September 30th, and there are still lots of great bargains throughout the store.

Some of my favorites are in the paper section: 22×30″ sheets of American Masters for $1.49/sheet ( heavyweight cotton paper for drawing or printmaking) and 22×30″ sheets of Rives BFK for $2.99/sheet (a favorite cotton printmaking paper) and bargain watercolor papers (Utrecht “educators’ series” watercolor papers, 59 cents for a 18×24″ sheet and 89 cents for a 22×30″ sheet.) The 2 oz tubes of Utrecht acrylics and 37ml tubes of Utrecht oils are also on sale through September 30th.

It’s that time of the year again…  Students (and teachers) are back in town and getting supplies for the coming semester. 

We will be open extended hours during the back-to-school season:

(Through Sunday, September 7th)

Monday-Friday: 8am-8pm

Saturday: 9am-8pm

Sunday: 10am-7pm

Our back-to-school sale just started & we have lots of great deals in just about every area of the store!  Also, don’t forget to show your student or teacher ID to receive 10% off all items that are not already on sale. We have a low price guarantee and accept all competitors coupons.

Parents, friends, and relatives: want to give a wonderful (and useful) gift to the artist in your life?  For a limited time you can buy a $100 gift card for only $90.  It never expires and may be used in any Utrecht store across the country.

Old Holland is like the Cadillac of oil paints. They have a very high concentration of pigment, very finely ground, in a beautiful range of colors. They run more expensive than the other oil paints we carry, but the artists who use them say they’re definately worth it. Right now there is a promotion going on to sweeten the deal: If you purchase three 40ml tubes of Old Holland paint, you receive a free 40ml tube of their titanium white. (fine print: this offer is good in stores only, while supplies last.)

Gamblin is doing their own promotion right now: The 15th annual Torrit Grey Painting Competition. For those of you in the know: Every year the Gamblin paint factory cleans out its air filtration system (which contains tiny particles of every color they make) and takes the resulting mix of pigment to make a batch of paint. Because it contains a little of everything, it comes out more or less grey. Then they give away the tubes of grey paint for free, and they sponsor a contest to see what people can create using just the grey, plus white and black. We have just received our Torrit Grey tubes, and they are free with purchase of 3 Gamblin paints.

For more details, ask in the store or check out Gamblin’s website at: http://www.gamblincolors.com

* * *

Not to be outdone, Utrecht is doing a promotion with our own brand of oil and acrylic paints: If you buy a 37ml tube of our oil Titanium white or a 2 oz tube of our acrylic Titanium white, you get a 21ml sample of one of our oil or acrylic colors. (while supplies last. We currently have samples of phthalo blue, zinc yellow, and alizarin crimson in oil, and phthalo blue, hansa yellow, and quinacridone red in acrylic.) Utrecht makes high quality paints with a heavy pigment load. Some people assume that because they are our “house brand” they must be “student grade,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Try them out and you’ll see for yourself.

Our Try Me table is up and running, so you can join with other Utrecht customers and staff in making a collaborative painting!

Watch this space, and I will post our results.