Fine Art Limited purchased

Renaissance Art Associates makes acquisition

-- Home Accents Today, 3/25/2008 6:29:00 AM

Renaissance Art Associates has purchased Fine Art Limited, CEO Ian Cruickshank announced last week.

In the agreement, Houston-based RAA, a wholesaler of high-quality oil paintings and museum-quality frames, assumes control of the inventory, sales force, customer base, equipment and showrooms previously owned by Fine Art Limited, the 43-year-old, Norcross, Ga.-based company.

“RAA has earned its reputation as an aggressive, energetic company in the art world,” said Cruickshank. “This deal gives us the service capabilities, respected salespeople and the infrastructure to stay light years ahead of anyone else in the wholesale art business. It’s a boon to our business and our customers throughout the country. We’ll now be able to offer our clients much greater selection and the tools to offer their customers more options and to increase their sales in this valuable category.”

The immediate impact of the deal will be seen in Fine Art’s permanent showrooms, including High Point, Dallas, Atlanta and New York as RAA has already started rejuvenating inventory, offering customers more options and a new look.

Fine Art Limited owner Emile Valheurdi will assume the title vice president, merchandising and development for RAA.

“To get Emile's expertise in composition and artist development and the opportunity to capitalize on his ability to create amazing compositions and imagery, a specialization in which he has no equal, will propel RAA to new heights,” adds Cruickshank. “The combination of our marketing abilities and their merchandising expertise is a powerful force.”

“The dynamics of this merger between RAA and FAL have completely re-energized me,” said Valhuerdi.  “The new entity created by RAA’s marketing prowess and my extensive design capabilities will have a powerful impact on our industry. I’m so excited and motivated to focus on what I do best, which is the creation of new, wonderful images to heighten our inventory. We plan to give our customers things they’ve never seen before.”

Fine Art’s seasoned sales force will continue in their positions for RAA, but will now have RAA’s Web site, arthub.com to augment their traditional marketing strategy of visiting their customers with “mobile galleries.”  Arthub.com is an online virtual gallery that allows customers to browse paintings by style, subject, and size, as well as select individualized art and mix and match frames, customizing an order down to the smallest detail.