As Tony Bailey mentioned, I am the new owner of Thumbtack Press, and it’s very exciting to be here. (Those of you that know me know how much of an understatement that really is). Tony, in his tireless efforts over the past five years, has teed up an incredible opportunity for me to step in and build on what he has done so well which is a great challenge that I embrace.

What’s most exciting to me is that I now have a venue to showcase so much of the incredible talent that’s out there in the world, from the little known to the wildly famous.  I am a keen follower of art for many many years and am of the belief that cost should never be a barrier to collecting great art.  Art needs to be accessible to everyone that truly appreciates it and has a desire to own it, and I can think of no better way to do that than through Thumbtack Press.

We have some very exciting things planned that  will take this company to new heights.  We’ve already gotten started and we are going to move fast.  We’ve already begun making little tweaks and enhancements to the site, and will continue to do so on a continual basis so please check back regularly.  Also, if you haven’t already, please sign up for our newsletter (on the home page), so we can keep you posted of any new artists & artworks that are up on the site.

Feel free to share your feedback with me anytime, either to this blog or to my email (barry@thumbtackpress.com).

Thanks!

Barry

Some amazing things are happening here. I’m very pleased to announce that Barry Friedland, an art lover and entrepreneur, is the new owner of Thumbtack Press, this little online shop that started with a simple idea and some weekend coding.

Over the past five years Thumbtack Press has showcased the best illustrators in the U.S. and the World; we’ve gained thousands of customers, and millions of admirers. We’ve gone from complete obscurity to gracing the cover of Home Magazine, and even being featured in ReadyMade and Wired. This is now prologue.

It’s bittersweet letting go of this business that means so much to me, but I leave the customers and the artists in capable hands. Barry brings experience, ambition, and a business-sense that can take Thumbtack onwards and upwards. The passing of the torch is here and it’s my turn to browse Thumbtack Press as a fan.

All my best, Tony

I am devastated to hear of Nick’s passing. The world’s lost a quiet genius, and far too soon. My conversations with Nick rarely focused on art or business, rather I am left blessed knowing his insights on community, travel, and living a simple life well. He made a difference in the world, and he made an impact on me personally and professionally. I will certainly miss him.

At the appropriate time I will reach out to Nick’s family to make sure that his legacy is honored as he would have wished.

I’m overjoyed to have Julie Dillon join Thumbtack Press. When I first saw these images I was blown away. It’s images like this one that make my jaw drop.

Her talent is indisputable. If we’re lucky Julie will give us more – encourage her – buy a print!

I’m very happy to announce that Don Kilpatrick III has added four images to Thumbtack Press. Don is not only a great illustrator, but he is a true advocate of illustrators as well. You can see him teaching in the classrooms at the College for Creative Studies, or running the Illustration Conference (ICON) Bookstore when it comes to your town, or maybe you’ve seen him on BART during the annual Sketchcrawls, or how about running a board meeting for the SF Society of Illustrators!? Whew… The guy’s a juggernaut.

Come back to SF Don!

We took some time to build our very own Facebook Page. If you’ve ever bought a print from us you know first-hand how serious we are about quality, customer service, and promoting talented artists. It would mean a lot to us if you considered becoming a fan of our little store that could!

Oh yeah! I almost forgot. We also added a little Facebook button on all our pages. With that little button (and your Facebook account) you can post, share, or send a Thumbtack Press print! See the sample below – go ahead and test it out, we’ll be right here!

Thanks in advance for ‘becoming a fan’ of Thumbtack Press on Facebook – and a big BIG THANK YOU to those that already have! I promise no spamming!

Anything is Possible when Sarajo touches a paint brush. She is a personal favorite of mine, and I still pinch myself when see her work on Thumbtack. (I’m also kinky).

She also added Nesting in Trees – you won’t regret clicking that link either!

Although I’ve performed many drunken attempts in the past, I would have been wise to heed this advice from Ryan Abegglen. But Ryan offers more than good advice; he also has added 14 additional prints to his store – you ain’t seen nothing yet – this guy’s amazing!

I’m happy to announce that we have a spectacular new print from artist Cory Schmitz. We hope to have more from Cory in the coming weeks… stay tuned.

Happy New Year! And a good way to start off 2009 is with the addition of Kareem Rizk to Thumbtack Press. We’re very pleased to have him aboard – welcome Kareem!

Looks like I’ll need to buy a lot more magenta ink because of Vanessa Tam’s new work. That’s okay, she’s certainly worth it.

She’s also offering up her very first miniature print for under $20. Buy it now or X X.

Patrick Leger’s art is a personal favorite of mine, I am the proud owner of two Leger originals after all, and if I had the money I’d own everything he draws. It may be my soft spot for good inkers, or a childhood (Pavlovian) snap-back to my comic collecting days, it could be my attraction to flat screenprint styles. Or maybe — and far more likely — he’s just a great artist that makes great art!

Wow! Doug Boehm has been busy. It looks to me like he’s transcended to a higher plane of illustration.

Don’t leave this post without viewing the two 3 Hats illustrations either, you won’t be disappointed!

Fellow SI-LA alumn Shiho Nakaza has added 3 new prints to her shop

Check ‘em out!

The very talented Jason Limon has joined Thumbtack Press. This guy’s good.

He’s also afforded us fresh subject matter to our world famous Girls & Tentacles section.

My jaw dropped when I first saw Adam S. Doyle’s work. He has a very unique, borderline abstract, style as you can see. They’re even better close-up, buy a print and you’ll see.

Dave Pressler is back and he’s still full of hot air. Corny? I got nothing.

For all you middle children, or those of you who have ever felt like the middle child, here’s the appropriately named Middle Child miniature print by Brandon Reese!