A PICTURE OF SUCCESS

Claudia Myers started working in the art supply business at age 5, stocking and dusting shelves for her parents' business, Spokane Art Supply.

Now, with 45 years of experience, Myers will become president of the National Art Materials Trade Association. She will become the first woman president in the group's 50-year history when her term begins April 9 at the convention in Chicago.

Despite her accomplishments and national recognition, the most challenging aspect of Myers' professional life still looms. She, along with her husband and employees, is engaged in a quiet war with some of the nation's biggest retailers - Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, Target, Office Depot and Staples - trying to maintain or increase her share of the Spokane art supply market. The huge chain stores have deep advertising pockets and enormous purchasing clout. But Myers has no intention of allowing her family's business to be another retail casualty. In fact, her son, Craig, 26, has joined the business at 1303 N. Monroe, preparing to become a third-generation owner. Myers' position as NAMTA president provides an excellent example of how associations are helping small businesses survive in today's business climate. Through NAMTA, Myers has a network of 1,800 art supply retailers and manufacturers keeping her abreast of innovative marketing strategies. "It's hard for specialty shops to survive anywhere once the `big- box stores' arrive," Myers said. "Everyone wants a little piece of someone else's pie. The mass merchandisers only want the big-volume items. So they lock on to the top 20 percent of the products that turn quickly and provide 80 percent of the sales. But they avoid slower-moving items because they don't want to tie up their money in inventory," she said. "Consumers want to save money, but if specialty stores don't survive, they will lose the selection of products they currently enjoy. It's happening nationwide in appliances, hardware, sporting goods, books, you name it," she said, quickly citing local casualties in numerous businesses, including McCoy's Art Supply, Sportsman Surplus, Homestead Handcraft, Bud Brown Appliances and others. George Roybal, a local airbrush artist, says, "No one comes close to Spokane Art Supply in terms of specialty items and selection. Sometimes it costs a little more, but they always carry high-quality products. Plus, the people are always friendly and knowledgeable and will bend over backwards to get what you want, even if they need to special order it. "Without them," Roybal said, "artists would end up doing a lot of shopping on the Internet or by direct mail. You might save a little, but you lose the friendly service and the ability to see and touch items before you buy." Three of the store's advantages are personalized service, knowledgeable employees and inhouse classes. But to use those effectively, it must overcome two customer obstacles - perception and time. "Everyone on our staff has at least one style or form of art that they specialize in - water color, papermaking, oil painting, framing, matting, photography. ... So, together we usually have an answer or specialist for any type of customer to help meet their needs and discuss ideas," Myers said. "The problem is, people often see our name and are afraid to come in. They think, I'm not an artist, that's not for someone like me. But you don't have to have formal art training to enjoy art," she said. "Put children in a room with paper, pencils and some other art supplies, and they're happy for hours," she said. "But somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we lose that sense of freedom, that creative enthusiasm." Myers said that's partly why Spokane Art Supply offers classes. "Our classes are not meant to compete with or take the place of formal art classes," she said. "They offer people a chance to try something without having to buy all the materials and a chance to meet other people who are interested in that type of art. Serious students can go on to Spokane Falls Community College or Spokane Art School." Classes include paper making, airbrush painting, ornament creation, greeting cards, matting and framing, rubber stamps, wood carving, water color and oil painting, drawing, sculpture and decorative painting. "People don't have time any more to relax and try things just for enjoyment. Most women are in the work force, and kids are getting jobs earlier and earlier," Myers said. "They are looking for immediate results or gratification, but some art processes are gradual. You need time to learn and do them." Ironically, one form of competition - computers - is driving some people back to art. "Some people want to get untechnical in their lives. They want to get away from all the technology and information overload and find a way to express themselves. For some, it's a form of therapy and relaxation," Myers said. Sculptor Glenn Emmons, who has patronized the store since the mid 1950s, said, "When you want something, they almost always have it."

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