Artpurveyors Celebrates 20 Years June 20

Story by Corinne Saunders

“Welcoming Committee” by Rev. Leighton Ford is a giclee print on paper. Rev. Ford will attend the 20th year in business celebration at artpurveyors.com on Saturday, June 20. New print editions of his paintings will be on display in the gallery. Photo courtesy of Mike Hill

In celebration of 20 years of business, Mike Hill, president of Purveyors of Art & Design Materials, Inc. has a lineup on Saturday, June 20, that artists and art lovers alike will not want to miss.

Incorporated at the Watauga County Courthouse in June 1989, Purveyors of Art—now more commonly known as artpurveyors.com—has provided the High Country with excellence in fine artists’ materials, custom picture framing and, more recently, fine art publishing. 

Products storewide will be available to the public at 40 percent off on June 20, and the event will feature door prizes, an artist’s portfolio give-away and more.
Artpurveyors is proud to welcome Daniel Smith artists’ colors to its exclusive stable of fine art products. Founded in 1976, the Daniel Smith Company manufactures possibly the most sought-after brand of artists’ colors in the world.

“We’re about number three or four [store] in the country that has picked them up,” Hill said, adding that the company had recently decided to market its product through independent retailers.

Previously unavailable in the High Country, Hill will be “rolling out” the complete line of oils and watercolors Saturday, along with manufacturer samples.

A pastoral painting of sheep, titled “Welcoming Committee” plus eight new giclee editions by Reverend Leighton Ford will be displayed in the artpurveyors.com’s gallery.

An artists’ reception will be held for Rev. Ford, who will be signing his book while in attendance from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Born in Canada and currently residing in Charlotte, Ford did not begin to paint until he was 60 years old.

During a summer sabbatical in Vancouver, British Columbia, he casually picked up a Betty Edwards’ book on drawing in the home where he was staying, and was fascinated.

“I had never thought of drawing or painting,” he said. “I thought I could not draw a circle or a straight line.”

After that, however, Ford began painting, especially watercolor and pastel scenes from his travels to Australia, Croatia, Canada, Ireland and other countries.

An adopted child, Ford learned after he began to paint that he is related through his birth father to the famous Canadian artist Lawren Harris, a founder of the Group of Seven.

“Painting taught me more than to see the world around in a fresh way,” Ford said. “It also taught me to slow down, and to look with insight on the people I meet, and the younger leaders I have the privilege to mentor.”

Ford has pursued his calling as a Presbyterian minister, preaching in more than 40 countries, and often in years past partnered with his brother-in-law, Billy Graham.

“Foscoe Gothic” by Mike Hill depicts Hill with his family. He has designed a line of American-made frame mouldings that are manufactured in Salisbury. Twenty percent of the frames’ profit will go to the Avery Arts Council. Hill’s artpurveyors.com celebrates 20 years in business on Saturday, June 20. Photo courtesy of Mike Hill

He heads an organization that focuses on leadership and spiritual mentoring of emerging leaders. Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's description of Jesus as “more of an artist than the artists,” Ford also seeks to be an artist of the soul and a friend on the journey.

Artpurveyors.com moved to Foscoe a year ago, after spending 19 years headquartered in downtown Boone.

The move came after a continued problem with parking and customers’ cars being “booted,” as well as an impending 24.5 percent rent increase, Hill said.

“It was kind of scary [to move] after 19 years, but I should have done it 10 years ago,” he said, adding that despite the store being closed for about a month and a half during the transition, last year saw a 30 percent sales increase.

“The only thing I can attribute it to is the move,” Hill said. “I’m literally seeing people once a week that I saw once a month in Boone.”

Many of his customers reside in the Foscoe area and sometimes specifically traveled to Boone to shop his store, a fact of which he was not previously aware, but was humbling to find out, said Hill.

He views his particular section of Highway 105 the “precise center of the art world,” and has spearheaded the monthly Greater Avery Tour de Art—a gallery crawl of sorts for 12 fine art stops in the area.

“Per capita, there are more galleries and more collectors in the 105 corridor,” Hill said, adding he was initially surprised with the cooperation and support of the local art community.

“To get here and instantly be busy and welcomed was awesome. From the Avery Chamber of Commerce to the fire marshal, everyone has been so nice to us,” Hill said.

His business has thrived for 20 years because of his hard work, persistence and the dedication of his fiancée Becky, who runs the Wildflowers Fine Art Publishing business he purchased seven years ago, Hill said.

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