It All Began with Awe

When you run a business that supports creative people, you’re guaranteed to be awestruck most days. At least that’s true for me. As the owner of Red River Paper, I am constantly fascinated by the ingenuity and perseverance of our customers. No matter what’s happening in the world, they keep innovating and finding ways to improve their quality and process. This brings me to the main reason we started Success on Paper.

REASON #1: TO EXTEND OUR MISSION

Our Success on Paper blog series speaks directly to the spirit of determination I’ve seen in art-oriented business owners like David Begneaud of The Historic Map Company and Lynn Goldsmith, “photographer to the rock stars.” Since June 2023, we’ve featured nine customers as spotlight artists — hailing from Hawaii to Maryland and everywhere in between — and we’re just getting started. Sharing the work and backstories of our customers is a natural extension of our mission:

To Curate a Superior Canvas to Reflect and Preserve the Human Experience.

Our part is to curate a superior canvas by offering and manufacturing THE BEST papers as a medium for expression. Our customers take it from there, reflecting and preserving the human experience through a lens, a brush, a story, or a plan. Creatives hold a mirror to society and defy time, forever preserving a moment or memory. Once printed, these moments belong to the world.

REASON #2: TO HELP ARTISTS GAIN MORE EXPOSURE

“It’s not who you know; it’s who knows you.” This saying rings true for every business, but it’s especially relevant to artists, who typically don’t have big budgets to get their work in front of prospective audiences. And while some organizations charge artists to advertise or to appear in feature articles, Success on Paper allows artists, photographers, and related businesses to make more connections, attract more followers, and sell more art — at no cost.

To help artists find more fans, the Success on Paper blog is promoted in our monthly Red River Paper newsletter and on our website, which together are seen by hundreds of thousands of viewers and subscribers each year. The spotlight artists may also be featured on our website home page, social pages, and resource materials sent out with every order. Additionally, spotlight artists are automatically approved if they choose to sign up for our affiliate program.

REASON #3: TO SPUR OTHERS TO SUCCESS

Our Success on Paper stories are like mini case studies. Customers don't just share their beautiful works; they explain exactly how they overcame any obstacles their businesses faced. We want other artists worldwide to learn from these anecdotes, using the solutions to troubleshoot their own challenging situations.

For example, watercolor artist Garry Palm worried that his brightly colored images wouldn’t translate well to print. (Spoiler alert: he was glad to be wrong!)

Then there’s illustrator Dave Garbot, who had been sourcing an out-of-state printer. When demand increased and shipping costs rose, he wanted to start printing cards in his studio, but he had no idea which printer or paper products to use. RRP stepped in and guided Dave to further growth.

Other artist spotlights reveal how the right paper makes a big difference. Take photographer Jeffrey Stoner, who captures the joy of “laughing goats,” and artist Erinn Foglesong, who needs high-end paper to express her quirky sense of humor.

READY TO SHARE YOUR STORY?

I hope you enjoy reading Success on Paper and discover something you can immediately apply to your business. If you’d like to be featured in an upcoming edition, take a moment to apply here. We look forward to hearing your tales of triumph.

Last Updated January 2, 2024

Original Publication Date: January 03, 2024

Article Last updated: January 03, 2024

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