Hi Christina. I am 100% sure that the recession is affecting artists and art-related products. It is a long established truism that art and other so-called luxury/non-essential items are the first things people cut back on in tough times. Although we are a new brand (www.avalonart.com) I am experiencing a mixture of caution/reticence and fear on the part of those we are dealing with-whether it be retailers who are holding back on orders, sales reps who want big money up front before they get in their cars or art buyers-both on and off-line who are just not putting their hands in their pockets. Hey-ho...all we can do is grin and bear it, hunker down and hope to ride out the storm (sorry for the abundance of cliches in there!) best wishes - i shall check out your work soon Harvey Burgess