Spotlight on Paul Robinson Inc

Art Business News, July, 2003 by Kevin Lo

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta-based company Paul Robinson Inc. started as a one-man operation in 1969. Today, the company has grown to include 14 employees and 10 sales representatives nationwide, importing original oil paintings from Europe and distributing them nationally and internationally to upscale art galleries and interior design trade.

The man behind this success story is owner Paul Robinson, who said his company has experienced explosive growth over the past three years prompting extensive travels across Europe to scout out new and exciting works of art. Robinson's goal is to keep his company on the cusp of trends in the market, giving his customers what they are always looking for: traditional style art and something new to show their customers. In his company's beginnings, Robinson imported art from Holland and Belgium. Now he visits France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Hungary and Austria to buy art and meet new artists.

The roster of artists at Paul Robinson Inc. includes Antione Blanchard; Malva; Lucien Delarue; Jeannine Albert; Paulsen; Guinther; Gerhard and Christian Nesvadba; and Van Der Plas. And these days, artists are findings Robinson, too. "There was a time in this business when I was always the hunter. I was always the one looking for the artist. Through the years, people who know or hear our name are getting referenced to us. We get e-mails, packages and portfolios from artists looking for a good dealer or distribution network," he said.

Although Robinson is not an artist himself, he said he has always had an eye for art. And in the past three years, that eye has brought some 200 artists to the Paul Robinson Inc. portfolio. "We try to find an artist who is painting something we can adapt to as opposed to adapting him to us. That way we are not controlling his hand," Robinson said.

In total, the company distributes more than 400 artists both domestically and in Europe. The company's nine U.S.-based sales reps sell both framed and rolled paintings, showing between all nine of them, 2,000-3,000 paintings a week, Robinson said. He added that one key advantage to the company's sales process is that six of the nine sales reps sell framed paintings directly from trucks. This allows galleries to take possession of the paintings immediately with no freight costs. "We've been doing it that way for 30 years," he said.

Robinson said that one of the most important aspects of his company's business is maintaining personal relationships with clients and artists. He said exposure at showrooms and trade shows, such as International Artexpo New York helps him achieve this goal.

"We prefer to work face-to-face with our customers at the trade shows and through our sales force at the customer's location. That way we can offer customized and immediate service," he said. "Every show I go to I take several empty notebooks, and when I'm talking to a customer I start taking notes. When they talk, I listen, and you can usually turn that into a sale.

In addition to Paul Robinson Inc.'s yearly visit to International Artexpo New York, the company also has showroom space at the America's Mart in Atlanta and at High Point in North Carolina in both April and October.

Robinson said he has no plans to expand his company's offerings beyond traditional, original oil paintings, "We're hoping for continued growth and expanding markets by the addition of new artists that we bring in," he said. But he does have something big planned for the company's future. A year from now Robinson plans to expand the company's facility to build its own custom design operation in the Atlanta area.

Facts & Figures

* Paul Robinson Inc. imports original oil paintings from France, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Hungary and Austria.

* President Paul Robinson travels to Europe every nine months to purchase original oil paintings from European artists.

* In the next year, Paul Robinson Inc. will expand its facility to include a custom design operation in the Atlanta area.

* For more info, call 800-899-6661.