[Cynthia Daniel]

I was shocked to learn the other day that they will no longer be publishing this magazine. For many years it was a reliable place for portrait painters to advertise their work and reach the southern market. When I started in this business, you could pick up any issue and find numerous artists advertising there.

I do think in more recent years they priced themselves out of the individual portrait artist market. Every year they went up at least 15% and sometimes more than that. I know few individual artists whose income increases that much per year.

When I managed Robert Schoeller years ago, it was key to our initial success. I think a full page ad in the national issue then was around $7,000 in the mid 80s. I don't know what their latest pricing is, but I thinkI heard it was 26k quite a few years ago - for sure more today. Almost a quadruple jump. Has your income quadrupled since the mid-80s? I know mine has not.

Maybe if they hadn't had high increases in pricing they'd still be able to publish it.

Even Gourmet Magaziine is closing it's doors.