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Blick vs. Eakins
By libby
August 27, 2008 · 4 Comments
Now that we at artblog told you about the bargains at the new art supply store in town–Blick Art Supply (see post)–we will also share with you why some people are angry with the place.
It seems the building that Blick has occupied has Thomas Eakins’ old studio at the top, and in moving in, Blick removed a plaque explaining this–according to a post signed CA Conrad at PhillySound blog. The post is one of those wonderful bloggy expressions of outrage at the insensitive yahoo world of business in a constantly changing world. It’s also still another chapter in the saga of poor old Tommy Eakins being unable to get any respect. And Eakins is the perfect metaphor for all frustrated artists everywhere.
Tags: thomas eakins
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Readers Comments (4)
yLibby, THANK YOU for writing about this situation!
I’ve spoken with a manager at the store who said he would “look into it” but so far, as of last night, still no plaque.
Blick is in the basement of Eakins, and they need to remember that, EAKINS ON TOP!
Thanks again!
CAConrad
PhillySound blog
You tell them who’s on top!!! Nice job!!!
You’re welcome for the link. I was glad to have something so interesting that’s so local, plus I had run the coupon post.
This is the actual story of Blick and the Eakins plaque. The plaque had to be taken down during construction of the new facade and was subsequently stolen off of the job site to our dismay. In fact, when Blick was searching for a site in Philadelphia, the fact that Eakins had a studio in the building was a huge selling point on the space. I was so excited about it that I took a close up picture of the plaque so I could share our newest location with the rest of the Blick retail team when I got back to Chicago. This turned out to be a good move since we had to have the plaque re-made from the picture I took because no one admitted to stealing it and we never got it back. (This is unfortunately a common problem on construction sites.)
We’ve had it re-made to replicate the original and will have it mounted shortly.
Hope that clears things up about a situation that we were not happy about either. Blick has enormous respect for artists and the histories of the buildings we occupy.
Crista (Store Planner and Construction Manager for Blick Retail)
Hi, Crista, I’m so glad to hear the plaque will be returned and that Blick wasn’t the bad actor here!!! I will pass along your email to poet caconrad.