Grand Image and Bentley strike poster partnership

Art Business News, March, 2004

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- In January, Grand Image and Bentley Publishing Group closed the deal on a venture partnership. Now they're working side-by-side publishing posters.

It's a deal that brings together two long-standing industry leaders: Larry Winn, owner of Grand Image and former owner of Winn Devon, and Robert Sher, president of Bentley House and the publishing consortium Bentley Publishing Group. Though the two publishers will work cooperatively on poster projects, the ownership of the companies remains the same.

The joint partnership enables Winn to use his artists and retain full creative control over the new posters. Known for his over-sized images and innovative surface treatments, Winn said, "We're not walking away from that." The look will remain exactly the same, right down to the ads, according to Winn. He remains in charge of product design, development and quality control.

"Larry's passion is about the art," said Sher. "My passion is about the business." That more or less sums up the division of duties. Bentley Publishing Group is in charge of operations and sales, which includes printing, inventory and marketing.

Sher set up Bentley Publishing Group, four years ago, much like many of the big literary publishing houses are structured today. It's an umbrella, under which smaller imprints operate. They include Bentley House, Rinehart Fine Arts, Aaron Ashley, Leslie Levy Publishing and now Grand Image. The publishers share strategic business services--warehousing, sales and distribution--yet they maintain their own identities.

Sher's idea began when he talked with Harriet Rinehart, owner of Rinehart Fine Arts, a fine art publishing company started in 1982. Rinehart had grown tired of warehousing issues and business details. She wanted to focus more on the art, which was the reason she entered the art business in the first place. So Sher agreed to take over the business end of her operation. The next year, he made the same arrangement with Leslie Levy. The next year, the owner of Aaron Ashley retired, and he took over that business as well.

"The notion of letting each of these imprints remain free is what we're doing differently," said Sher. "Aaron Ashley had been around for 75 years and established a certain clientele. We're not diminishing that. Rather, we're recognizing that they are specialists in their field."

Sher doesn't underestimate the value of finding great artists and releasing good posters and prints. "But if you don't deliver them on time and if you don't serve your customers, then you're not giving them what they really need," he said.

Such thinking appealed to Winn. "I had no qualms about his business acumen," said Winn. He especially liked the way Sher respected each imprint's brand. Thus, Winn approached Sher in December about collaborating. A month later, they had a signed contract. By Artexpo New York, they released 50 new posters.

"He's an aggressive guy, and I wanted to partner up with that," said Winn. "I think we can both be better because of this."

Over the next year, the companies hope to publish 250 new posters. Grand Image will continue to sell its own originals and limited editions.

The Grand Image and Bentley partnership occurs as Grand Image's poster contract with Bruce McGaw Graphics ends. In February, McGaw released 70 brand-new Grand Image posters, which are featured in the publisher's 2004 catalogue. McGaw will continue to offer those images, according to Amy Wesson, vice president of sales and design. For more information about Bruce McGaw's Grand Image posters, call 888-426-2429.

"Both parties wish to stress that this new arrangement is both amicable and has been undertaken in a highly cooperative manner," said Wessan.

For more information about the new Grand Image posters, visit www.BentleyPublishingGroup.com. or call 800-227-1666.