The contest is sponsored by NICHE Magazine, a trade publication for retailers of artist-made and American-made products.

The NICHE Awards program recognizes the creative achievements of professional and student artists based in the U.S. and Canada.

From close to 1,000 entries, the judges selected 40 artworks made by the professionals and 18 by students to receive top honors. More than 200 artists and their family members gathered Saturday night for the announcement at the Buyers Market of American Craft, a wholesale trade show of art, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

During the ceremonies, NICHE magazine also honored a jewelry design instructor, Tomoyuki Chie Teratani, of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York,  by naming him the 2013 NICHE Arts Educator of the Year.

Nominated by the student contest entrants, the candidates are teachers who are revered for the quality of their instruction and the generosity of their mentoring.

The complete list of 2013 NICHE Award winners is as follows:

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PROFESSIONALS

CERAMICS: HAND-BUILT
Let Sleeping Wasps Lie
Amber Aguirre
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

CERAMICS: MOLDED
Tint
Peter Pincus
Penfield, N.Y.

FASHION ACCESSORIES
Egyptian Blue Shibori Shawl
Izabela Sauer
Vancouver, B.C.

FIBER: ART QUILTS
Window #1
Patricia Gould
Albuquerque, N.M.

FIBER: DECORATIVE
Book of the Ancients 8: Bethel Park Elementary
Jeanne Beck
Canandaigua, N.Y.

FIBER: SURFACE DESIGN
Hay Bales Study
Tracey Lawko
Toronto, Ont.

FIBER: WEARABLE
Royal Striped Scarf
Kristin Gereau
Waukesha, Wisc.

FURNITURE: CABINETRY
Ev
Danny Kamerath
Dallas, Texas

FURNITURE: TABLES AND SEATING
Fanback Sofa
Paul Sirofchuck
Ligonier, Pa.

GLASS: BLOWN
Amethyst Austral Sculpture
Danielle Blade and Stephen Gartner
Ashley Falls, Mass.

Urban
Nick Leonoff
New York, N.Y.

GLASS: CAST/SLUMPED
Gaia
Karen Bexfield
Albuquerque, N.M.

GLASS: FUSED
Amber Feathers—Inlay
Patti and Dave Hegland
Chestertown, Md.

GLASS: LAMPWORKED
Yellow & Orange Late Berkshire Summer
Clinton Smith
Hinsdale, Mass.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS & DECORATIONS
Mr. & Mrs. Claus
Doreen Kassel
Hopewell, N.J.

Heart Ornament
Michael Richardson, Justin Tarducci and Timothy Underwood
North Kingston, R.I.

HOME FURNISHINGS:
DECORATIVE ACCESSORIES
Gothic Spire Birdcage
Joe Diemer
Portland, Ore.

HOME FURNISHINGS:
KITCHEN, DINING, GOURMET
Sushi Set
Matt Thomas
Shock, W.V.

JEWELRY: ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS
Chiaroscuro Necklace
Sophia Georgiopoulou
Seattle, Wash.

JEWELRY: FASHION
Chocolate Dessert Rotating Ring
Aleksandra Vali
Aurora, Ill.

JEWELRY: FINE
Lace Cuff
Alison Bear
Gainesville, Ga.

JEWELRY: GOLD
The Mathematical Fingerprint of God
Ezra Satok-Wolman
Caledon, Ont.

JEWELRY: GOLD WITH STONES
Secret Garden Necklace
Liaung Chung Yen
Henrietta, N.Y.

JEWELRY: SCULPTURE TO WEAR
Tensegrity Icosahedron
Ezra Satok-Wolman
Caledon, Ont.

JEWELRY: SILVER
Every Eye Is Unique
Yuka Okane Inoue
Lake Forest, Ill.

JEWELRY: SILVER WITH STONES
Fruit of Life
Sooyoung Kim
Hopatcong, N.J.

JEWELRY: WEDDING
Promise Ring
Jacob Albee
Burlington, Vt.

JUDAICA
Torah Pointer
Melissa Lovingood
Mason City, Iowa

METAL: CAST AND HOLLOWWARE
Water Vessel Set
Brian Ferrell
Jeannette, Pa.

METAL: ENAMELED
Untitled Earrings
Sheila Beatty
Maplewood, N.J.

METAL: FABRICATED/FORGED
Journey
Marvin Shafer
Chicago, Ill.

MISCELLANEOUS & MIXED MEDIA
Foggy Boulder
Diane Chester-Demicco
Chestnut Hill, Mass.

POLYMER CLAY
Butterfly Bracelet
Wiwat Kamalpornwijit
Alexandria, Va.

RECYCLED
Balance
Tom Shields
Penland, N.C.

TEAPOTS
I’m a Little Teasnout
Meryl Ruth
Cumberland, Maine

Pear Teapot
Meg Staats
Philadelphia, Pa.

WOOD: CARVED
Oliver Twist Can’t Do This
Paul Stafford
Littleton, Colo.

WOOD: PAINTED/COLORED
The Box of Wonder
Robert Hargrave
Tallahassee, Fla.

WOOD: TRADITIONALLY JOINED
Kampa
Danny Kamerath
Dallas, Texas

WOOD: TURNED
Bamboo Vase #1261
Mike Shuler
Santa Cruz, Calif.

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STUDENTS

CERAMICS: SCULPTURAL
Compromise
Rebecca Heilman
Bowling Green State University

FASHION ACCESSORIES
Secrets
Adrian Brown
Oregon College of Art and Craft

FIBER: DECORATIVE
Capillary Action
Jennifer Moss
Savannah College of Art and Design

FIBER: WEARABLE
Stories I Tell Myself, Black
Shauna Kirkland
Virginia Commonwealth University

FURNITURE
Seating for Two
Kevin Bogan
Rochester Institute of Technology

Seat for Two
Moyu Zhang
Rochester Institute of Technology

GLASS: FUNCTIONAL
Inspired by Chinese Vessels
Samuel Meketon
Appalachian Center for Craft

GLASS: SCULPTURAL
Inhalation
Alli Hoag
Alfred University

Personal Microalgae Production Units
Tom Zogas
Rochester Institute of Technology

JEWELRY: FASHION
Etched Shakudo Bangle
Melissa Kaye
Fashion Institute of Technology

JEWELRY: FINE
Frost
Makiko Maeda
Fashion Institute of Technology

JEWELRY: CONCEPTUAL
Lim(b)itless
Corrina Goutos
Savannah College of Art and Design

METAL: FUNCTIONAL
I Miss You
Ryu-Hee Kim
Texas Tech University

METAL: SCULPTURAL
Scaled Ovoid
Ben Dory
Southern Illinois University Carbondale

MIXED MEDIA
Handheld Image Viewer
Grace Gaynor
Southern Illinois University

RECYCLED
Kith & Kin
Lisa Jetonne Quintero
Solano Community College, California

TEAPOTS
Metalanguage
Mary Lynn Podiluk
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University

WOOD
That Unnamed Feeling, I Have To Set It Free
Thomas Dircksen
University of Nebraska at Kearney

PHILADELPHIA (February 13, 2013) – The Buyers Market of American Craft will open Saturday with nearly 800 exhibitors, including 160 artists whose gift, home and fashion products are new to this wholesale trade show.

The new artists include five winners of the Buyers Market Merit Award. This annual prize grants U.S. and Canadian artists their first opportunity to show designs to retailers in a national wholesale trade show.

An artist’s first wholesale show presents a challenge at every turn: Product lines must be refined. An eye-catching booth must be designed. Promotions must be launched. Travel, shipping – the list goes on. Many artists need help with these start-up investments.

That’s when the Merit Awards Program can make a difference for the artist – and help the Buyers Market present fresh talent to retailers. Winners receive assistance with booth costs and promotions. With its Merit Award program, the Buyers Market has introduced 118 new artists to wholesale trade since 1998.

The 2013 Merit Award winners are:

• Aleksandra Vali, award-winning designer of carved and cast silver jewelry
• Joseph Gower of GDG Studios, sculptor of porcelain wares
• Susan Lenz, creator of lace-like embroidered, layered and textured fiber art
• Jennifer Merchant, designer of layered acrylic jewelry with printed imagery
• Chelsea Foehr and Jeremy Griffith of Delish Glass, artists of hand-blown glass vessels and pens

The Buyers Market of American Craft will be at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, this Saturday-Monday, February 16-18, 2013.

On-site registration is $50 and admits up to four members of a store’s buying staff to the show and all events including retailing seminars Friday, February 15, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the annual Jewelry Preview on Friday, February 15, from 4-7 p.m. Show hours: Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Open to the trade only.

MEDIA CONTACT & PRESS CREDENTIALS: Jean Thompson, jeant@rosengrp.com, cell 443.845.6130

Artist-Made Apparel & Accessories “Rock the Runway” in Philadelphia

 BALTIMORE  (February 1, 2013) – The fashion industry’s wake-up call came last year when Olympians and fans demanded American-made designs. So where can independent retailers go now to source authentically American-made apparel, handbags and accessories, jewelry and outerwear?

Designs made by American artists will be presented at the Buyers Market of American Craft wholesale tradeshow, Saturday-Monday, February 16-18, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. There, store buyers and owners will discover that wearable art for the retail fashion marketplace has a new vibe that is youthfully contemporary. Emerging from artist studios now are ready-to-wear and limited-edition collections and custom designs with contemporary silhouettes and affordable style, perfectly suited for boutiques and shops catering to women who want statement-making clothes.

“What we are seeing now are fashion-forward and figure-flattering styles,” says Rebecca Mercado, Buyers Market show director. “The emphasis is on ‘wearable.’ We’re seeing the marriage of the aesthetics of craft art and the utility of good-quality designs and materials. For consumers who care about the source, it’s a bonus that these garments are made in America – a rarity in ready-to-wear fashion.”

Collections at the Buyers Market in Philadelphia will include:

• Flirty mini-dresses and day-to-evening cruise and resort wear designs, by Sandra Baquero Collection, of Lodi, N.J.
• Irresistibly fun jackets for office or evening, by Teresa Maria Widuch of Yantar Ltd., Evanston, Ill.
• Silk charmeuse and bamboo jersey blouses and dresses by Jen Swearington of Jennythreads, Asheville, N.C.

Fashion events at the Buyers Market will include:

• “Rock the Runway,” a fashion show of artist-made apparel and accessories, Saturday and Sunday, February 16 and 17, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm.
• “How to Make a Profit Selling Wearable Art & Accessories,” a Buyers Market roundtable discussion sponsored by Craft Retailers & Artists for Tomorrow, Sunday, February 17, 8:30am-9:20am.

Register for the Buyers Market today at www.AmericanMadeShow.com. Buyers Market show dates: February 16-18, 2013, presenting more than 750 artists including jewelry and apparel designers. The $35 basic registration fee includes admission for up to four members of a store’s buying staff, plus access to the February 15 Jewelry Preview, all retailing seminars, fashion shows and Buyers Market events. Pre-registration for the show ends February 11.  For customer service call 866.341.2001 or e-mail BMACregistration@jspargo.com. -end-

Media contact:  Jean Thompson, jeant@rosengrp.com, 443-845-6130.  Images are available.

BALTIMORE (January 24, 2013) — The Buyers Market of American Craft has assembled its largest Jewelry section in three years, trade show organizers announced today. Retailers who attend the Jewelry Preview at the Buyers Market on Friday, February 15, 2013, from 4-7pm at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, will get a first look at hundreds of new designs.

“We will have more than 300 designers and suppliers in our Jewelry section, plus another 60 jewelry makers in our glass, ceramic and mixed media sections – exclusively from U.S. and Canadian studios,” says Rebecca Mercado, show director. “Demand has surged, so for the first time in about seven years, we’ve had to create a waiting list of designers who want to show new lines to the retailers who carry Premier, fine, fashion and art jewelry. We hope this represents renewed confidence in the American economy and in the luxury marketplace.”

Among the designers showing in Philadelphia will be dozens of familiar names and new artists, and many jewelry industry award winners, including:

–Elizabeth Garvin of Elizabeth Garvin Fine, New York, N.Y., winner of the Palladium Prestige Award, Evening Wear, one of the 2013 AGTA Spectrum Awards. (Images available.)

–Susan Elnora Frerichs of Susan Elnora, Minneapolis, Minn., winner of the 2012 Halstead Grant for new silver jewelry entrepreneurs, sponsored by Halstead Bead Inc.

–Bree Richey, of Bree Richey Designs, Somerville, Mass., winner of the inaugural Future of Design jewelry business incubator competition in 2012. (Images available.)

Register for the Buyers Market today at www.AmericanMadeShow.com. Buyers Market show dates: February 16-18, 2013, presenting more than 750 artists including our jewelry designers. The $35 basic registration fee includes admission for up to four members of a store’s buying staff, plus access to the Jewelry Preview, all retailing seminars, fashion shows and Buyers Market events. Preregistration for the show ends February 11. For customer service call 866.341.2001 or e-mail BMACregistration@jspargo.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Jean Thompson, jeant@rosengrp.com, call 800-432-7238, ext. 218.

Pre-Show Marketing – Part 2

The “American Made Show” Anticipates Growth in 2013 and 2014

BALTIMORE (January 16, 2013) — The Buyers Market of American Craft invites retailers to plan now for 2014, when this premier wholesale tradeshow for American-made and artist-made gift products will move to new January dates.

The Buyers Market dates for next year will be Saturday-Tuesday, January 18-21, 2014, with a Jewelry Preview on Friday, January 17, 2014, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

This year’s show will take place Saturday-Monday, February 16-18, 2013, with a Jewelry Preview on Friday, February 15, in the same venue.

“The Buyers Market is positioning itself to grow, based on the welcome increase we have seen this year in the numbers of exhibiting artists and pre-registered buyers,” says Rebecca Mercado, show director. “Retailers who attend next month will see work by nearly 800 exhibitors, including more than 150 new artists, and we want to assure retailers that next year will be even better. In 2014, we’ll have prime shopping dates so that retailers can see more American-made gift products earlier in the buying season.”

The January 2014 dates offer benefits to Buyers Market retailers and artists:

- show dates that facilitate just-in-time ordering for Valentine’s Day

- a much-requested return to a four-day Buyers Market show schedule

- show dates that do not require retailers to travel on Valentine’s Day, when they prefer to be in their stores

- halls in the all-new wing of the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, accessible to the broadest mix of gift, craft, jewelry and art retailers in the Northeast

- expanded and year-round education programs for new exhibitors and guilds, to ensure that retailers see more new American-made art by artists who are ready to fulfill orders

For more information about our date change in 2014, please read our FAQ.
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CONTACTS: Jean Thompson, public relations director, jeant@rosengrp.com, 800-432-7238, ext. 218

Booth Design & lighting – Part 2

In this age of websites, blogs, social media and numerous other electronic vehicles to get messages to a larger public audience, you may be asking yourself if there is still a need for an old-fashioned, hand-delivered postcard. To this, I answer with a resounding YES!

Postcards can be used not only as pre-and post-show advertising, but also as business cards and all-purpose correspondence. A postcard that is well designed with clear information and a good photo representation of your studio’s work is a wonderful marketing tool for all artists.

Here are some useful tips in designing a postcard:

• A standard size postcard (approx. 4” x 6”) is good if your intention is to use the card for a variety of purposes (distributing by mail or in person). However, cards that are designed to be oversized or unconventional formats tend to stand out from the dozens — or even hundreds! — of cards buyers receive leading up to a trade show. Check USPS guidelines before you print. Unusual sized items have a surcharge but are often effective enough to be worth the additional cost for handling, if your budget allows.

• Postcards with good “branding” can distinguish you from other exhibitors at the show. Branding is used to define the visual experience that your buyer associates with your studio’s work. Consistently using these visual cues in your marketing efforts will help connect your work in buyers’ minds at the show.

• The colors that you choose should complement the work you are presenting at the show and on your postcard. The colors and font style should be used on all things that are used to present your work. This includes all print material, web campaigns and your booth design.

• Choose a clear photographic image of your work. In most cases I suggest not using more then 1 to 3 pieces of work. The images should be clear. Make sure to use high enough resolution (300 dpi or greater) so details are visible and that it accurately reflects the real piece.

• Text on the front of the card should be short and simple. Keep the style and size of the font that you choose easy to read.

• The back of the postcard is used for contact information and perhaps a short artist statement. General messages will allow you to use the cards longer. You can order larger quantity to save on the print cost per unit.

• Use stickers to customize the card for specific events. Always include the show name, dates, location and your booth number!

• Everything you send should have your full business contact information, including phone, email, mailing address, etc. If you want to appear professional to buyers, a website only just doesn’t cut it.

• Special promotions requiring buyers to mention or bring the card will help increase foot traffic and allow you track the success of your campaign. Examples include product giveaways, free shipping new customers or contests for prizes. (Get creative; promotions don’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money: A Buyers Market exhibitor once raffled off a weeklong stay at her family’s summer vacation home!)

• Remember to leave space in the design for a stamp (or printed pre-sort code), processing by the postal service, address labels, show-specific promotional stickers. If you have the room, or if the card won’t be mailed, an area for jotting notes can be very handy to both you and buyers.

Make sure your mailing list is as accurate as possible and appropriate to the card’s purpose. Research stores before you add them to your list. Know whom you’re mailing to. It’s better to mail fewer cards to the right audience than to waste time and money mailing to hundreds of people who are not likely to place an order.

Finally, remember that postcards should be clear and concise. What is the overall message? What action do you want card recipients to take? Postcards, like your booth design, should not outshine or compete with the work that you are selling. All the marketing aids that you design and use should complement your work and speak to the audience you are hoping to attract.

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About Stacy

Stacy Simbrom (Angels With Attitude) has been professionally selling her folk-inspired creations in wood and metal for nearly 20 years. A longtime exhibitor with the Buyers Market of American Craft, Stacy became a mentor to new exhibitors to provide honest advice and support to emerging artists. She shares her boundless energy and enthusiasm with her husband, son and two dogs from their home in East Northport, New York.

1. Showcase Your Work Not Your Design Skills

• Your booth design succeeds if it’s your products passersby see first. Your booth should be noticeable, but, in a sense, invisible. You want the retailers to remember what you make and sell – not how much work or money you put into your display. Your signage and décor should complement, not compete with your products.

2. Plan Your Space, No Matter How Large or Small

• Some exhibitors like having an island in the middle so the buyers can walk around it; others like a totally open space with product hugging the perimeter, to invite buyers in. The point is to let the retailers get close enough to touch your products. If they will reach for it, they want to consider or buy it.
• Provide a countertop or tall cafe table, where orders can be written comfortably and forms can be filled out. (Remember: This is not cash and carry; wholesale is all about writing orders). If you’re short on space, provide clipboards as an alternative.
  

3. Simple, Effective and Reusable

• When you pay for exhibit space at many trade shows, you get exactly that – space. Sometimes standard booth package includes pipe and drape (three sides for an inline, two for a corner, one for a double-corner or “end-cap”), and usually a chair and simple identification sign. Think of this space as a blank canvas. You have to bring, build or rent display cases, counters, fixtures, carpet / flooring, seating, storage, lighting, etc. You create the setting in which buyers will view your work.
• Your booth does not have to be expensive, but it must be effective and appropriate to your business (and target customer). Look at photos of great booths for ideas. Be creative but, above all, make the merchandising match the merchandise: If your product is rustic, be rustic. If your product is elegant, be elegant.

4. Put Your Products at (or Near) Eye Level

• You have just 3-4 seconds to grab a passerby with your display. You want to pull them in and instantly communicate who you are and what you do. If they have to squint or bend down, you’ve lost them.
• The only time a product should be displayed down on the floor should be if it makes sense on the floor (a floor lamp, a footstool, a table) but even then, beware of tripping yourself or your buyers.

5. You’ve Set the Stage, Now Light It

• Convention centers are big warehouses with a fancy name. The lighting does nothing for you or for your products — it is way up high and often discolors or distorts how product appears. To avoid this problem, some events lower overhead lighting to dimmer settings.
• Good lighting will actually help you sell your work. It makes items come alive. Choose a system that connects to the poles or sits in the displays. Avoid costly fines by thoroughly review electrical codes provided by show management or the facility. Be prepared for a blowout by bringing extra lights, bulbs and grounded extension cords.

6. Signage: Keep It Simple

• Keep signage simple and legible from a distance. It should have your logo and large-format product image. Use a professionally printed banner with dowels or grommets for hanging. Foam-core is an affordable option but is mostly for single use since it will crush or dent in transit.
• Booths come with a simple sign, usually including your business name and booth number. No impact. Your custom-branded signage is preferable, but it’s of absolute importance that you keep a clearly visible booth number so attendees can easily identify you.

7. The Softer Side of Booth Display

• Fabric is an affordable decoration element, but if you use it, bring a travel iron or use the one that is in your hotel room.
• Certain fabrics can work against you. Some dyes will change color under different lights. A dress rehearsal at home is highly recommended to ensure your drapes don’t reflect or absorb too much light.
• Fabric in your booth display should always be of primarily synthetic fiber or pre-treated with flame-retardant chemicals. Products like FireStop are easily used in your washing machine at home. Bring a swatch or evidence of fiber composition if the fire marshal requests to see it.

8. Have Booth, Will Travel

• Choose display pieces that are lightweight and modular but also sturdy. After just a few years of assembling, disassembling, storing and shipping, your beautiful display pieces can take quite a beating. If you exhibit at several shows a year, consider investing in a professionally manufactured booth display that’s both strong and travel-friendly.
• A smart, time-saving option: Display cubes or crates that double as shipping units when it is time to move your materials. This can save you hours of waiting for crates to be returned from storage after a show has closed.
• Some artists ship or carry the main components of the booth to the show, and then go to a local store to buy the “finishing touches.” This reduces your shipping weight but adds to your set-up time. Plan ahead.
• Exhibit halls during move-in and move-out can be quite chaotic with heavy machinery, tripping hazards, staples and nails on the floor, etc. Accidents are bound to happen when hundreds of exhibitors are setting up or breaking down. Nearly every trade event requires its exhibitors to carry (and provide documentation for) an insurance policy. This is less expensive than you think. Ask your home or auto insurance provider about adding an event-specific rider.

9. Build It at Home at Least One Time

• Do it alone. Really. Otherwise you might be in shock at the show. Know how to do it. Will you need a step-stool? Bring your own. Check your event’s Rules & Regulations for exhibiting. Are power tools permitted? Are adhesives or paint prohibited? Every event and facility has its own set of guidelines and codes, sometimes mandated by local unions or employment laws.
• Stand in your space and try to imagine that you are a buyer. What does that buyer need to shop your products? If you sell jewelry or wearable art, your buyer might like to try on your products – bring a mirror.

10. It’s the Little Things

• Buyers walk miles on the show floor each day. Most only rest when they are standing in a booth, so make those few minutes as enjoyable as possible. The more welcome they feel, the longer they stay. The longer they stay, the greater your chances of getting an order.
• Add some “creature comforts” that makes your space inviting to visitors: candies, water, fresh flowers, cushy carpet or a place to sit to rest tired feet (you, however, should be standing).